Mazda has officially unveiled the new CX-80 – the seven-seater version of the current flagship CX-60.
Craig Roberts, the Managing Director (MD) of Mazda Southern Africa, confirmed in an interview last year that the CX-80 will come to South Africa, and that it will feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Roberts initially said that the CX-80 would arrive in South Africa in the second quarter of 2024, but the vehicle has only just been revealed in Europe and is slated to go on sale in the northern hemisphere’s autumn season (our spring).
A local launch window should therefore fall somewhere in the second half of the year, bearing in mind that South Africa often receives new models a few months after other markets.
What to expect
The CX-80 will join the CX-60 at the top of the Mazda hierarchy when it makes its debut, bringing with it many of the same luxury elements as its five-seater counterpart.
The biggest difference of the 80, aside from its seats, is that it will be the first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Mazda on local soil, using a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine as its primary power source.
This connects to an “e-SKYACTIV” PHEV system with an electric motor and a centrally-mounted 17.8kWh battery, resulting in a combined output of 240kW and 500Nm.
Gear changes are managed by an eight-speed automatic shifter, and the battery affords an all-electric driving range of 32km.
This is not the only powertrain the SUV has access to, however, as it is also getting the 3.3-litre, six-cylinder diesel block with 48V mild-hybrid technology.
Additionally, Roberts confirmed that the CX-80 will retain the 2.5-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol engine as the base CX-60, which produces 141kW and 261Nm.
As for its other defining characteristic, the CX-80’s cabin has three different layouts to suit customers’ needs.
The first option is a conventional three-seater bench for the second row, but this can be swapped out for two captain’s chairs with a central console that can be removed if need be to make it easier to walk through.
Alternatively, the second and third rows can both be folded down to provide up to 1,221 litres of storage, though even with all the seats up, the 258-litre boot is still big enough to fit a golf bag or a baby stroller, said the company.
In terms of size, the SUV is 4,995mm long, 1,890mm wide, and 1,710mm tall, making it 250mm longer and 22mm taller than its sibling.
As the headliner of the Mazda stable, the new model is sure to come with all of the same kit as the CX-60, such as its Mazda Driver Personalization System that uses a facial recognition camera to identify the driver’s dimensions and adjust the seat, steering wheel, mirrors, and screens to suit their profile.
Other expected items include a heads-up display, two 12-inch screens, onboard navigation, tri-zone climate control, a wireless charger, a 12-speaker Bose stereo with a Master Sound Revive Noise Reduction system, and safety equipment like a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, radar cruise control, and lane-keep assist.
The Mazda CX-60 currently retails for a minimum of R752,700 in South Africa, so expect the seven-seater to be priced north of this sum upon its arrival.
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