FOR ME, this is the most accomplished attempt by Mazda to cut a niche for itself in the medium to large SUV market.
The Mazda CX-80 and its smaller sibling, the CX-60, proved themselves highly capable and worthy of being viewed as a contender to the likes of Volvo’s XC90, Audi’s Q5/Q7 and the latest Land Rover Discovery in particular.
Until the arrival of these two newcomers, Mazda has maybe treated this segment of the market with a bit of a hands-off attitude. It did have the estimable CX-7, which was discontinued in the UK after just a few years. That was a great performer but lacked the credibility of four-wheel-drive to make it a real option for rural users.
The CX-80 changes all that. Not only does it shove power to all corners of the vehicle using its i-ACTIV all-wheel-drive system, but it has the draw of a really powerful in-line six-cylinder 3.3-litre diesel engine to back it up. That definitely goes against the tide of mediocrity that is the almost universal push to electric power, but it makes much sense to rural users who need range, and a lot of it, to make their everyday lives all the better for not having the range anxiety that Watt power gives.
At 251 bhp, it’s not as powerful as it could be, adopting the Mazda principle of having fairly large engines that are not overly tuned to ensure their reputation for longevity remains intact. But the 550Nm of torque this affords means that it has plenty of grunt when it needs it, most notably when towing – it has a 2.5-tonne braked towing capacity and has the option of a swing-out semi-electric towbar.
With the towbar, certain grades also come with a really handy live rear-view camera image on the driver’s screen, with a selectable trailer hitch guideline on the infotainment display. A nicely matched eight-speed automatic transmission makes normal driving a dawdle and should make towing just as easy.
Like most seven-seaters, the fold-down/up third row is best reserve for the ‘little people’, or for bendy people in the family. With the second row only in use, the CX-80 has one of the best load capacities in its class with 566 litres available. Folding the second row down flat increases this to a gargantuan 1971 litres, so this is a pretty practical vehicle.
There’s also plenty of space around the cabin for the main seating areas and Mazda’s design team has gone out of its way to make this a clutter-free and relaxing environment. The main infotainment screen is 12.3-inches and is well-positioned at eye level for ease of use.
This comes with all the usual fripperies such as Bluetooth connection for your phone but also has its own Amazon Alexa in-car voice control for some in-car functions, plus a European-wide navigation system that comes with seven years of free map updates – that is also aligned so that Alexa can set the destination for you.
But don’t worry, there are good old-fashioned turn knobs for the main heating and ventilation features
There is also the ability to choose how the drive system works via the Mi-DRIVE mode selector that switches driving modes depending on the road and vehicle conditions. Sport mode enhances vehicle responsiveness when the accelerator pedal is pressed, and for rough terrain and slippery road conditions, Off-Road mode prevents the driven wheels from spinning when driving, improving road-holding performance. Towing mode optimises driving performance due to increased weight when towing a trailer, refining vehicle stability. The 2.5-litre petrol-engined PHEV models benefit from EV mode which allows you to drive the vehicle utilising the electrical motor, cutting down on fuel use and emissions.
With such a large engine, you’d expect to have to compromise on fuel economy, but not a bit of it. The CX-80 stats show it will give you a 48.7mpg average and driving it for a week certainly backed that figure up, and it might even be bettered on a long, steady motorway drive.
Prices for the CX-80 ranges start at £50,000 for the PHEV version, with the one on test valued at about £8k above that for its diesel engine and better spec, including the leather seating afforded by the Takumi trim level. This listing also adds 20-inch alloy wheels which are great at soaking up our pothole-ridden roads, plus there was a £1000 charge for the panoramic sunroof.
At that price level, this really is good value when compared to the better known SUVs of this size and you’d have to buy something like the Hyundai Santa Fe to match the price, which the Mazda outshines by some degree in terms of looks and styling, while it also comes with a six-year/100,000-mile warranty. What’s not to like?
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