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Updated: March 5, 2025
Japanese brand Mazda has finally entered the electric executive car arena with the new Mazda 6e, a fully electric revival of its popular 6 saloon. Developed in partnership with China’s Changan, the 6e promises long range, generous standard equipment, and a spacious interior. On the other side stands the Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive – our reigning Executive Car of the Year, now available at a tempting entry-level price.
History is littered with companies that ignored disruptive trends – BlackBerry dismissed the iPhone, Blockbuster passed on Netflix. Mazda seems determined not to join that list. After the niche MX-30, the 6e marks a serious push into the mainstream EV market, with the CX-6e SUV due later this year. But can a collaboration with a Chinese automaker truly challenge the established king?
Both cars accelerate smoothly from a standstill, but the Model 3 is quicker: 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds versus the 6e’s 6.9 seconds. The gap widens in handling. The 6e’s steering feels vague on-center, requiring constant corrections to stay in a lane. The Model 3 responds instantly and communicates more grip feel, making it far more confidence-inspiring through corners.
Body control is another clear win for Tesla. The 6e leans noticeably in bends, and even small bumps set off a bucking motion that worsens over undulating roads. The Model 3 stays flatter and more planted, even when hitting mid-corner potholes. While neither car matches the supple ride of a Volkswagen ID 7 with adaptive dampers, the Model 3’s firmer but better-controlled setup actually makes it more comfortable on rough surfaces. The 6e finally settles on smooth highways, but the Tesla does fine there too.
Regenerative braking highlights different philosophies. The Model 3 RWD offers only one strong regen mode that can bring the car to a full stop – ideal for one-pedal city driving but fixed for all conditions. The 6e provides three levels (low, medium, high), but none enables true one-pedal operation. When you use the brake pedal, the Model 3 feels firm and progressive. The 6e’s pedal is softer and less consistent; the blending of regen and friction brakes can be abrupt, and ABS may cut in unnecessarily over bumps under moderate braking. On the plus side, the 6e stops in a shorter distance.
A quirk: shifting between drive and reverse in the 6e requires a deliberate stalk movement – otherwise it may slip into neutral, a potential parking-lot hazard.
Road noise is hushed in both, but the 6e edges ahead in refinement. More importantly, the 6e delivered a real-world range of 312 miles in our tests, versus the Model 3’s 288 miles. That extra distance comes from a larger battery (80.0 kWh usable vs 60.0 kWh), though the Model 3 is far more efficient at 4.81 mi/kWh compared to the 6e’s 4.06 mi/kWh. For most buyers, the 6e’s longer reach may win the day.
Executive car buyers often prefer a low driving position, but EV floors raise the seating. The Model 3 gets reasonably low – close to a BMW 3 Series. The 6e is odd: even at its lowest, the seat sits high relative to the dashboard and window line, creating a “sitting on top” feel. The manually adjustable steering wheel in both cars allows tilt and reach, but our testers (5’11” to 6’3”) all wished the 6e’s wheel had more telescopic travel. Both cars come with power front seats as standard.
Inside, the Model 3’s minimalist cabin remains a benchmark, with a single 15-inch screen controlling everything. The 6e offers a more traditional layout with a 14.6-inch portrait screen plus a secondary driver display. Build quality? Tesla has improved, but the 6e’s materials feel more premium in places, with soft-touch surfaces and tighter panel gaps. Standard equipment on the 6e Takumi Plus includes a 360-degree camera, heated front seats, a panoramic roof, and a Bose sound system. The Model 3 RWD is stingier, omitting features like fog lights and powered steering column adjustment, though it still includes Tesla’s Supercharger network access.
Pricing tells a key story. In the UK, the 6e starts at £39,995 (about $50,500) while the Model 3 RWD lists at £37,990
