NEW POWERTRAIN FOR MAZDA6e

Mazda has unveiled the 2027 Mazda6e, featuring a new powertrain, writes Brian Byrne. The 78 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery supports fast charging up to 200 kW and offers a rated WLTP range of up to 560 km. 

The updated model also introduces the Homura Plus grade with a sportier design and expands the Takumi Plus grade with new interior trims. The Mazda6e’s suspension and ADAS functionalities have been refined, improving ride comfort and driving experience. 

The 2027 Mazda6e will be available in European showrooms from November 2026. 

Electric CX-6e coming from Mazda

The all-new Mazda CX-6e, a fully electric SUV, is set to debut in European showrooms shortly, writes Brian Byrne. Developed in collaboration between Mazda’s European and Japanese design teams, the CX-6e will be powered by a 258hp motor and there's an estimated rated range of up to 484km.

The silhouette and integrated design elements aim to emphasise craftsmanship, aerodynamics, and a progressive ethos, and details include digital side mirrors. 

The CX-6e aims to offer a fresh, engaging experience and maintain Mazda’s design heritage. 

New electric SUV from Mazda on the way

Mazda has unveiled the all-new CX-6e, a fully electric mid-size SUV set to arrive in European showrooms in late summer 2026, writes Brian Byrne. The CX-6e features a rear-mounted 258hp electric motor, a 78 kWh LFP battery and a claimed range of up to 484 km. 

Inside, the SUV emphasises driver-focused technology, including a head-up display, a 26-inch dual touchscreen, voice recognition, gesture control and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It will also come with an extensive safety package, including advanced driver assistance systems, child presence detection and nine airbags. 

World Car Design win for Mazda6e

Mazda’s all-electric Mazda6e has been awarded the 2026 World Car Design of the Year (WCDOTY) at the New York International Auto Show, writes Brian Byrne. 

This marks Mazda’s third win in the WCDOTY category, following the Mazda MX-5 in 2016 and Mazda3 in 2020. 

The Mazda6e features elegant proportions and a warm interior, reflecting Japanese craftsmanship. 

The award underscores Mazda’s commitment to design excellence as it advances its electrification strategy. 

New Mazda electric SUV

Mazda unveiled a brand new electric SUV at the Brussels Motor Show, the CX-6e, writes Brian Byrne. It debuted alongside the new-generation CX-5.

The new EV is powered by a 78 kWh battery and 258hp electric motor, using rear-wheel drive. The rated range is up to 484 km.

The interior features a 26-inch touchscreen with a customisable dual-split layout, allowing passengers to view their own information without distracting the driver. Voice recognition is used for a wide range of actions, including temperature control, window opening, and destination setting.

The car will be available across Europe this summer. 

Mazda CX-80 Review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

I got into the Mazda CX-80 and immediately thought, “I’ve been here before.” The Japanese brand’s flagship is a car from the past, writes Brian Byrne. And all the good for that. No starship, massive screens, or virtual buttons. Driver instruments that are beautifully analogue in style. Black leather-clad interior. Then I remembered where I had seen it before: my son in America’s former car, a CX-9. (He currently drives a Kia EV9.)

He confirmed my thoughts when I picked him up at the airport in the CX-80. As it happened, over a family event weekend, we spent a lot of time in it, mostly in very slow traffic, often seemingly gridlocked. It was a good car for that, with room for all aboard to stretch.

The CX-80 is a big car. Longer than, for instance, the Volvo XC90 and not a lot shorter than Audi's Q7. Sales this year are about 11 per cent of the brand's total of 1,038 cars rolled through dealerships, and a significant chunk of sales for a big car. The style doesn't try to be flamboyant and makes the most of its bulk. The front-end treatment is heavy with the large grille, especially in the white of my review car. A small amount of chrome detailing leavens what might otherwise be something bland. Although the model doesn't sell in the US, you get the clear sense that the design is tilted towards US motorist tastes.

I've already given some details of the interior. The straight lines of the dashboard design enhance the impression of width. There's a landscape central screen that doesn't dominate like some, and a broad centre console houses the transmission selector and the rotating knob that Mazda has long used to navigate the screen (it IS a touch-screen in some features, but designed for using the much more intuitive manual control). A head-up display is standard. The review car's configuration was six seats, with the rearmost two providing a capacious, absolutely flat cargo space when not in use. The plush black leather-style seat and door trim feature beige stripes and stitching to set them off. It all has a feel of unassuming luxury, if that's not an oxymoronic thought. The other sense is that the car is very solidly built.

