Mazda 6e EV Debuts in the UK – Malaysia Next?

The UK becomes the latest right-hand-drive market to welcome the sleek Mazda 6e EV saloon. Is Malaysia next?

It has been just over a year since the Mazda 6e was unveiled as the brand’s new global electric sedan, and this sleek fastback has just made its debut in the UK. This arrival also marks the UK as the latest right-hand-drive (RHD) market to welcome this sleek EV saloon, featuring a single powertrain spec and costing over twice as much as the original Chinese version, the Mazda EZ-6.

We’ll start with the powertrain bits, where UK buyers can only get the 6e in the sole single-motor RWD variant rated at 254 hp and 290 Nm, enabling a modest 0-100 km/h sprint time of 7.9 seconds. Mind you, this is essentially the same powertrain platform used on the Changan Deepal SL03, which is a Chinese donor model for this sleek fastback saloon.

Battery-wise, the sole 6e variant comes standard with a 78 kWh LFP battery pack that Mazda claims is good for up to 560 km of travel range and can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.

Powertrains aside, UK buyers can get the new 6e in two distinct trim levels, namely the baseline Takumi and the top-spec Takumi Plus. No exterior changes are present for both trim levels, as it gets the same sleek fastback saloon bodystyle with distinct design bits like the slim LED headlights, quad rounded LED taillights, 19-inch two-tone wheels, a retractable active rear spoiler, and more.

Mazda 6e Takumi trim (left) & Takumi Plus trim (right)

The differences between the two variants are only apparent once we get inside the 6e, where the low-specced Takumi variant gets Maztex upholstery finished in black. Meanwhile, the Takumi Plus ups the ante by swapping for a more premium Nappa leather and suede upholstery finished in tan while adding an electric sunshade for the panoramic glass roof.

Other standard amenities shared across two variants include a 14.6-inch infotainment screen with smartphone connectivity, a digital metre cluster with a dedicated head-up display (HUD), a powered tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14-speaker Sony audio system, a 360-degree view monitor system, privacy windows, and more.

But what really raised the eyebrows is the asking price for the Mazda 6e in the UK, where this sleek EV saloon retails from £38,995 (RM207,622) for the entry-level Takumi and £39,995 (RM212,946) for the top-spec Takumi Plus. This makes the 6e priced over twice as much as China’s Mazda EZ-6, which currently retails from CNY 159,800 (£16,900/RM90,273) onwards.

That being said, the Mazda 6e is still priced competitively among other popular EV saloons in the UK, like the Tesla Model 3, which currently starts at £37,990 (RM202,271). Should this sleek EV saloon make its way into our market, how much would local Mazda vanguard Bermaz Auto Berhad (BAuto) charge for it, considering that the tax incentives for fully-imported (CBU) EVs are now discontinued?