Five reasons to (not) buy a Mazda CX-60
1. The powertrain: powerrr!
Power, of course, doesn’t say everything about a car, but we’ll start this list with it anyway. Indeed, the CX-60 is the most powerful Mazda ever. The SUV has more punch than a Mazda RX-7, RX-8 or Mazda 3 MPS. This is not surprising, as the CX-60 has not one but two engines: a 175 hp and 270 Nm electric motor and a 192 hp and 261 Nm 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder gasoline engine. Total system power comes to 327 hp and 500 Nm. The result? In just 5.8 seconds, the imposing Japanese shoots from 0 to 100 km/h. Only at 200 km/h does it stop accelerating. A quick intermediate sprint or fast overtaking action is also a snap. The readily available torque of an electric motor proves its power here. Also nice: the PHEV is always four-wheel drive and can tow as much as 2,500 kilograms up the mountain.
2. Driving Experience
Mazda tried to make a nice steering car out of the CX-60. That remains difficult with SUVs – especially when they weigh 1,955 kilograms, like the CX-60 – yet the Japanese have managed it quite well. We’ll spare you a technical story about double wishbone suspension, multi-link set-up, a longitudinal engine, and Kinetic Posture Control that suppresses over- and understeer through braking. Let’s put it this way: the CX-60 handles the corner very nicely. That combined with the solid power, soon makes you smile behind the wheel.
3. Consumption
Nice all that power, but the fun quickly ends when you have to drive to the pump every day. Fortunately, it is not necessary. As mentioned, the CX-60 is Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid. If you hang the CX-60 neatly on a longer one before bed, you won’t need to refuel at all the next day. At least, if you don’t have to drive more than 63 kilometers. Indeed, that’s how far the CX-60 gets on electrical power, according to the book. In practice, it is about 10 to 15 kilometers less, depending on your driving style and weather conditions. Brave pluggers should be able to achieve an average fuel economy of 1.5 l/100 km, according to Mazda.
4. Premium feel
It’s pretty daring of Mazda: attacking the Europeans on their own continent. With the CX-60, Mazda enters the premium segment and competes with European models such as the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. Mazda has therefore pulled out all the stops for the interior of its new flagship. The top version – the Takumi – uses Japanese stitching technique called Kakenui. You can see this on the dashboard, which features woven textiles with striking “hanging stitch seams. The ornate chrome elements and maple wood in the door panels and center console also create a soft and serene look.
The CX-60 boasts perhaps the most beautiful interior we have sat in this year. And this while the SUV has a considerably lower starting price compared to its European brothers. In the Netherlands, it is available from 53,690 euros. With the German competition, you don’t get into this segment until you add at least another 10,000 euros. Those who do want space, but can settle for less luxury, can of course also choose an Opel Grandland X PHEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Toyota RAV4 PHEV and so on…
5. Why you shouldn’t buy a Mazda CX-60.
There will be those who do not want to put down 50 grand or more for a premium car from Japan any time soon. These necessarily want to have four rings, a star or a blue and white propeller as a logo on the hood. Sin, because you are selling yourself short. Yet there is also a good reason to leave a CX-60. The tightly steering Mazda is not available with adaptive dampers, so the SUV steers tightly at all times. Of course, this is not such a big problem, but for some people the suspension will be just a bit too hard. It never gets uncomfortable in the CX-60, but first taking a test drive at the dealer is not a bad idea. Then you can immediately experience that they can’t build premium cars only in Germany.