Mazda CX-6e driven: A proper BMW iX3 rival for £20k less?
Climbing inside breaks the illusion. Its colour, material and finish choices are all top-notch, and the ambience is only improved by its vast, standard panoramic roof. But you don’t need to scour hard for shared shapes and architecture with the Changan Deepal S07 on which it’s based. While this isn’t the end of the world (the Deepal S07 is a four-star car in these quarters), it does make the CX-6e another car that appears to have strayed from Mazda’s usual playbook.
Yes, far too many functions have been vacuumed up by its simply enormous 26in touchscreen. Plonking such a massive array of pixels on top of an otherwise deliciously simple dash architecture is already jarring. Trying to toggle any of the car’s functions on the move, being admonished quickly by the screen itself for your moment of distraction, only irritates more. You might get used to it over a long-term lease, but there’s surely a better balance to be struck between touchscreen flexibility and fixed functionality.
A very crisp and legible head-up display is standard – and it’s essential, given that, unlike in the 6e saloon, there’s no instrument cluster here. The quality of the HUD ensures it’s not an issue, but anyone buying into the CX-6e for their first EV might find its cabin a leap of faith as a result.
Top marks for comfort and refinement: this is a very hushed and zen place to be, even into the triple-figure speeds it allows on a German motorway, and there’s generous room for adults in the back, with ample space to tuck their feet beneath the front seats.
It feels like a lot of very well-appointed car for its modest asking price.
An 80-litre frunk complements its 468/1434 litres of boot volume.
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