The new Mazda CX-60 diesel – which bucks the downsizing trend with a new six-cylinder engine – is now available to order.
The range starts at £42,990 for the 197bhp version of the 3.3-litre, 48-volt mild-hybrid e-Skyactiv D engine in Exclusive-Line trim. For £45,630, the same grade can be paired with a 251bhp, 550Nm tune and all-wheel drive, while either derivative can be further upgraded with a £1,400 Comfort Pack and/or the £1,900 Convenience and Driver Assistance Pack.
Both the Homura and Takuma-grade cars – which cost £48,380 and £50,730 respectively – can only be combined with the more powerful all-wheel drive set-up, which allows for a 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds. The all-wheel drive cars return an average WLTP fuel consumption figure of 53.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 137g/km, while the rear-wheel drive CX-60 diesels are good for 56.6mpg and 129g/km.
Mazda says the diesel engine has been developed with its ‘right sizing’ ethos in mind. It ties in with the firm’s plans to offer a ‘Multi-Solution Approach’ which will “best suit the local market and society’s demand for sustainability”.
With the new CX-60, Mazda is placing Audi and BMW squarely in its sights. The company is moving upmarket to face premium German brands, and the CX-60 brings a sumptuous cabin, hybrid power, and a sleek design to the table to rival the BMW X3. The flagship SUV went on sale in May 2022, with prices starting from £43,950.
The CX-60 is larger than the CX-5 crossover and features an evolution of Mazda’s ‘Kodo’ design language that majors on simplicity and cleverly reflective surfacing. The bluff front end features a large, winged radiator grille that blends into the headlights with slim LED running light strips (which double as indicators), in keeping with Mazda’s current family face. Sharp grooves pick out the wheel arches and side sills, although the rest of the design is mostly clutter free. There’s a subtle twist in the bodywork along the flanks, with a pair of elongated tai-llights, quad exhaust tips and a roof spoiler finishing off the rear end – fitting for what will be Mazda’s most powerful series production car ever.
The CX-60 features brand-new powertrains across the range. As well as the new e-Skyactive D diesel options, it will be offered as a petrol plug-in hybrid, pairing a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for a total of 323bhp. Drive is sent to all-four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, allowing the CX-60 to sprint to 62mph from rest in just 5.8 seconds.
The electric motor is powered by a 17.8kWh battery which can be topped up in four hours from a home wallbox. Mazda claims that the CX-60 can drive up to 37 miles in pure-electric mode, at speeds of up to 62mph, while the brand quotes efficiency of 188mpg and 33g/km of CO2.
Fuel economy drops somewhat for the mild-hybrid diesel models. The more powerful 251bhp model achieves 53.3mpg on a combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 137g/km and the lower powered model returns 57.6mph and 127g/km.
The 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel with 48V mild-hybrid tech will launch at the end of this year, with the 3.0-litre straight-six petrol model following in 2023, again with a mild-hybrid system and Mazda’s Skyactiv X spark-compression-ignition technology. These engines are compatible with both rear and four-wheel drive configurations.
The CX-60 uses Mazda’s Skyactiv Scalable Architecture, and adopts the Kinematic Posture Control system from the MX-5 sports car. This applies the brakes to the inside rear wheel to contain body roll, and the batteries for the hybrid system are mounted between the CX-60’s front and rear axles for more composed handling. Mazda claims the six-cylinder diesel powertrains weigh roughly the same as its existing four-cylinder 2.2-litre Skyactiv D, which should further help prevent body roll.
There are three drive modes to choose from; Normal, Sport, Off-Road, Towing and EV modes depending on the scenario, and Hill Decent Control allows the car to creep down steep, slippery slopes.
The CX-60’s cabin continues the premium theme, with top-spec cars trimmed in high-quality fabric, wood and leather. The multi-layered dashboard design features metal accents, too, along with a set of physical climate controls. A click wheel-operated widescreen infotainment display is joined by a fully digital instrument panel.
Despite the packaging complications of the hybrid system, the CX-60 offers 570 litres of boot capacity, which is on par with its rivals.
The car can be specified in three trim levels: Exclusive-Line, Homura and the top-spec Takumi model. Exclusive-Line cars start from £43,950, with the Homura and Takumi variants priced at £46,700 and £48,050 respectively.
The base car gets 18-inch wheels and black body cladding, with Homura spec adding black 20-inch wheels, body-coloured wheel arches, black door mirrors and darkened front grille trim. Inside, the second-tier model gets additional kit including heated rear seats, ambient lighting and an automatic seat adjustment system.
This allows the driver to specify their height in the infotainment system, with interior cameras detecting their eye position and adjusting the seat, steering wheel and mirrors to suit. The car then uses facial recognition to apply these settings for different drivers, along with climate and media preferences.
The range-topping Takumi gets body colour door mirrors, along with a gloss black grille mesh and chrome trim for the grille surround and side window trim.
The cheapest CX-60 Exclusive-Line is the only version available with the £1,400 Comfort Pack, which brings 20-inch alloys, electric, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. The automatic driving position function is also included.
A panoramic sunroof can be specified with Homura and Takumi models, along with two option bundles. The £1,000 Convenience Pack brings tinted glass, wireless phone charging and a ‘see-through view’ 360-degree parking camera, allowing the driver to view the position of the car from the inside-out on the infotainment screen. A Driver Assistance Pack adds a host of active safety technology for £1,100.
Now read our full review of the Mazda CX-60…