MOTORING REVIEW: Mazda’s large CX-60 PHEV is stylish and powerful
MAZDA introduced its first plug-in hybrid car to the European SUV market late last year, as the CX-60. It’s the first of two new models being introduced throughout Europe. This new model combines the latest environmental performance with the driving pleasure inherent in Mazda cars. Mazda cars are renowned for their great engineering and the CX-60 is indeed a really good example of their expertise.
The CX-60 is a premium car both inside and out. In size, it is a really big motor with beautiful lines and a powerful stance that is also quite elegant looking. A very sculpted front face and long nose, with a truncated rear style. Step inside and you notice a clean, uncluttered design; nothing is there simply as an ornament. It’s a calm space that puts you immediately at ease. There’s a mix of different materials and textures including maple wood, nappa leather, some uniquely worked Japanese textiles, nice chrome details and detailed instrument panel stitching. I’m not sure, though, about a pale woven textile trim along the dash and doors as I fear it may not wear well with much family use.
The beautiful 12.3-inch driver’s display provides speed, traffic signs and cruise control information, while a similar size colour centre display, operated via a knob in the centre console, deals with entertainment, communication, navigation and the car’s settings. Graphics are a delight to behold. The screen becomes a comprehensive reversing aid with progress continually tracked in a separate section on the left of the screen. It is one of the best around.
A Driver Personalisation System preprogrammed with a driver’s height and other relevant details automatically adjusts the seat position, steering wheel, mirrors, the Head Up Display, even the sound and climate control settings as well as other personal preferences. Head and leg room front and rear is generous while the boot offers a decent 570 litres that can expand to 1,148 litres with the rear seats folded flat. The boot also opens with a kicking motion of your foot from the rear of the car.
Big side mirrors have a very good blind spot warning system. The two section sunroof had a power blind. Cubbies include a very good glovebox, big door bins and a huge area below the twin-door front armrest which has a carpeted bottom.
Grades are Prime-Line, Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi. My car was the top grade which had as standard, 20-inch alloys, the white Nappa leather trim and white maple wood interior accents, Hill Launch Assist, USB-C inputs, dual-zone climate control, and a leather wrapped gear shifter.
The powertrain combines a 2.5, four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine with a 129kW electric motor and a 17.8kWh battery delivering a total system output of 327hp making it the most powerful road car the company has ever produced, along with huge torque of 500 Nm. Mazda claim a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.8 seconds. The engine is mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission. As a PHEV, C02 emissions are rated at just 33g/km meaning road tax of just €170. Mazda claim the CX-60 offers up to 63km in electric only driving while running at 100km/h or less. You can switch between five driving modes of Normal, Sport, Off-road, Towing and EV. The all-wheel drive system provides extra grip when driving in wet or icy road conditions. It is not a 4x4 off-roader for extreme conditions. Features also include Auto Hold and Downhill Descent.
On the road, I felt absolutely safe behind the wheel driving on icy roads, with all car’s safety features onboard which helped it achieve the top five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Be aware of its size, though — this car takes up a lot of road width, especially on some narrow country roads I travelled where I had to contend with tractors and similar, that it was quite a worry to squeeze past them. A button on the dash triggers a front camera so you can see the immediate area in front of your car while parking.
The CX-60 is priced from €54,100. My review car came in at €65,490.