When I first switched it on, there was an unfamiliar sound, another blast from the past. A diesel engine, few of which I get behind these days. Maybe it was because most of what I’m driving is either electric or hybrid, but the Mazda’s startup seemed unusually noisy. But we got used to that before, when diesel was the new black, and I did the same this time, too. It's a big engine — 3.3L and six cylinders — and smoothly runs 254hp through the 8-speed automatic. Mazda has invested significant effort in making its internal combustion engines thrifty and emissions-efficient, and the 5.8L/100km claimed, and achieved, with this one is a testament to its engineers' success. The consumption figure was achieved with the help of the mild-hybrid technology Mazda has developed. The claimed 8.4-second sprint to 100km/h may be possible, but in a car this size, you tend to drive in a more leisurely way. The drive is AWD, designed for maintaining stability in poor driving conditions.

Whether inching along on the grid-locked M50 in Dublin or loping along the motorways of the counties around my home, the CX-80 proved one thing certainly: that it's hard to beat the comfort of a large car when ferrying family about. I left it back having appreciated both its somewhat retro interior and its ability to stay relevant in rapidly changing automotive times. And knowing that it is likely to be the last Mazda to make me think I've been here before — the new generation CX-5, which we will see next year, is going big-screen and Google and a total change in graphics. 

PRICE: From €66,080; review car €77,640. WHAT I LIKED: A last look at the old. 

Brand new driver-car interface for Mazda CX-5

Mazda is the latest carmaker to adopt built-in Google for its interface between driver and automobile, writes Brian Byrne. The system will debut in the new generation CX-5 SUV.

The dashboard and instrumentation design will also be a departure from current Mazdas, with a larger 10.5" infotainment screen as standard and the option of an even bigger one. Head-up displays will also feature larger graphics.

Physical buttons will remain for essential functions, and frequently used screen features will be positioned high on the screen and be permanently visible. 

The new CX-5 is powered by the 2.5-litre e-Skyactiv G petrol engine with Mazda M Hybrid technology.

The all-new Mazda CX-5 will reach European showrooms in 2026, with prices starting at approximately €32,560. 

Upgrades to Mazda CX-60 and CX-80 coming in 2006

A refreshing of the Mazda CX-60 and CX-80 will include power increases, interior refinements, and enhanced safety, writes Brian Byrne. The revised cars are due to arrive in spring 2026.

Among the changes is an upgrade to the diesel engine variants to use hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel.

The cars will also have Driver Emergency Assist, which, working with Driver Monitoring, can detect medical emergencies and will take control of the vehicle to bring it to a safe stop.

Both cars will have Amazon Alexa in-car voice recognition to control navigation, entertainment, and connected features.

Noise-insulating glass will be fitted to the front doors, improving the interior ambience. 

New Mazda6e awarded five stars

The new Mazda6e has achieved a maximum five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in its recent series of tests, writes Trish Whelan. 

 In the two categories of Adult Occupant and Child Occupant protection, it scored 93 per cent. The Mazda6e was also rated 74 per cent for the protection of Vulnerable Road Users and 77 per cent for its Safety Assist systems.

New Mazda CX-5 orders from October

Orders for the new generation Mazda CX-5 will begin in Ireland from October, with a starting price of €39,965, writes Brian Byrne. The car will be available for delivery in early 2026. 

The third-generation model will feature a 2.5-litre petrol engine with mild hybrid technology. Producing 141hp, it accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in approximately 10.5 seconds. 

Interior updates include a new centre console with improved storage and, on higher trims, a panoramic sunroof. Ambient lighting on the front door trims will be exclusive to the top-tier Homura grade. 

The new CX-5 will be offered in both FWD and all-wheel-drive options. 

Mazda6 electric unveiled

Mazda have unveiled an electric version of their Mazda6 saloon at the Brussels Motor Show, writes Brian Byrne. The Mazda6e is an all-new model in the Japanese brand's range.

The mid-size 5-door hatchback will be offered with two battery sizes, rated at 479km and 552km respectively, and with charging times claimed to go from 10pc-80pc in 22 minutes. A 16.6kWh/100km average energy consumption is expected. 

The styling is an evolution of the flowing lines of previous Mazda6s, along with a new lights signature and rear light designs. An electrically-operated spoiler features. The interior shows substantial changes to previous cars from the brand, including a very large central infotainment screen.

Advanced gesture controls are claimed to simplify interaction with key features including climate and radio management.

There's as yet no indication of when it arrives in Ireland. 

Mazda CX-80 on sale in Ireland

Mazda's new flagship car in Europe is now available in Ireland at a starting price of €61,380, writes Brian Byrne. The CX-80 is a three-row SUV which can be configured for six or seven seats.

