The Mazda Xedos 6 is a compact executive car produced from 1992 to 1999 and sold in Europe by Mazda, while Japan and Australia received the same car as the Eunos 500. It was not sold in North America, where the larger Xedos 9/Millenia was offered instead. In total 72,101 Xedos 6 and Eunos 500 cars were built.
Mazda Xedos 6 at a glance
| Built | 1992–1999 |
|---|---|
| Names | Mazda Xedos 6 in Europe, Eunos 500 in Japan and Australia |
| Not sold in | North America; the Xedos 9/Millenia was offered there |
| Platform | Mazda CA, also used by the Capella |
| Shown | Eunos 500 at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show |
| Full production | from January 1992; left-hand drive from 1993 |
| Engines | 1.6 four with 114 hp; 2.0 V6 with 144 hp |
| V6 top speed | 214 km/h with manual, 201 km/h with automatic |
| Built | 72,101 Xedos 6 and Eunos 500 |
History of the Mazda Xedos 6
The Eunos 500 was first presented at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show and was based on the Mazda CA platform, also used by the Mazda Capella. Full production began in January 1992, with Japanese, Hong Kong and Australian cars using the Eunos 500 name because they were sold through the Eunos brand rather than as Mazdas, while British cars took the Mazda Xedos 6 name. Left-hand-drive Xedos 6 cars for mainland Europe were first produced in 1993. The exterior styling was often praised by reviewers, one of whom said it could have been the prototype for a new small Jaguar with Mazda reliability, though the interior was criticised for being dull. There were plans to market the car as the Amati 300, but they never came to fruition.
The Xedos 6 was offered with two engines: a 1.6-litre four, available in Europe from the start of production and in Britain from 1993, and a 2.0-litre V6 available everywhere from launch. The 1.6 produced 114 hp and was criticised as underpowered, while the 2.0 produced 144 hp and was praised for its smooth, free-revving character. V6 cars could reach 214 km/h with a manual gearbox and 201 km/h with an automatic, and were claimed to return 30 to 31 miles per gallon; the 1.6 reached 184 km/h with a manual and 175 km/h with an automatic. The engines were updated in 1994 to meet Euro 1, losing 7 hp from the 1.6 and 4 hp from the 2.0, and again in 1996 for Euro 2. The 1.6 versions and the 2.0 Sport were withdrawn in 1998, a year before the rest.
The Eunos 500 used different engines from the European cars. The 1.6 was not offered in Japan, the base model instead having a 1.8-litre K8-ZE V6 with 140 PS and a 195 km/h top speed, while the 2.0 V6 was sold in a higher state of tune with 160 PS from the KF-ZE and a 205 km/h top speed. For 1994 a 1.8-litre four with 115 PS became the new base model and the 1.8 V6 was dropped. In 1996, after Mazda decided to axe the Eunos brand, the Eunos 500 was renamed the Mazda Eunos 500 and stayed in production under that name until 1999.
Design and features
- 2.0 V6: smooth and free-revving, with 144 hp in Europe and 160 PS in Japan.
- CA platform: shared with the Capella, though the Xedos was a compact executive car.
- Two brands: Mazda Xedos 6 in Europe, Eunos 500 in Japan and Australia.
- Amati 300 plan: the car was once intended for Mazda’s cancelled luxury brand.
Mazda Xedos 6 versions
- Xedos 6 1.6 (1992–1998): 114 hp four-cylinder.
- Xedos 6 2.0 V6 (1992–1999): 144 hp, the main version.
- Eunos 500 (1992–1996): Japanese and Australian version with 1.8 and 2.0 V6 engines.
- Mazda Eunos 500 (1996–1999): the renamed car after the Eunos brand ended.
The Xedos 6 was the smaller sister of the Mazda Millenia/Xedos 9, and it shared its platform with the Mazda Capella. More Mazdas are in the Mazda collection.
Sources
- Mazda Xedos 6, English Wikipedia: history, engines, Eunos versions, production total
- Mazda Xedos 6, German Wikipedia: European market
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