CompleteCar

Mazda testers' notes

The latest Mazda cars being tested by the CompleteCar.ie team.

Melanie's nine-hour drive through Albania turned into 13 hours at the wheel of the Mazda CX-30

Melanie's nine-hour drive through Albania turned into 13 hours at the wheel of the Mazda CX-30

What was supposed to be a nine-hour drive through Albania turned into a 13-hour odyssey, but at least it gave Melanie plenty of time to test the Mazda CX-30. By the time she reached the darkest sections of the Albanian mountains, the adaptive headlights were working overtime, picking out tight hairpins, blind bends and the many goats, donkeys, cats and dogs in the road. The quiet cabin, comfortable seats and smooth petrol engine made the marathon drive surprisingly easy, while the Bose sound system provided excellent acoustics for a soundtrack of Michael Jackson, Kenny Loggins and Prince.

Melanie is on a road trip through Albania at the wheel of the latest Mazda CX-30

Melanie is on a road trip through Albania at the wheel of the latest Mazda CX-30

Melanie is on a road trip in Albania this week, driving the updated Mazda CX-30. The route is following the Vjosa River, considered to be Europe's last big wild and free-flowing river. Melanie tells us it’s a scenic and challenging place to put the car through its paces while Google Maps tests her patience...

Shane's turn to try out the new Mazda CX-5

Shane's turn to try out the new Mazda CX-5

Shane has the Mazda CX-5 on test this week. It looks smart, especially in this gorgeous Soul Red Crystal colour. Lovely cabin with plenty of space as well as great quality (though we prefer more physical switchgear). The chassis is great, too, making it a joy to drive, though it's crying out for a hybrid powertrain as it's petrol only. For now...

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Mazda6e - driving impressions by Neil on video

2026 Mazda6e - driving impressions What’s the Mazda6e like to drive? Well, it’s really nice; very smooth, refined and efficient too. A lovely thing to drive. Irish pricing from €37,935 including VRT rebate and SEAI grant.

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2026 Mazda6e - boot space - and frunk - on video

Boot space in the Mazda6e is rated at 466 litres, but if you need more, the rear seats can fold down, increasing cargo volume to 1,074 litres. Furthermore, there is 72 litres of storage available in the frunk under the bonnet up front. Irish pricing from €37,935 including VRT rebate and SEAI grant.

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Mazda6e rear passenger space on video

For those sitting in the rear seats of the Mazda6e, legroom and headroom are good, though if you opt for the glass roof, it does eat into some of that headroom. On Takumi Plus models and above, rear passengers get a touchscreen on the back of the centre console to adjust climate settings, move the passenger seat forward (if it's unoccupied) and operate the electric sunshade for the glass roof. Both of the outer rear seats contain ISOFIX child seat anchor points. Irish pricing from €37,935 including VRT rebate and SEAI grant.

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2026 Mazda6e - interior design walk through

In recent years, Mazda has upped its interior design game both aesthetically and with high material quality. Many still don't classify Mazda as a premium brand, but interiors such as those in the CX-60 put the Japanese manufacturer on par with what you would expect to find from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The 'mono-form' seats are comfortable to sit in and look good, the tech looks impressive, but we'd like more traditional buttons and practical physical switchgear. Irish pricing from €37,935 including VRT rebate and SEAI grant.

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Mazda6e: exterior walkaround by Neil

Neil reckons the Mazda6e is one of the best-looking cars on sale today. Here he shows us the exterior of his grey test car, a colour that does not dull the styling one little bit...