Available in five grades, the car is powered by a 2.5 plug-in hybrid petrol engine outputting 327hp, or a 3.3 diesel with 254hp.

All versions are all-wheel-drive, with 8-speed automatic transmissions.

There's a claimed EV driving range of 60km. 

Mazda opens orders for CX-80 flagship SUV

The first versions of the new Mazda CX-80 large SUV will arrive in Ireland in the early autumn, writes Brian Byrne. Prices start at €61,380 and dealers are now accepting orders.

Powertrain options will be a 2.5 plug-in hybrid petrol with 327hp and a 3.3 mild-hybrid diesel with 254hp. Both are AWD with 8-speed automatic transmissions.

Three-row seating for up to seven people will be available in the range.

The CX-80 will be the largest car in Mazda's European lineup. 

First drive: 2024 Mazda2 Hybrid

It may not be well known in Ireland, but the Mazda2 Hybrid has been selling in the market for about a year now, writes Brian Byrne. If you didn’t notice it, that’s because it is a rebadged Toyota Yaris Hybrid, produced for Mazda by their fellow Japanese brand.

A few tweaks to the design might make it stand out a little more for this year. Mostly at the front where there’s now a proper Mazda shaped grille, and a changed apron design. There have also been some small detail tickles at the rear. And there’s a new Mazda colour, a special shade of blue.

Other than that, the Mazda2 Hybrid is as was, the powertrain the familiar 1.5 3-cylinder petrol mated to an electric motor, offering 115hp in total output and a real frugal fuel consumption. I’ve recently driven a revised version of it away, and as our own family car is a Yaris, it all felt very familiar.

The car is sold alongside the brand’s own Mazda2, and essentially is there to help Mazda meet fleet emissions requirements in Europe while Mazda is introducing electrification across its ranges. Last year some 121 copies of the hybrid were sold in Ireland, slightly more than the standard Mazda2 petrol.

If there are purists out there concerned that it’s not a ‘real’ Mazda, they should look back at a long history of technical and models cooperation down the 100-plus years of the motor industry. A Mazda 121 of the 1990s, for instance, was a rebadged Ford Fiesta. And Ford has in the past sold rebadged Mazda 626s as their own Telstars. All through the American ‘muscle cars’ era, many from sibling brands bore no more differences than badges. Even today, within the Toyota family there are Lexuses that are essentially luxurised versions of the standard cars from the parent. Suzuki sells a Swace wagon that is a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring. Depending on markets, Dacias can be sold as Renaults and vice versa. And Hyundais and Kias are essentially the same across their models offering, with visual bodywork differences and badging separating them from their shared platforms and motors. The VW Amarok equally is a Ford Ranger in slightly different dress.

As for powertrains, given the high investment and development costs, many competing brands have traditionally combined to share the burden at different times down the decades. In just a couple of very many examples, some Opel diesels were built by BMW, and diesel engines used in Fords and the former PSA Citroen-Peugeots were jointly developed, the same motors simply getting a different name for each. Electric drivetrains are also being shared today, notably between Volkswagen and Ford in the upcoming Explorer from the blue oval carmaker. 

So the current Mazda-Toyota cooperation is nothing unusual. Nor is it anything to sneer at, as both makers have an equal reputation in quality stakes. My recent drive in the Mazda2 Hybrid simply confirmed that, whether you buy your oranges imported from Spain from Dunnes Stores or Supervalu, they are equally sweet under the skin.

Mazda completes 6-year warranty in Europe

Mazda is now offering a 6-year warranty in 28 European markets on its full range of cars, writes Brian Byrne. The warranty is for a maximum of 150,000 kilometres or six years, whichever comes first.

The carmaker initiated the new warranty early last year in Germany and Austria and this move completes its rollout in Europe. Ireland was among another group of markets where the warranty was implemented last autumn. 

For battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), the company also provides an eight-year warranty on the high-voltage battery for up to 160,000 kilometres. 

Mazda upgrades Mazda2

Mazda has updated the exterior and interior of its Mazda2 small car for 2023 and established a new grade structure, writes Brian Byrne.

The exterior changes include a new grille and bumper, while there are new instrument panel, air vents and door trim finishes inside.

New grades are Homura and Homura Aka special edition models with distinctive exterior and interior visual elements.

The upgraded versions are due in European markets from June of this year. 

