Long-term test: Mazda 6e Takumi Plus

Verdict

I’m so glad our Mazda 6e isn’t another boring saloon; the tan interior really lifts your mood every time you get in. While impressions are mixed so far, I’m warming to the way it drives, and there’s no questioning its efficiency. The next five months should be very revealing.

• Mileage: 1,604 miles
• Efficiency: 3.7mi/kWh

Let me first explain what you’re seeing in the image. No, I haven’t suddenly become a Rod Stewart superfan, nor am I particularly fond of David Bowie’s glam-rock era. But as soon as I got the keys to my latest test car, it hit me: the Mazda 6e Takumi Plus is the automotive equivalent of a mullet.

At first glance, the sober but stylish mid-size exec does just enough to stand out, yet it’s smart rather than polarising – especially in its standard-fit Crystal White Pearl paint. But open the door and you are immediately assaulted by the tan-coloured upholstery. 

7

It’s the dictionary definition of that classic hairdo: business at the front, party at the back. Or, in the Mazda’s case, smart, neat and tidy outside; mad and unexpected inside. In truth, the car itself is perhaps not how I’d spec it; I reckon a slightly darker exterior might work better with the tan cabin, but at least it’s distinctive. Much like the mullet was.

Used - available now

2023 Ford

Focus

33,675 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,697

View Focus

2022 Kia

Niro

37,880 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £13,697

View Niro

2023 Ford

Puma

18,445 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,497

View Puma

2021 Kia

Sportage

34,800 milesManualDiesel1.6L

Cash £13,397

View Sportage

There are only two trims on offer to 6e buyers. The Takumi starts from £38,995 and has 19-inch wheels, a full panoramic glass roof, LED lights and a powered tailgate. Inside, you get a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and a 10.2-inch driver’s display, a 14-speaker Sony stereo and 360-degree parking cameras.

For an extra £1,000 you can upgrade to the Takumi Plus. The changes are slight; apart from an electric sunshade for the glass roof and some different trim on the dash and steering wheel, the only difference is that contentious caramel upholstery.

In the first month or so I’ve done nearly 1,000 miles – mostly in complete comfort. And while my car is perhaps not as playful as a Mazda MX-5, I haven’t found it as sloppy as some rival reports have suggested. 

It’s admirably efficient as well; an average of almost 3.7 miles per kilowatt-hour is very good for a car of this size and weight. I’ve not been driving it particularly gently, either. Overall, I’m getting between 280 and 290 miles on a full charge – and for less than £20 on a peak-rate home-electricity tariff.

7

My biggest bugbear so far is the car’s connectivity. The 6e has been designed and engineered in a joint venture with Chinese giant Changan, and the infotainment set-up is where this shared responsibility is most evident. The seemingly endless menus are overcomplicated, and even simple tasks require multiple prods of the screen. 

There are a couple of shortcut buttons on the steering wheel, which at least allow me to switch on the lights without searching through the settings. But everything from the driving modes and the regenerative-braking set-up, right through to the adjustment of the twitchy lane-keep assist and speed-limit warning, is hidden; at times it’s really distracting.

Practicality-wise, though, I have few complaints. Coming from a boxy Citroen e-C5 Aircross, I wasn’t confident that the 6e would feel as versatile. Yet my passengers haven’t moaned, and on a recent trip to the pumpkin patch for Halloween, I filled the deep frunk with frightening fruit of all shapes and sizes.

Inside, there’s a big central cubby, which now holds my favourite fancy-dress wig and a few snacks, while the cooled charging pad seems to do a fairly good job of preventing my phone overheating while running maps or media through wireless Apple CarPlay.

I’m making decent use of those 360-degree cameras, too. They activate when you indicate at junctions, and are really helpful when parking on tight city streets. Given that I do that day-in, day-out, I’m hoping the system will save me an expensive wheel-refurb bill when we part ways in a few months time…

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.