Mazda has never been the brand to chase trends blindly. This is the company that kept rotary engines alive longer than common sense suggested and insisted on perfect steering feel while rivals obsessed over horsepower numbers. Which makes the new CX-6e something of a surprise: a large electric SUV that leans hard into screens, minimalism, and globalized design logic.
Unveiled at the Brussels motor show, the CX-6e marks a sharp stylistic pivot for Mazda, both inside and out. According to Jo Stenuit, Mazda’s European design boss, this SUV is meant to showcase where the company’s interiors are heading—and that future looks a lot more digital than anything currently wearing a Mazda badge.
The headline feature is a massive 26-inch infotainment screen that dominates the dashboard, accompanied by the complete removal of a traditional instrument cluster. Instead, the CX-6e relies on an enlarged head-up display to relay driving information. Add in camera-based wing mirrors, Bluetooth speakers embedded in the front headrests, and a cabin nearly devoid of physical controls, and you get the most tech-forward Mazda interior to date.
Stenuit admits that the decision to go screen-heavy didn’t originate in Europe. That call came from Japan, driven by the need for a cabin that “works globally.” Screens, after all, translate better than buttons across markets and regulations. While he personally isn’t a fan of ever-larger displays, Stenuit argues that size brings clarity—and clarity, in Mazda’s view, trumps nostalgia.
The CX-6e’s exterior design follows what Stenuit calls a “living art” philosophy, with smooth surfaces and restrained detailing. It’s sleek for an SUV, and notably lower and wider than the combustion-powered CX-60 it effectively replaces in the electric lineup. Measuring 4850 mm long, 1935 mm wide, and 1670 mm tall, the CX-6e is slightly larger in footprint but visually leaner, signaling that Mazda still cares about proportions—even when packaging batteries.
But there’s an important caveat here: the CX-6e isn’t purely a Mazda creation.
Under the skin, it’s mechanically identical to the Changan Deepal S07, built on Changan’s EPA1 platform. The two vehicles roll down the same production line in Nanjing, China, the result of a joint venture designed to accelerate EV development while keeping costs in check. Mazda has sold versions of this SUV in China and Australia under the EZ-60 name, but Europe gets a Mazda badge—and a strictly electric powertrain.
That means no plug-in hybrid option for European buyers. Instead, the CX-6e arrives with a single rear-mounted motor producing 255 horsepower, paired with a 78-kWh LFP battery. Range is quoted at up to 300 miles, which is respectable but hardly class-leading in a segment that includes the Audi Q6 E-tron, capable of stretching closer to 380 miles.
Mazda plans to launch the CX-6e in mainland Europe first, with UK sales following by the end of 2026. When it arrives, it will be one of only two electric Mazdas available in the UK, alongside the closely related 6e sedan.
Practicality is solid, if not standout. The rear cargo area offers 468 liters of space—nearly 100 liters less than the CX-60—though an 80-liter front trunk helps offset the deficit. Realistically, that frunk will mostly serve as a home for charging cables, but it’s a welcome addition nonetheless.
What the CX-6e ultimately represents is a crossroads for Mazda. It’s a vehicle shaped as much by global partnerships and market realities as by the brand’s traditional obsession with driver engagement. The interior suggests Mazda is willing to rethink long-held philosophies in the electric era, even if that means embracing the very screen-centric layouts it once resisted.
Whether that gamble pays off will depend on how well Mazda balances digital convenience with the tactile, human-focused design ethos that made enthusiasts care in the first place. The CX-6e may not feel like a classic Mazda—but it might be exactly what the brand needs to stay relevant in an increasingly electric, increasingly screen-filled world.
Source: Mazda