Test Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid 327 hp (with video)

Mazda it never ceases to amaze us. The Japanese brand has just put on sale the new Mazda CX-60, a product that sails against the wind and tide of the sector. Where there is downsizing, they say motors of high displacement no turbo. That all bet on transverse engines? Mazda longitudinal and rear-wheel drive. Is the diesel finished? They develop a new 3.3-liter six-cylinder…

Little by little we will talk about all this throughout the experiment. And it is that we have traveled to Germany to know the new Mazda CX-60 in its international presentation. It is a car that looks to the eye and challenges the premium German Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC, as well as the Scandinavian Volvo XC60. Let's meet him.

Before going into detail, it is important to note that this product is positioned as the mazda flagship. It debuts a new platform for large vehicles, completely new engines, enters the D-SUV segment and, furthermore, it is the first plug-in hybrid that the Hiroshima brand manufactures for Europe.

Elegance and natural lines in its exterior

As we said, the new CX-60 is an SUV model. I bet you a raised body and the usual forms of the SUV, including lower protections in some finishes, while in the most equipped the same tone of the bodywork or a glossy black is used to generate more contrast.

As for the main features, it is shown with a very elegant presence, resorting to the common brand image in the company's models. I'm talking about details like the big grille with the lower wing that supports it, the styling of the headlights and taillights, and the clean lines.

The rear part is also simple, although it is true that the fake double tailpipes with the chrome detail they are not very to my liking, even more so after bending down and looking under the bumper that has an exhaust outlet on each side. Why not take advantage of them and have to go around with simulations? I will never understand.

I do not want to overlook the side view, where beyond the generously sized wheels, the long hood to house those longitudinal six-cylinder engines, leaving the passenger compartment in a more rearward position usual.

Be that as it may, let's take a look at the main exterior measurements of this new Mazda CX-60. Its dimensions are Meters long 4,75, 1,89 wide, 1,68 high and its wheelbase is 2,87 meters.

The interior quality is remarkable.

I think that of the whole car the part that I liked the most is the interior. distills quality thanks to good adjustments, about top materials in practically every corner and to the good atmosphere that is breathed in the cabin. In addition, everything is very intuitive, without distractions, simple and well elaborated.

Especially in the Takumi finish with white interior, the white wood inserts and the fabric band that runs along part of the dashboard and the doors. In addition, the ventilated, heated seats with electrical adjustments provide a plus in comfort, both for these gadgets and for their shape and the way they welcome us. Also for the great feel of the steering wheel.

At the technology level, it has two 12,3-inch screens. The one in the instrument cluster doesn't have thousands of settings, but all the information is in its place and easily visible, which is what it's all about. Meanwhile, the central of the multimedia system has large graphics and intuitive menus, which are controlled from the circular joystick that we have in the center console.

One detail that I should point out is that climate control is completely independent of the screen, with simple buttons, well resolved with a pleasant touch. Personally, I think it's a success, because we don't have to look away from the road for several seconds to vary the temperature by one degree, as it happens in other manufacturers.

In the cabin we miss a little more space

Where I I expected a little more is in the interior space section. Be careful, it is not a small car, but I think that with 4,75 meters the space for the occupants could have been used a little better. In the front seats there is no problem, although it would have been nice to have a little more capacity in the storage compartments.

For the second row we have a door that opens practically 90 degrees, which is very good, but it is true that the step of rear wheel can hinder access a bit to people with less mobility; although it is not exaggerated either.

Once inside, there's enough room for four 1,80-foot-tall adults to travel comfortably, but not much more. That's where I expected a little more from the Mazda CX-60. Specifically to head and knee room. From that 1,80 or 1,85 there will no longer be as much sense of relief, although it is fair to say that the unit in which we have verified it has a panoramic roof that always subtracts a little distance for the head.

For the rest, there is a central armrest with two cup holders, adjustable ventilation outlets (without temperature control), USB sockets in addition to a conventional 220 V plug, a slightly intrusive transmission tunnel and a remarkable level of finish in the upholstery of doors and seats. Oh, I forgot the rear seatback can also be adjusted to two positions for more relaxed travel.

