Mazda Australia clear on 6e buyer profile

MAZDA Australia says its inbound 6e battery electric sedan is likely to attract return and conquest buyers alike, the model to offer a high trim level, strong aftersales support, and attractive pricing geared at drawing as many customers as possible to its local showrooms.

Speaking with GoAuto at a pre-launch drive of the 6e in Melbourne this week, Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said the importer is casting a wide net for local buyers, seemingly leaving no stone unturned in terms of the demographic type it seeks to attract.

“We know that battery EVs are not a large portion of the market, but it is growing as more manufacturers bring their cars into the market,” he said.

“For the most part, however, it’s still a market that is strongest among early adopters, and those buyers usually opt for a higher grade.

“But there is also evidence that a lot of businesses, and local and state government agencies are considering these cars as part of their ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) commitments.

“Typically, those buyers favour an entry- or mid-grade car, so we’ll do our testing and see where the market is when the car comes out and engage with those customers, then adjust (our) ordering as we see fit.

Mr Bhindi said that initially, the 6e will be offered in several, high-grade variants Mazda Australia’s own internal research says will appeal most strongly to private buyers.

“Our view is that the 6e will most likely appeal to private buyers – mums and dads, individual buyers, and people who wish to embrace new powertrain technology, and also the technology that is in this car and the features it brings to the table,” he added.

Mazda Australia confirmed previously that its 6e will be priced from under $55,000 when it arrives Down Under in the second quarter of next year but is yet to reveal how the model walk up will be structured.

Mr Bhindi said it is likely three trim grades will be offered initially, including a flagship variant whose specification is expected to reflect that of the left-hand drive German import recently shown in Melbourne and sampled recently by GoAuto at the former Holden proving ground in Lang Lang.

“We’ll wait patiently in the queue for production of the right-hand driver to commence and for us to get our first cars, but that won’t happen any earlier than quarter two,” he said.

“We expect it to be (priced from) under $55,000 – though we still have to go through our signoffs internally, that’s the last piece.

“But we are very confident that it will start off under $55,000 and that whatever we offer in term of model grades will go from there.

Mr Bhindi stressed that the 6e will arrive with a very strong level of equipment that will place it in good stead in competing against segment rivals from BYD, Polestar, Tesla, and others.

“There won’t be a bare bones car. That is not the kind of car we want to start off with. It will be well equipped – and it will be competitive in the marketplace,” he emphasised

“While we haven’t finalised (variant) names, the car you have driven, the car out of Europe, is a high-grade car.

“So, we will probably have a number of (variant) options for customers to consider.

Mr Bhinidi said Mazda Australia is realistic about sales volumes for the 6e, understanding Australian buyer preferences toward SUV models.

While he would not commit to a number, he said the volume achieved by the outgoing Mazda6 in its later months of sale was a fair indication of the sales numbers the 6e is likely to achieve.

“We are realistic about it. If you look at the outgoing Mazda6 we did a few hundred at best towards the end,” he admitted.

“There are probably one or two brands that are dominant in the sedan market, but they are not battery EVs – they are ICE-hybrid technology.

“This is the sort of car that probably won’t appeal to Camry Hybrid type buyers. Those buyers are probably more comfortable with ICE-hybrid technology for now.

“A battery EV is not the main option for them.

While a battery EV might not be the car to stack up against the evergreen Toyota Camry, it is expected to put a dent in the sales of other rivals, Mazda Australia drawing on its credentials as the country’s number three seller in attracting – and retaining – customers loyal to the brand.

“We (the Mazda brand) have a good number of followers and fans, and we’ve been in this country since 1959, so absolutely we will have the dealer representation to back this up,” he said referencing the 176 Mazda dealership locations located across the country.

“We will have the facilities and people, who are trained to a very high standard, that are capable of servicing our customers, and that is very important for us, and our loyal customers.”

Visit GoAuto again soon for our local evaluation drive of the European-spec Mazda 6e soon.