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By Jonathan Crouch

Can Mazda's striking CX-6e mid-sized electric crossover finally break the brand properly into the EV market? Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 46

The CX-6e delivers something the Mazda brand really needs - a visually striking class-competitive family EV. It's pitched right of the centre of the electric market's strongest-selling segment, that for mid-sized BEV crossovers and it's a Mazda that will feel very different to its combustion counterparts.

Backgroundword count: 119

Having been slow to get on board with the EV revolution, Mazda is beginning to catch up - with a little Chinese help. And this CX-6e mid-sized electric SUV is arguably its most important BEV yet. Like the Mazda 6e saloon, with which it shares all its engineering, the CX-6e was developed in collaboration with Chinese maker Changan; it's officially designated as a CMA (Changan Mazda Automobile) model and shares just about everything you can't see with another EV crossover trying to make headway in this crowded segment, the Changan Deepal S07. But the CX-6e has its own very striking look. And, Mazda claims, very much its own driving feel too. Can it offer something different in this sector?

Engines and Tech Specword count: 268

Having to base the engineering and drive dynamics of this CX-6e on its co-developed Changan Deepal S07 close cousin was less than ideal for Mazda's German European R&D centre. Not only because that Chinese model (which shares the same EPA2 platform) doesn't offer a particularly immersive ride and handling package, but also because Oriental expectations of driving range in this segment are somewhat behind European ones. Only a single 78kWh battery size is offered, which can take the car up to 300 miles - or 290 miles on the 21-inch wheels your CX-6e is more likely to have. Either way, these figures aren't particularly noteworthy in a class where rivals can often take you 20 to 30% further than that. Many of those competitors offer the option of an AWD dual motor powertrain but this CX-6e comes only with a single rear-mounted motor developing 258PS. Which is enough to take the car from rest to 62mph in 7.9s en route to 115mph. Lots of effort though, has gone into imbuing this Mazda with the brand's trademark 'jinba ittai' driver and vehicle synchronicity. With the company's combustion models, that's based around a light weight that can't be carried over to this bulky EV. So the engineers have tried instead to deliver it in other ways, concentrating on lowering noise, vibration and harshness. Plus refining the feel of the brake pedal and the transition between regenerative and mechanical braking. As with the Mazda6e, there's a multi-link rear suspension set-up and the Hiroshima brand claims that it has 'carefully calibrated' damping, steering and braking to match European and British driver preferences.

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