Six-cylinder Mazda 6 alternative is the concept won’t die

The Mazda 6 is being not directly replaced by the Mazda 6e/EZ-6 electric vehicle (EV) and range-extender electric vehicle (EREV) liftbacks, but reports of a six-cylinder successor persist.

“The sedan segment has shrunk but there are lots of fans,” Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro told Automotive & Driver.

“We’ve got a extremely beautiful concept. We have already got this concept. We’re in a position to install a six-cylinder, but marketability stays a priority.”

A whole bunch of recent automotive deals can be found through CarExpert without delay. Get the experts in your side and rating a fantastic deal. Browse now.

Moro-san appears to be referring to Mazda’s latest inline six-cylinder engines, as employed in its family of rear/all-wheel drive SUVs based on the Japanese carmaker’s Large Architecture: the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90.

Mazda has turbocharged 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, each with 48V mild-hybrid systems. The petrol engine produces as much as 254kW of power and 500Nm of torque, while the diesel delivers as much as 187kW and 550Nm.

There have been persistent rumours out of Japan since 2021 that this platform would even be employed by a Mazda 6 alternative, repositioned as more of a BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class alternative than as a rival to the Toyota Camry.

But Mazda poured cold water on the concept in 2023, when CX-90 program manager Mitsuru Wakiie told media via an interpreter: “All Mazda said was to supply a CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90. Just to supply 4 SUVs.”

In 2024, Mazda described in its annual report the CX-80’s launch as “completing our 4 Large product lineup globally”.

Nevertheless, there’s evidently still a desire inside Mazda to launch a sedan based on the Large Architecture, regardless that the corporate has the brand new rear-wheel drive 6e/EZ-6 EV and EREV developed with its Chinese joint-venture partner Changan.

That is being rolled out in various global markets, with Mazda Australia having previously said it was keen on a business case for the automotive.

Mazda Australia officially axed the Mazda 6 early in 2025, because it wasn’t compliant with an incoming Australian government regulation.

The present, third-generation Mazda 6 had debuted in Australia all the best way back in 2012, and had already been axed within the US and Canada in 2021, within the UK in 2023, and in China and Japan in 2024. That left it available only in a handful of markets across Europe, Asia and Africa.

The variety of offerings within the mid-size passenger automotive segment in Australia has continued to dwindle, with the Ford Mondeo, Kia Optima and Subaru Liberty retired in 2020, the Volkswagen Passat and Arteon in 2023, and the Peugeot 508 in 2024.

Most of those models, or their successors, continue to exist in other markets, aside from the Liberty and Arteon.

SUVs have continued to grow in popularity globally, but there are still a handful of markets relatively friendly to mid-size cars, including China and South Korea.

A rear-drive, combustion-powered Mazda 6 successor could function not only a potentially more cost-effective rival to the likes of the three Series, but in addition a competitor for the aged Nissan Skyline (previously sold here because the Infiniti Q50) and Lexus IS in Japan.

The Skyline resides on borrowed time, while Lexus has yet to disclose a alternative for the now 12-year-old IS.

Outside of Toyota, which builds stalwart sedans just like the Camry, Crown and Century, Japanese brands have generally been moving away from sedans.

Even Toyota offers far fewer than it used to, including within the Japanese market where sedans remain popular.

Nissan now offers just the Skyline in Japan after axing models just like the Fuga, and though it still sells three sedans in markets just like the US, two of those are rumoured to be on their way out while a planned electric model has been delayed indefinitely.

Honda has the Accord in Australia and continues to supply a Civic sedan in overseas markets, though it pulled the plug on its Legend flagship in 2021 after almost 4 a long time.

Like Toyota and Nissan, Honda also has some unique sedan models for the Chinese market

Subaru’s latest Impreza is obtainable exclusively as a hatch, while production of the Legacy sedan ends this 12 months. That leaves the WRX as Subaru’s last remaining sedan globally.

Mitsubishi has no sedans left globally, with production of its final remaining sedan – the Taiwanese Grand Lancer – ending in 2024. Daihatsu recently discontinued its Toyota Camry-based Altis, while rival Suzuki only sells a sedan in India.

Even Toyota’s luxury Lexus brand has fewer sedans than it did. While it still sells the ES and LS, in addition to the IS outside of Australia, it pulled the plug on its BMW 5 Series-rivalling GS in 2020.