Mazda CX-80 (2024 - )

Mazda has a new flagship model. It’s called the CX-80 and is a full-sized family SUV that has seating for six or seven. If you take the CX-60 that was launched in 2022 and add on some extra wheelbase, shoulder room, head room and hip space, then basically you have the new CX-80. The distinctively stylish SUV is available in a range of trims called Exclusive Line, Homura, Homura Plus, Takumi and Takumi Plus with prices starting from £49,670. 
 

Although the CX-80 is billed as a seven-seater, it can be configured with six seats, or with six seats and an additional central console at an extra cost of £750. All versions are all-wheel drive, but customers can choose between a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or diesel powertrain. The PHEV unit sees a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 129kW electric motor and a 17.8kWh high-capacity battery, while the diesel powertrain comprises a powerful 3.3-litre, six-cylinder 254PS engine with 48V mild hybrid technology.

We opted for the latter for our test drive in range-topping Takumi Plus trim.
 

When viewed from the front, there is very little to distinguish the CX-80 from its smaller sibling, the CX-60. Both feature a sculpted bonnet, sweeping light clusters and a honeycomb-effect gloss black grille. But it’s profile view really stands out thanks to its increased length to maximise passenger space. It boasts extended windows, straighter D pillars, along with body-coloured wheel arches, side sill mouldings and door mirrors, rear privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof and 20-inch grey diamond cut alloy wheels,

Mazda has launched the CX-80 with two additional colours called Artisan Red and Melting Copper. Our test car featured the Artisan Red and it looked very distinctive with the shade seeming to alter according to the sunlight.
Moving inside, the cabin oozes class with a mix of soft touch surfaces and high-end fixtures and fittings. The seats are upholstered in white Nappa leather and are power-adjustable, as is the steering wheel. These seats can be heated or ventilated, while the steering wheel and the two individual seats in the second row can also be warmed.

Elsewhere there are some white maple wood interior accents, although the colours didn’t blend particularly well with the light upholstery – a darker wood would have complimented the colour scheme better.
At the heart of the CX-80 is a 12.3-inch central infotainment display, easily controlled through a rotary dial. Quick-access buttons offer immediate shortcuts to functions like the radio, navigation and phone functions, while features such as the premium 12-speaker Bose surround sound system and wireless smartphone connectivity are simple to use on the fly.

There is a clear driver display, behind the steering wheel, featuring three circular dials that show key driving data, such as speed and fuel efficiency, along with a head-up display. And we welcomed the separate panel for all the climate control settings to avoid unnecessary driver distraction.
 

Powering our CX-80 was the excellent 3.3-litre diesel engine that Mazda introduced back in 2022. This straight six unit delivers 254PS and 550Nm of torque resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 136mph. It is matched to a super smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox and there are steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver fun. Despite its size, stretching just five millimetres shy of five metres in length, the CX-80 is deceptively agile when faced with the open road.

The acceleration is smooth and responsive with ample power on tap to overtake slower moving vehicles with confidence. It does feel a little fidgety on rougher road surfaces, but only when driven in quite an enthusiastic manner. It’s a comfortable dual carriageway cruiser, sitting effortlessly at 70mph and there are drive modes to flick through via the Mi-Drive switch. These are called Sport, Normal and Off Road – no prizes for guessing which is the most fun.

The driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility thanks to the elevated seating, and the duo of third row headrests can be folded forward when not in use to give a clear view through the rear window. Comfort levels are good with an impressive new suspension set-up that easily copes with the extra size and the extra 200kg weight of the CX-80 over its sibling CX-60 model.

And with family getaways in mind, the CX-80 boasts AWD for added grip and can tow a caravan or trailer weighing up to 2.5 tonnes.
 

If you launch a six or seven-seat model then it has to cover practicality bases exceptionally well and the Mazda CX-80 does just that. It’s a large vehicle stretching 4,995mm in length, 1,890mm across and 1,710mm in height with a wheelbase of 3,120mm.  That makes for a very spacious cabin area, which seemed even more pronounced in our six-seat model with the second row comprising two individual seats with armchair-like comfort. Up front two tall adults have bundles of space to stretch out and the same goes for the two second row passengers. This six-seat configuration is free on the Homura grade upwards, but was a £750 option on our test car as it also featured an additional centre console with cup holders and extra storage.

But this pair of seats are exceptionally comfortable and have heating and cooling settings for added appeal. And, unlike some rival models, the CX-80 offers a pair of rear seats that are suitable for six footers too. The boot is accessed via a hands-free powered tailgate and can hold 258 litres of kit with all seats upright, 687 litres with the rear seats folded flat and 1,971 litres with just the front row seats in use.

Additionally, throughout the cabin there are numerous handy compartments that can be used for storage, including a glovebox, central cubby, door bins, cup holders for all occupants, seat back pockets, some trays, a small compartment hidden next to the driver’s door, a sunglasses holder, plenty of USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad.

Pricing for the Mazda CX-80 powered by PHEV technology starts from £49,670 for the Exclusive Line trim and rises to £56,420 for the Takumi Plus. The diesel line-up costs from £52,205 and increases to £59,165 for the Takumi Plus version, as tested. Our car featured Artisan Red paintwork that added a further £900 to the bill, along with a Captains seat (six-seat) configuration with extra console costing £750. The final price of the car was £60,815.

So, not exactly cheap then, but owners can claw back some saving thanks to impressive day-to day running costs. For example, our test car could deliver a WLTP-tested 48.7mpg on a combined run with carbon emissions of 151g/km. The PHEV versions can see up to 176mpg but that would mean regular charging of the battery and lots of EV-only miles to get close to that figure.

The 151g/km CO2 figure on our test car would result in a first year road tax bill of £680 dropping to the standard fee of £190 after 12 months. But there’s some more bad news on the financial front as the CX-80 is priced in excess of £40k. That makes it viable for a premium car tax that adds a further £410 to the annual cost from years two to six.

Any business drivers selecting the CX-80 diesel model for their company car will see a Benefit in Kind rate of 35 per cent, while those opting for the PHEV versions fare better with a rate of just 12 per cent. The Mazda CX-80 is sold with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty and the Takumi Plus model we tested sits in insurance group 39.
 

Vehicles with seven seats (or six in this case) appeal to quite a niche market, but the Mazda CX-80 will definitely tick all the right boxes in its quest for sales. It looks attractive without being too flashy, boasts a wealth of on-board tech, drives well, is practical and the list of safety features and driver assistance aids also impresses.

But, the issue Mazda faces is the plethora of top quality, premium-styled seven-seaters that are vying for sales right now, including the Skoda Kodiaq, Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe to name just a few. So Mazda has its work cut out getting the CX-80 noticed. Only time will tell how popular it proves to be.