This is the new Mazda CX-60. While it might look like just another crossover, it is a significant model for the Japanese brand. It is the first-ever Mazda to feature plug-in hybrid technology and the combined output will make it the most powerful Mazda road car ever.
Overview
With the ever-growing popularity of SUVs Mazda realized that it needs to do more. While you’ve already got a number of SUVs in Mazda’s current lineup, the brand seeks to go after the luxury car buyers, the sort of people shopping for an Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Volvo XC 60.
This is a big step for the Japanese brand. To be consistent with the brand's new naming policy, this latest crossover from Mazda is referred to as the CX-60 rather than the CX6.
You have three trims on offer
- Exclusive-Line
- Homura
- Takumi
Exterior
Mazda has emphasized that the new CX-60 was designed based on the KODO design language. It eliminates the van-like look found on many of its competitors by using the typical features of the famed Mazda style, such as its tall hood and spectacular grille accented by chrome that encircles the main lights.
The chrome trim and air intake designs give the CX-60 its distinct flair. Furthermore, its rear profile is not overly vertical, transforming it, nearly into a coupe. I don’t know about you, but I’m digging the overall aesthetic.
From some angles, especially the rear- three-quarter angle, the car resembles dare I say an Alfa Romeo Stelvio, which is no bad thing. The long wheelbase and short overhangs only justify that further. The Homura Spec adds 20-inch alloy wheels and body-colored wheel arches which add to the premium appeal.
Interior
To demonstrate that it has officially joined the exclusive club of premium automakers, Mazda has taken special care with the quality of materials and the assembly of its interior. Step inside the new CX-60's cabin and you are instantly engulfed in a warm and cozy atmosphere. The dashboard's bamboo-colored plastics are interlaced with a cloth with seams that resemble jinbei, the traditional Japanese worker's garment.
The leather on the seats conjures the kimono, with a hint of black representing the judoka's belt. With fabric, wood, leather, and ambient lighting, the overall effect is soothing, to say the least, a far cry from most German interiors, which are, at best, extremely techno, and, at worst, pretty austere. Space, particularly in the rear seats, is pretty exceptional for a car of this size.
Moving on to the tech, the instrument panel is all-digital, with an LCD screen supported by a head-up display with a larger projection area than seen on previous Mazda models. The wide center touch screen is not the biggest one out there. On the plus side, you’ve got physical climate controls, which is welcome.
Performance
A 2.5-liter Skyactiv - G gasoline engine is combined with a 100 kW electric motor and a 17.8 kWh battery.
Not that it matters for such a vehicle, but 0-60 mph is rated at 5.8 seconds in rear-wheel-drive mode, as the 4-wheel drive only engages in the event of loss of traction. You have an all-electric range of 40 miles.
The CX-60 employs Mazda’s Skyacttive Scalable Architecture that employs Kinematic Posture Control from the MX-Sports Car. It applies brakes to the inside rear wheel while cornering, helping to contain body roll.
Driving modes include
- Normal
- Sport
- Off-Road
- Towing
- EV Modes.
Hill Descent control adds further convenience.
For Europe, a 3.3-liter diesel variation from a new generation of six-cylinder engines is slated to arrive next year.
Conclusion
To join the exclusive club of luxury automakers, the Japanese manufacturer will have to nail aspects like production quality, powerful and efficient engines, a high residual value, and proven reliability. The Mazda CX-60 is surely a step in that direction and marks a new chapter for the Hiroshima-based company.