Review: Mazda CX-60, Brian Byrne - Irish Car

When I had an introduction to the Mazda CX-60 a while back, I remember liking the way the company was thinking, writes Brian Byrne. Moving upwards into a true premium brand — though I have personally always considered their products to be at the top end of their market, not least because of their cars' reputation for reliability. The CX-60 was the first model from a new Large Product architecture aimed at lifting the brand to a new level.

The car was also a new shift in being a rear-wheel-drive model, with availability of AWD. Rear-driven wheels are a thing with both BMW and Mercedes-Benz, reflecting a notion of better handling by ‘real’ drivers from the string-backed driving gloves era. Never subscribed to it myself, especially in slush and snowy conditions where FWD as popularised by the original Mini from the 1960s showed its worth (as had the Citroen Traction Avant from the 1930s, but that was long before my time).

Going RWD also means the CX-60 and its upcoming siblings now have longitudinal engine placings instead of the transverse and more compact powertrains used in FWD. This has had had an effect on the body design, resulting in a longer engine bay and bonnet than in, say, the FWD CX-5 SUV which has previously been the Mazda flagship on this side of the world. 

Especially in the last decade I have very much been a fan of Mazda’s styling, but after living with the CX-60 for a while, I think they’ve lost something here. The massivity of the front is rather brutal, and there’s a mis-step in the proportions of the bonnet and the passenger areas. The Mazda is larger than the Skoda Kodiaq and smaller than the Kia Sorento, but the shapes and proportions of both others are aesthetically more pleasing to me.

I don’t have the actual figures to hand, but I’m convinced those others also have more room in the cabin, because of the longer engine compartment in the Mazda. Bluntly, if the driver is a six-footer like me, then my knees in the back seat would be wedged into his seat-back. I have reservations too about the interior trim, on the dashboard a beige fabric-style finish that I don’t think will last without looking scruffy.

The review CX-60 as sold here is also Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid, based on a 2.5 inline four petrol engine with an electric motor and new 8-speed automatic gearbox. Total output is 323hp, and with a very respectable 500Nm of torque thanks to the electric boost, that allows for a sub-6 seconds 0-100km/h if pushed. The electric range of the setup is claimed at 63km, but from experience I always take these figures to be 20pc less in real world.

The CX-60 a big car, but surprisingly perky for all that, though I never felt like throwing it about. And it is comfortable on the distance journey, provided you’re not long-legged and confined in the back seat. Somehow, though it is a subjective view, I think what has been a stellar design team over the last decade has, uncharacteristically, dropped the ball with this one.

PRICE: From €54,100. WHAT I LIKED: Long distance comfort for those in front. 

Mazda showcases CX-90, but not for Europe

Mazda has premiered its latest model from its Large Product Group, the CX-90, but it won't be coming to Europe, writes Brian Byrne.

The car is an 8-seat SUV designed primarily for markets where larger cars are common, in particular the US.

The CX-90 will be powered by a 3.3 mild hybrid 6-cylinder engine or a full plug-in hybrid based on the company's 2.5 four.

The next model planned to debut for Europe is the CX-80, a 7-seat which will follow the CX-60 launched late last year. 

Mazda's PHEV MX-30 revealed today

This is the promised plug-in hybrid version of Mazda's electric car, the MX-30 E-Skyactiv R-EV, writes Brian Byrne.

A mouthful of a name, the car is revealed at the Brussels Motor Show today and features a rated 85km electric range, with a new rotary engine extended range petrol engine to enable longer journeys.

The electric motor will power the car all the time, the rotary engine kicking in only to recharge the battery or to give additional power during sudden acceleration.

The petrol tank for the engine is 50 litres, providing a potential combined range competitive to a standard petrol car.

The Mazda rotary engine is based on the concept developed by German engineer Felix Wankel in the 1950s. The Japanese company produced it for a range of RX sports cars until 2012, after which it was only used in a racing championship up to 2017.

A prototype rotary engine used as an EV range extender was shown in a Mazda2 in 2013. 

Mazda to reveal PHEV with rotary engine

Mazda rotary brand identity, with original Wankel pic by Softeis, courtesy CC BY-SA 3.0.

A plug-in hybrid version of Mazda's MX-30 electric car will be unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show on Friday next, writes Brian Byrne.

The powertrain will use the company rotary petrol engine as an electricity generator to power the electric traction motor. No further details of the car have been revealed, but it will be on sale in European markets in the spring.

The Mazda rotary engine is based on the concept developed by German engineer Felix Wankel in the 1950s. The Japanese company produced it for a range of RX sports cars until 2012, after which it was only used in a racing championship up to 2017.

A prototype rotary engine used as an EV range extender was shown in a Mazda2 in 2013.