2026 Mazda 6e Review: Brilliant to Drive, But Did Mazda Go Too Far?

Mazda has just built one of its best cars in years, and then it hid the handbrake. The all-new, all-electric Mazda 6e is a sleek rear-wheel-drive liftback with a claimed 560 km of range, and it lands right on top of the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Kia EV4. On the road it is brilliant. Inside, it has gone so minimalist that it forgot a few things.

Design

It has just won World Car Design of the Year, and it is easy to see why. It is long and low, with frameless doors, flush handles that pop out to greet you, a front light bar that glows at night and twin round tail lights that nod to the old RX-7. The 19-inch alloys look great, though the five-spoke design may look familiar if you have seen a BYD Seal. The party trick is an electric rear spoiler that rises at 80 km/h, or in the car park purely for the vibes.

Performance and charging

One electric motor drives the rear wheels with 190 kW and 290 Nm, and Mazda claims 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. On paper that is slower than a Seal or Model 3. In real life it feels quick: the shove is instant and it keeps pulling at highway speeds.

The battery is a 78 kWh LFP pack rated at 560 km WLTP. Realistically, plan on the mid 400s on a mixed run, which is still excellent. DC charging peaks at 194 kW, and Mazda quotes 30 to 80 per cent in about 15 minutes. While it charges, the lights front and rear pulse to show it is working. Necessary? No. Did we stand there and watch it? Absolutely.

How it drives

This is where the 6e shines. The weight sits slightly to the rear, the steering is quick, and it feels planted and calm in a way a lot of EVs do not. It is quiet, the ride is composed and it is genuinely fun to drive. That is the Mazda magic.

The minimalist problem

There is no handbrake switch. No button, no lever. If you want the car held, you put it in Park. There is an auto hold function, but it had to be switched on again every time we got in. The regenerative braking setting does the same thing: pick your favourite level and next drive it is back to default.

So the producers set Amelia a challenge: in 60 seconds, set the regen level, turn on the heated steering wheel, switch on the wipers and hold the car without using Park. She got two of the four. Wipers, heated steering wheel, drive modes and most other controls live in the 14.6-inch touchscreen, from a brand that used to do buttons best. Even the indicator stalk sits on the left, like a European car, so your first roundabout may be exciting.

The cabin

It is a lovely place to sit: good materials, a panoramic roof with an electric blind, ventilated front seats, a 14-speaker Sony system and a head-up display. It looks expensive. The boot is 336 litres, small for a car this long, but the liftback opening is generous and there is a 72 litre front boot for the cables.

Safety

Nine airbags, a 360-degree camera with a see-through view, autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping and rear collision warning, plus a five-star ANCAP rating. The alerts are chatty, and it will warn you about every bend in the road until you dig into the menus and switch them off.

Price and rivals

The 6e GT is $49,990 before on-road costs and the Atenza is $52,990, with Mazda running a $52,990 drive-away offer on the GT. Against that, the Tesla Model 3 now starts from $45,900 with more range, the BYD Seal Premium is $52,990 and quicker to 100 km/h, and the Kia EV4 starts in the same territory. The 6e does not win on price or the spec sheet. It wins on how it drives, how it looks and the Mazda dealer down the road. Check Mazda's site for current offers before you buy.

Cartell Assessment

The Mazda 6e drives like a Mazda should and looks like a design award. It just needs a software update and a couple of buttons. Buy it if you love driving, want something that looks special and can live with a screen that asks for more of your attention than it should. Skip it if you are a buttons person or need a big back seat and boot, because a Model 3 or EV4 may suit you better.

Hey Mazda, if you are watching: we would love a handbrake switch and a regen setting that remembers us.

AU Outlook

The 6e gives Mazda a credible electric sedan for the first time, priced against the Model 3, Seal and EV4. See every grade and spec on our Mazda 6e page, and how it compares in our Model 3 vs Seal vs EV4 vs 6e comparison.