Mazda re-enters the EV fray
Design driven: Mazda 6e — has something been lost in translation?
Handsome, well resolved and unmistakably Mazda on the surface, the 6e makes a convincing design statement. But beneath the Kodo styling, Mazda’s first electric saloon struggles to deliver the character expected of the brand
Mazda has always gone its own way. When the world lost interest in rear-wheel drive roadsters, the Japanese carmaker launched the segment-defining MX-5. As volume carmakers piled their energies into diminutive turbo-charged engines, Mazda stuck with hefty naturally-aspirated power. And when the world pivoted almost in lock-step towards electrification, Mazda was more circumspect, offering just one battery-powered model, the MX-30.
Therefore the arrival of an EV version of the popular Mazda 6 feels significant for the Japanese carmaker. Before we get to the design, it is important to note that the 6e is not a Mazda in the truest sense. Underneath the sharp exterior sits an EV platform produced by Chinese OEM Changan: EPA1.
Now there are good reasons for this. It is expensive and time consuming to develop your own platform and Mazda does not have the financial muscle of a Toyota or Hyundai. Plus, there is the speed to market bonus and access to technology that comes when the heavy lifting has been done by someone else.
The chrome has been dialled back significantly with the signature wing on the front face replaced by an illuminated strip that denotes charging status
The downside is Mazda’s engineers, and to a lesser extent designers, have to work with parameters they did not set for themselves. The challenge is to infuse the EPA1 platform with as much Mazda-ness as possible. That means living up to a well-earned reputation for being drivers’ cars across the range. The suspension, steering and ride is all Mazda’s own work, but there are limits as to how much can be done — as CDN’s brisk but mildly unengaging tour of north Wales revealed.
Happily there are fewer reservations regarding the design. The 6e continues to evolve the long-running Kodo design language but with the new model the exterior has a sharper light signature and the design team continues to dial back the chrome. Forsaking the gleaming embellishments that framed the grille has not taken the figurative sheen of the new 6’s road presence.
Indeed, it is a smart-looking sedan with pleasing proportions, a long enough hood to convey a premium feel and a tidy rear end that houses a small automatic spoiler. The reduction in chrome brightwork means the signature wing on the front face is replaced by an illuminated strip that denotes charging status. The surfacing is expansive and simple thanks to a high beltline and minimal decorative creases. The glasshouse appears smaller than it actually is but nevertheless, it works. The one reservation is that the 6e is a little too close to its predecessors.
Chrome does make an appearance inside, deployed as an accent and functional material on the central console, door handles and elsewhere. In material terms it feels upmarket and in keeping with the team's continued good interior design work. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the UX, which is dominated by a large central screen. All the main functions are controlled through this black mirror and it makes for an awkward experience.
The shortcomings of this were only heightened by having spent a week in Mazda’s MX-5 RF, which relies on a rotary dial as a method of control: far superior. If you are not the kind of person who needs to fiddle with settings every now and again to maintain a comfortable drive, then you can just about get away with it. If you are a tinkerer, then frustration will abound.
Simply put, the 6e does not feel like a Mazda. It is competent but far from memorable – again CDN’s recent experience with the MX-5 paints its larger sibling in a dull light
The biggest let down, however, is the aforementioned driving experience. Simply put, the 6e does not feel like a Mazda. It is competent but far from memorable – again CDN’s recent experience with the MX-5 paints its larger sibling in a dull light. The steering feels numb and the driving position feels too high for the svelte exterior form. The 6e is a relaxing enough companion with enough straight line power to progress without straining too hard.
But Mazda as a brand carries with it a promise of so much more than mere pragmatism. On that front, the 6e fails to deliver. This is a pity, particularly at the current moment established and well-loved carmakers find themselves in. If you cannot deliver on your brand promise then consumers will go elsewhere. Why drive an expensive dull car, when a cheaper one can offer the same experience. The caveat underlying all this, is that aside from the UX, these aren’t specifically design questions.
The 6e looks great and the interior is comfortable and well-put together. Its handsome features and neat interior might just be enough to make it a success. At the very least, it may buy the Japanese carmaker some time to rediscover its esprit de corps.
