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Review – Mazda CX-80 does a lot right, but not everything.

October 7, 2024

Longer wheelbase for Mazda CX-80

The new Mazda CX-80 is the bigger brother of the already familiar CX-60. By bigger, we really do mean literally bigger. The CX-60 has a length of 4,745 mm and a wheelbase of 2,870. The Mazda CX-80 adds 25 centimeters to that wheelbase, increasing its length to 4,995 mm. This makes the CX-80 five meters long, to within a hair’s breadth. That extra length results not only in extra interior space, but also in the possibility of adding an extra row of seats.

Three seating configurations

The Mazda CX-80 is available with three second-row seating configurations. It comes as 2+3+2, as 2+2+2 without a center console in the second row of seats, or as 2+2+2 with a center console in the second row of seats. The latter two configurations feature captain’s chairs in the second row of seats. Although the six-seat versions offer a convenient passage to the third row of seats, the seven-seater seems to be the more practical choice. In this variant, the bench seat in the second row of seats is movable over a distance of 120 mm.

Third row

According to Mazda, the third row of seats – which is also equipped with USB-C charging points, air vents and cup holders – is especially suitable for people no taller than 1.70 meters. Still, someone who is 1.85 meters tall – the author of this story – can also sit in the back for a while, albeit for shorter distances. If the people in the second row of seats bend a bit, there should be no problem with leg and foot room. To sit in the second row of seats is to enjoy extra legroom. Headroom, on the other hand, is not so bad, since a panoramic roof with a rather thick sliding system takes up quite a bit of space. You still have charging points in the back and your own climate control controls.

MAZDA CX-80 does not yet do everything right – REVIEW – AutoRAI TV

Luggage space Mazda CX-80

So what about luggage space? With all rows of seats in use, that still leaves 258 liters of luggage space. If you fold down the third row of seats, you get access to 687 liters. The Mazda CX-80 is completely a space wonder when you fold everything down. You then have 1,971 liters of storage space. That’s hefty.

Colors

The CX-80 is available in several colors, of which Artisan Red and Melting Copper are really new. A total of nine body colors are available to choose from. In addition to the colors just mentioned, this big Mazda also comes in Jet Black, Deep Crystal Blue, Platinum Quartz, Arctic White, Rhodium White, Machine Grey and, of course, Soul Red Crystal.

Mazda CX-80 in Artisan Red and Melting Copper

Driver assistance systems

The dashboard of the Mazda CX-80 is a copy of that of the CX-60. So count on beautiful materials, quiet design and good ergonomics. Mazda is nice and “old-fashioned” in that sense with conventional push buttons and a rotary selector button that allows you to operate things very intuitively while driving. So Mazda does that well. We are less enthusiastic about the driver assistance systems, but that is true of more modern cars. All systems cause so much distraction on the road that it almost creates unsafe situations. Can Mazda do little about it, but Brussels can. When it comes to ADAS, the legislature has gone overboard. Anyway, in the CX-80 these systems can of course be switched off. You can choose to put the systems on mute with a special button on the left side of the dashboard, but they will still remain on in the background. Those who really want everything off should dive into the infotainment system. Especially do that before you leave, because Mazda’s menus contain so much text that you will be too distracted while driving.

Nice touch: the new Mazda CX-80 also has Alexa functionality for in-car voice control. This allows you to talk to the car in a normal way. So you don’t have to memorize voice commands.

Interior Mazda CX-80

Good seating position

A very strong aspect of the Mazda CX-80 is the seating position, even if you are a little taller. Thanks to good adjustability of the steering column and seat, finding a nice seat is no problem at all. The Driver Personalization System front – which automatically adjusts the seat position, steering wheel, mirrors, Active Driving Display and even sound and climate settings based on facial recognition – sounds promising, but does not work perfectly and is thus mainly a nice gimmick. The CX-80’s steering feel is sublime. You get great feedback, not only from the steering, but also from the suspension. That suspension does a good job 95 percent of the time. Only with short bumps does the rear axle continue to have trouble. On tight asphalt – of which the Netherlands is rich – as an owner you won’t even notice that.

Drivetrain Mazda CX-80

Then the Mazda CX-80’s powertrain. What about it? Like the CX-60, the CX-80 has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, consisting of an e-Skyactiv-G 2.5 four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine, an electric motor and a 355 V, 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery. The gasoline engine delivers 141 kW (192 hp) and 261 Nm. The electric motor is good for 129 kW (176 hp) of power and 270 Nm of torque. If you run the math formula on it, the result is a system output of 241 kW (327 hp) and a generous 500 Nm of torque. With the power, the CX-80 e-Skyactiv Plug-in Hybrid sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 195 km/h (limited). On a full charge of electricity, the car can travel up to 61 kilometers (61 miles) electrically, according to the WLTP test standard. There are alternatives on the market with over 100 kilometers of driving range already, so Mazda is not leading the way in that area.

Towing weight braked

The interplay between the gasoline and electric motors is generally smooth. Only when the battery is flat does the driveline sometimes seem to have trouble shifting smoothly. In any case, there is no lack of power. The eight-speed automatic transmission rattles through all gears super-fast. The new Mazda CX-80 has a braked towing weight of 2,500 kilograms! So towing a large caravan or boat or horse trailer is no problem at all. A useful tool is Trailer Hitch View to make coupling a trailer easier.

Conclusion review Mazda CX-80

So some minor notes here and there for this Mazda CX-80, but overall this car impresses quite a bit. It is comfy, extremely spacious, nice and smooth, and the interior is top-notch. The design also appeals to most people. As mentioned, it comes starting at 62,390 euros. You then always get three-zone air conditioning, a 12.3-inch diameter central TFT color touchscreen, Alexa in-car voice control, DAB radio, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, hybrid navigation and cruise control.

Technical specifications Mazda CX-80 e-Skyactiv PHEV 327









































































































































Mazda CX-80 Plug-in Hybrid 2024












































Interior Mazda CX-80