Driving electric? The Mazda 6e is a prelude to the Chinese future of the car

How the wheel turns. It’s unlikely anyone in Hiroshima has ever heard of Shmulik Kraus. There is a time to give and a time to take, and now everyone is singing together - he described the transformation that Mazda and the entire automotive industry are undergoing.

In 2012, Changan Mazda was established, a joint automotive venture between Chinese and Japanese manufacturers. Changan provided the market - already the largest in the world - while Mazda, a small Western manufacturer from Hiroshima, supplied the expertise. The Chinese wanted to learn how to produce modern cars; the Japanese had the Mazda 3.

Fourteen years later, the balance of power has shifted. Mazda is still a small manufacturer, but China is leading the electric revolution. This time, it is Mazda coming to learn from the Chinese. The result is the Mazda 6e, a new electric sedan carrying a familiar name but based on a Changan electric sedan.

It is not Mazda’s first electric car: That title belongs to the MX-30, a small, short-range crossover launched at the end of the previous decade. With an official combined range of 200 km, it didn’t really go far.

The Chinese model that served as the basis for the 6e is called the DiPal S03. Since then, an electric crossover based on the DiPal 07 - also sold locally - has been unveiled; in Europe, it is reportedly called the CX-6e. Meanwhile, we are driving the sedan expected to arrive in Israel by the end of the year. But is it truly a Mazda?

With a front so recognizable, a profile reminiscent of the first 6 from 2002, and the MAZDA lettering on the rear missing only in large print, the 6e looks very much like a Mazda, complemented by modern LED lights. The Japanese did a good job of implanting a new identity into the Chinese sedan.

It is not even larger than the regular 6 sedan, but it appears so. Like the 6 always had a liftback version, where the rear window rises with the trunk door, this configuration was chosen for the 6e to differentiate it from the increasing number of Chinese electric sedans, while also providing more practicality for customers.

It is a large car: 4.92 meters long, 1.89 meters wide, 1.49 meters tall. Bigger than the 6, bigger than the group’s founder and still the world’s best-selling, Tesla Model 3.

This is where the Chinese roots are felt more. The formula of a large multimedia screen (14.6 inches) and a digital dashboard (10.2 inches) remains, alongside the Chinese tendency to minimize physical buttons. On the steering wheel, which appears fully Japanese, there are quite a few, but none on the center console. All climate control and audio system operations are handled via a row of controls at the bottom of the screen. Advanced but dangerous, it forces the driver to look away from the road to lower the air conditioning temperature.

Even adjusting the mirrors, activating the wipers, and turning on the headlights require screen taps. Even controlling the battery’s regenerative braking was found only in the menu that allows customization of the car’s behavior. There is a large sunroof, but as common in China, no shade underneath for bright or hot days.

Despite efforts to show improved material quality, there is still plenty of cheap plastic. A Japanese 6 gasoline model feels more premium.

Front legroom is good, though less than expected from the dimensional increase compared to the gasoline 6 sold locally until two years ago.

There is also ample rear legroom, but the seat is odd: Too raised at the front, perhaps due to battery placement under the car, creating a slightly reclined seating position that is uncomfortable for long periods. Additionally, in a car designed to provide a premium atmosphere, there is only a single rear USB port.

The trunk is practical thanks to the fifth door, with a volume of 456 liters. The spare wheel remains in Hiroshima. At least there is a 70-liter front trunk.

What the Chinese do know is safety. The 6e earned the maximum rating of 5 out of 5 stars in the updated and strict European crash test (2025).

The driving, conducted near Mazda’s research and development center in Frankfurt, Germany, was brief but varied, combining city and mountain roads. With 258 hp and rear-wheel drive, there is potential to live up to Mazda’s reputation as a driver’s car.

But it doesn’t fully deliver. The 6e provides relatively good behavior compared to other EVs, but the steering lacks feel and sharpness, and the car is less precise in corners than one would expect from a Mazda. This may be due to its weight of just over 2 tons, and likely the Chinese engineers’ inexperience in EV calibration, which Japanese engineers didn’t have time to fully correct. Comfort, however, is relatively good - probably the priority here.

Performance is good and surprisingly balanced. 0–100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, brisk acceleration without back jolts or blurred scenery.

The version we drove has a 69 kWh battery, with a promised range of 492 km, which we could not verify, but shorter than the basic Model 3 today.

The 6e reflects the dilemma of Western car manufacturers: How to stay relevant in the electric era while remaining competitive in price. Some, like Volkswagen and Toyota, already produce and sell cars in China based on Chinese platforms (XPeng for the first, GAC for the second) but are not rushing to export them. Mazda is too small to forgo this shortcut in order to compete with European emissions fines.

The new electric vehicle looks like a Mazda, but it has a fairly noticeable Chinese accent. Soon we will know if Japanese engineers had more room to leave their mark in developing the CX-6e.