This is the trunk of the Mazda CX-60

Regarding the load capacity, the trunk of the Mazda CX-60 cubic 570 liters (including the hole under the floor). It is a more than correct volume, especially if we take into account that we are talking about a plug-in hybrid, where batteries usually penalize in that sense.

like in this car the batteries of the hybrid system go between the two wheel axles and do not affect the trunk, in such a way that both this PHEV, and in the next gasoline and diesel, the volume will always be 570 liters. Undoubtedly, a plus of practicality because, in addition, the shapes are very regular. Returning to quality, the upholstery is once again remarkable for its visual and tactile pleasure.

Mazda CX-60 engines

We go to the mechanical section. Before talking about the engines, it is important to mention that the Mazda CX-60 debuts a new, more rigid and highly evolved platform, using multi-link independent suspension on the rear axle. This platform will also be used by the Mazda CX-80, which will be larger and with three rows of seats, for whose start of marketing there are still several months.

And now yes, let's talk about engines. The PHEV version is in charge of making this car debut. It consists of a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter gasoline engine with 190 hp and a 191 hp electric drive, which is powered by a large battery with 17,8 kWh of gross capacity. Together we speak of nothing less than 327 hp and 500 Nm of torque, plus a approved electric range of 63 kilometers.

In the first weeks of 2023, the long-awaited diesel version. Yes, while diesel engines are being demonized, Mazda arrives and presents a newly developed block with six cylinders, longitudinal and 3.3 liters displacement. You heard right, a diesel of such displacement in 2023. It will be available with rear-wheel drive and 200 hp, as well as four-wheel drive and 254 hp. At the end of this article you can check the versions and prices.

If the above seems strange to you, with this you will hallucinate. Not happy with the diesel, one will also arrive in the second half of 2023. gasoline mechanic. Turbo and downsizing? Nothing of that. They have created a 6 cylinders, 3.0 liters and atmospheric admission. Yes, no turbo! At the moment the benefits and more technical details are unknown, but it looks very good.

All versions, regardless of fuel, come with an 8-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the gasoline and diesel variants will be microhybridized at 48 volts, so they will carry the DGT Eco sticker on the windshield.

Behind the wheel of the Mazda CX-60 PHEV

And seen all of the above, it's time to go to practice and drive the new Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid. I remember that it is a presentation in which we have also recorded video, so we are not going to take fuel consumption into account. Soon we will bring it back to do a thorough test and evaluate those details well.

We electrically adjust the steering wheel, seats and mirrors, put the D in the ergonomic gear selector and roll. Logically, as we have a charge on its 17,8 kWh battery, the car moves in electric mode at low and medium speed. To this we must add that with the button on the My-Drive (driving modes) we can force the electric mode. The response is soft, but powerful.

Remember that the electric motor alone develops 191 hp and 261 Nm of torque, so there is more than enough power.

In any case, the first thing we notice is that the power steering has a noticeable weight, something that is appreciated and that seems to be missing lately. In addition, the steering wheel has a good touch and the right thickness, and its buttons are very intuitive.

Lots of comfort, but also a lot of weight

From there, we feel that the suspension has a clear comfort orientation. Why? Well, because despite wearing 20-inch wheels filters potholes and manhole covers very well, but it is also noticeable that the chassis has a great structural rigidity. On the other hand, the rolling silence is remarkable.

I liked the feel of the brake pedal less. It feels firm and relatively hard to step on, but once again electrification, due to energy recovery, makes it lose some modularity in braking. This is something that happens in all hybrid, micro-hybrid and electric cars on the market that I have tested.

Once we hit the road, the Mazda CX-60 feels like a comfortable car, although perhaps too much. The suspensions have a relatively soft setting and if we make sudden maneuvers or go at a fast pace, the inertia is felt.

