2023 Mazda CX-60 price and features announced

THE CX-60 is definitely worthy of the adjective “bold”. For Mazda, it indicators a number of issues directly: it’s the primary to make use of the corporate’s all-new longitudinal structure, the primary to use electrification to its full vary of engines, the primary to characteristic an inline-six powerplant and the primary to supply a plug-in hybrid choice. 

And, with an bold value vary that begins at $59,800 and tops out at $87,252, the CX-60 can even launch Mazda into the premium sphere.

Contemplating its silhouette is simply fractionally bigger than the CX-5 – it measures 165mm longer and 45mm wider, with an an identical 1680mm total peak – the CX-60 is pitched as a premium various to Mazda’s ultra-popular mid-sized SUV slightly than its substitute.

From Mazda Australia’s viewpoint, it enhances slightly than cannibalises its transversely-engined brother, giving CX-5 house owners who wish to step up – however aren’t in search of a bodily bigger automobile – someplace to go with out leaving the Mazda showroom.

“About 25 p.c of CX-5 patrons really depart our model for one thing else,” elaborated Mazda Australia director of gross sales, Jarrod Gieschen to GoAuto. 

“That’s quite a lot of prospects, however now we’ve got this providing (CX-60) that sits above it, with which we would really have the ability to maintain them for one or two extra cycles.”

In keeping with Mazda Australia advertising director Alastair Doak, the CX-60’s positioning throughout the firm’s SUV line-up shouldn’t lead to a lot substitution of CX-5 gross sales. In spite of everything, the top-spec CX-5 Akera AWD diesel maxes out at $53,880 earlier than on-road prices – effectively under the beginning sticker of the CX-60.

There’s substantial overlap with the CX-8 and CX-9, though with the CX-60 being a extra compact two-row-only proposition versus these larger three-row stablemates, the newcomer shouldn’t tread on their toes both.

“It’s not substitution, it’s protecting them near the Mazda model. That’s an enormous alternative for us,” Mr Doak stated.

Requested if Mazda Australia was making a play to conquest gross sales from premium manufacturers – or even when it had a competitor set in thoughts for the CX-60 – Mr Doak stated Mazda’s product planners had different priorities.

“We haven’t actually spent quite a lot of time excited about that, the rationale why is we’ve been extra concerned with making it match inside our line-up,” he stated.

“Our focus with the product crew has been to take a look at the individuals flowing from us to totally different manufacturers and asking what do we have to do to draw these individuals, what are they in search of and what are they asking us for. Our analysis and our focus has been round that, slightly than saying, ‘hey, right here’s a goal competitor, let’s do no matter they don’t do’.”

With deliveries slated to begin in June 2023, Mazda’s present process is to transform as a lot of its 16,000 expressions of curiosity for the CX-60 into stable orders, and is anticipating a median month-to-month gross sales quantity of round 500 models in the long run.

Potential CX-60 patrons may have loads of selection in entrance of them; with three grades, three powertrains and 4 choice packages to pick from, there are 14 attainable configurations of CX-60 obtainable.

The primary rung of the CX-60 ladder is the entry-level Evolve, which Mazda expects to account for 30 per cent of whole orders.

It options artificial ‘Maztex’ black leather-based upholstery, 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, a powered tailgate, dual-zone local weather management, a ten.25-inch infotainment display screen, a 12.3-inch instrument panel show within the plug-in hybrid (PHEV), a seven-inch instrument panel for the six-cylinder variants, a wi-fi cellphone charger, built-in satellite tv for pc navigation, Android Auto/Apple Carplay smartphone mirroring and a 360-degree parking digital camera view.

In the course of the vary is the GT, which is able to probably communicate for the lion’s share of CX-60 quantity with round half of all gross sales.

Above the Evolve spec, the GT provides a gloss black grille and black 20-inch alloys, swaps out the bottom mannequin’s naked black exterior plastics for body-coloured gadgets, provides a light-coloured inside upholstery choice and brings a full 12.3-inch instrument panel for all drivetrains, a power-adjustable steering column, a hands-free mode for the facility tailgate, a heated steering wheel, heated entrance and rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable entrance seats, personalised driver profile settings and a premium Bose audio system with 12 audio system.

Topping the vary will sit the CX-60 Azami, externally identifiable by its distinctive slatted entrance grille, machined-face 20-inch alloys and adaptive LED headlamps. Inside are high-grade Nappa leather-based and material upholstery, ventilated entrance seats and a frameless inside rearview mirror. Driver help upgrades embrace semi-autonomous Cruising and Visitors Assist tech and a ‘see-through’ mode for its 360-degree parking digital camera system.

Throughout all three grades, three engines can be supplied, comprising two all-new 3.3-litre inline-six engines, one petrol and the opposite diesel, and a plug-in hybrid with a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine paired with an electrical drive motor.

Probably the most inexpensive powertrain would be the 3.3-litre petrol six, which mixes a 48-volt gentle hybrid system, a turbocharger and direct injection to supply 209kW and 450Nm, sufficient to ship a 6.9-second 0-100km/h dash time declare. Gasoline financial system figures have but to be disclosed, although Mazda claims outcomes akin to a naturally-aspirated 2.5 litre petrol.

Hypermilers could as a substitute be extra within the diesel six-cylinder choice, which carries a $2000 premium over the petrol six (or simply $846 within the Azami grade), however provides 187kW and 550Nm and is claimed to devour simply 4.9L/100km on the mixed cycle, although is slower than the petrol with its claimed 7.3-second 0-100km/h time. 

Spending considerably extra will web probably the most highly effective, quickest and least thirsty powertrain of the vary – the plug-in hybrid e-Skyactiv PHEV. Growing 241kW and 500Nm, the CX-60 PHEV has a 76km electrical vary from its 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery (which could be totally charged in 2.5 hours on a 7.2kW AC charger), and may function combustion-free at speeds as much as 100km/h.

As probably the most highly effective mannequin within the household, the PHEV is alleged to finish the dash to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, but returns an official gasoline financial system determine is 2.1L/100km on the mixed cycle, whereas its 2500kg tow score can also be 500kg up on that of diesel-engined CX-60 variants. 

The PHEV premium is substantial, although, costing $12,500 greater than the petrol inline six within the Evolve grade, $12,692 extra within the GT, or $13,098 extra in Azami trim.

Regardless of which powertrain is chosen, all Australia-bound CX-60s come normal with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed computerized transmission.

Dynamic efficiency is anticipated to be significantly higher than is obtainable by the ageing CX-5 due to the CX-60’s longer wheelbase and extra balanced longitudinally-engined platform, which places extra weight between the axles and yields enhancements to suspension geometry (double wishbones on the entrance, multi-link on the rear). 

The i-Energetic all-wheel-drive system contains a rear-axle torque bias to ship a sportier driving really feel and enhanced cornering grip beneath acceleration. 

With pricing introduced, order books for the Mazda CX-60 at the moment are open. Preliminary deliveries are slated to start in June subsequent 12 months with the six-cylinder petrol and PHEV being the primary off the rank, whereas deliveries of diesel variants will begin the next month.

2023 Mazda CX-60 Pricing*

*Costs embrace LCT and exclude on-road prices.