Mazda CX-60 SUV review

Verdict - Is the Mazda CX-60 a good car?

Mazda has entered the premium SUV market for the first time, and the CX-60 is a strong contender. It looks sharp and its driving manners reflect this, although this does mean it rides quite firmly compared with a Volvo XC60. A plug-in hybrid should appeal to company car drivers, but it’s the 3.3-litre diesel that’s a surprise hit. Clever technology means it has low emissions and can top 50mpg, while it’s quiet and smooth to drive. As most manufacturers turn their back on diesel, this parting shot from Mazda could go down as one of the best.

Mazda CX60 models, specs and alternatives

Mazda’s most powerful road-going car to date isn’t a hotted up MX-5 or a successor to the Mazda RX-8 sports car. No, the new Mazda CX-60 is a surprisingly potent SUV with plug-in hybrid power. With a 2.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor on hand, the CX-60 offers 323bhp.

While the plug-in hybrid was your sole option at launch, buyers can now also choose from a couple of 3.3-litre diesel engines, with a pure-petrol model coming in the future. These are likely to be some of the last all-new combustion engines found in any model, as manufacturers make the switch to electric power. Yet no matter which powertrain you choose, the CX-60 compares well price-wise with premium rivals such as the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. These are the models Mazda is hoping you’ll compare the CX-60 to, rather than mainstream SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Ford Kuga.

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While the new 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesels may seem archaic at first glance, they do come with a highly innovative design and 48-volt mild-hybrid tech, so offer respectable fuel economy figures. The plug-in hybrid model, on the other hand, is also impressive and should appeal to company car drivers. With up to 39 miles of electric range promised, the CX-60 marginally beats out the 38 miles offered by the Hyundai Tucson PHEV.

Inside, the CX-60 feels high quality enough to compete with the aforementioned German cars, with the fit and finish being generally excellent. The switchgear has a satisfying feel, and the crisp screen can be controlled by a handy rotary dial. Tech is good, too. There’s even a driver profile system that uses facial recognition to automatically switch to your preferred settings; it can also suggest the optimum driving position based on your height.

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That feature comes in on the middle of the three trim levels initially available. Instead of Mazda’s recent tradition of using SE-L and Sport grades, the CX-60 can be ordered in Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi grades.

Exclusive-Line is generously equipped, with heated seats, automatic LED headlights, a reversing camera and a windscreen-projected head-up display. Homura adds bigger wheels, body-coloured wheel arches, electric seats, heated rear seats and a Bose sound system. Top-spec Takumi gets design and trim upgrades like white Nappa leather and a maple console.

The CX-60 is a little longer than the CX-5, so rear-seat space and boot space are both generous despite the packaging required for the plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Incidentally, the CX-60 won’t replace the CX-5. Its hybrid engine makes it the second phase of the brand’s electrification push, after the launch of the quirky yet flawed Mazda MX-30 EV in 2021, which is now also set to be joined by a plug-in hybrid version.