And it is that one of the drawbacks of this model is its weight, exceeding 2.000 kilos in this plug-in hybrid variant. Perhaps an adaptive and configurable suspension with driving modes would have been nice, but I'm sorry to tell you that it is not available in this car.

Excels in smooth running

As for the response of the powertrain, the figure of 327 hp and 500 Nm of torque should not scare us. His delivery is very progressive, although more alive when we select Sport mode. Again, these details reflect the clear comfortable orientation and good rolling that Mazda is looking for with this car.

Of course, if we accelerate hard, the car responds. On the motorway, it rolls without problems at normal speeds, but it does not slow down to rates that in Spain would be punishable, although in the enviable German autobahn without speed limit they are totally reasonable. When fully accelerating, the gasoline engine shows its awakening with its sound, going unnoticed once the speed stabilizes, the 8-speed automatic gearbox chooses the appropriate ratio so as not to penalize consumption.

Later we left the highway to go to secondary roads, where in the most twisty curves that excess weight is noticeable and inclinations reappear. The steering is precise and quick enough, but the body takes time to support something more than we would like. Of course, I am talking about when we go at a fast pace, because in normal driving it will hardly be noticeable.

The only but in this section is that we have noticed the odd jerk in acceleration, which we believe to come from the gearbox.

Conclusions

And having seen all of the above, it is clear that the Mazda CX-60 is a quality car, but unlike other models of the brand, it does not seek the best touch and dynamism, but treat the occupants with care. Thus, we could say that it is a very interesting car for families, where comfort and practicality prevail over high doses of adrenaline.

If we think about and compare with its four main rivals, the Mazda is more like the Volvo XC60 that to Listen Q5, BMW X3 y Mercedes GLC. In summary, it has an elegant appearance, high quality construction, good technology and bets on smooth rolling rather than sportiness.

Compared to these contenders in plug-in hybrid versions, Japanese is noticeably cheaper and it does not have to envy anything to any in terms of assembly, but it penalizes slightly in the space of the rear seats. From my point of view, it is a very interesting product and it is appreciated that someone comes to fight with the usual powerful premium.

However, and although we cannot say that it is expensive compared to them, he has his own rival at home. It is neither more nor less than el Mazda CX-5. Yes, it does not have the novelties that this CX-60 brings, nor the high level of quality or performance, but it is not far away and, the key detail, It costs almost 20.000 euros less...

Personally, I would buy the Mazda CX-5 even though I wouldn't have the option to opt for the Eco or Zero Emissions label of the DGT. By the way, in case you didn't know, the Hiroshima brand already offers 6 year warranty on all your vehicles.

Related article:

Test Mazda CX-5 2022 Homura Skyactiv-G 165 CV (with video)

Equipment Mazda CX-60

primeline

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 12,3-inch media display
• 12,3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Navigator and connected car services with MyMazda App
• 2 USB type C
• Dual zone air conditioning
• Cruise control
• Engine start stop button
• Paddles for automatic transmission
• Electric parking brake
• Driving modes Mi-Drive
• LED headlights
• 18-inch alloy wheels

Exclusive Line (adds)

• Dashboard and door trim in soft material with stitching
• Center console lighting
• 4 USB Type-C
• smart keyless access
• heated steering wheel
• heated front seats
• Head-Up Display
• Parking sensors
• Rear view camera
• automatic road lights
• Front grille in piano black
• 20-inch alloy wheels

Homura (adds to Exclusive Line)

• Black leather upholstery
• Ambient interior lighting
• Ambient light for the feet in the rear seats
• Full body color bumpers and wheel arches
• Gloss black accents such as grille, grille wing, mirrors and wheels

Takumi (adds Homura)

• White nappa leather upholstery
• interior wood paneling
• chrome details
• Dashboard center trim and door panels in white cloth
• Leather steering wheel with white stitching
• Silver and chrome accents on the exterior
• Wheel arches painted in body color
• 20-inch wheels with specific design

Mazda CX-60 Prices

Gallery Mazda CX-60