Mazda’s new seven-seater CX-80 will arrive in the UK later this year – a diesel mild-hybrid or petrol plug-in hybrid flagship SUV that will rival the likes of the new Hyundai Santa Fe and Volvo XC90.
This model will sit above the closely-related CX-60 SUV in Mazda’s model line-up, and with three rows of seats, Mazda remarks that the CX-80 is “the most spacious SUV” it has “ever offered”. As well as being 25 centimetres longer than the CX-60 – extra length required for the additional row of seating – the SUV is also over two centimetres taller, which means slightly more headroom.
With all seven seats in place, the boot reportedly accommodates up 258 litres, which is actually less than half of the 570 litres that the CX-60 offers. Room for luggage rises to 687 litres with the back row folded and 1221 litres with the two rearmost rows stowed. The vehicle can tow up to 2,500kg.
Inside, a 12-inch infotainment screen that juts out of the centre of the dashboard comes as standard, as well as three-zone air conditioning, wireless smartphone mirroring and seating with a memory function that uses facial recognition to select logged driver preferences.
The CX-80’s engine options are the same as the CX-60. The range begins with a 254hp 3.3-litre straight-six diesel engine with mild-hybrid assistance. The other, more expensive option is 320hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrid configuration that is assisted by a 18kWh battery and 129kW electric motor to produce an electric-only range of 32 miles.
The diesel can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 8.4 seconds, while the plug-in hybrid can reach the same speed in 6.8 seconds. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
That sums up what we know so far about the new CX-80. Mazda is yet to confirm the car’s UK pricing, but this information is sure to follow in the coming months in the run to up the SUV’s official launch.
