The Mazda CX-60 is currently the flagship of the renowned Japanese manufacturer. It is an SUV with a luxurious approach, with a very careful design and an interior that directly suggests Premium type cars.
Bigger than a CX-5, the new CX-60 aims to be a reference in refinement and technology, a real challenge to German manufacturers.
It is developed on a new platform that the Japanese firm uses for its largest cars. It has a robust appearance, with a design in which an elongated hood and sides without creases stand out.
It is a certainly recognizable design, in line with what Mazda is offering us lately. Very Japanese, we could say, with a front part with a very wide grille and slanted headlights with LED technology as standard.
It makes for an attractive, well-proportioned SUV, and at first glance it already feels bigger and bulkier than a CX-5. In addition to a length of 4.7 meters, generous, it measures 1.89 meters wide and 1.68 meters high. And this new platform allows for a spacious and downright comfortable cabin. The 570-liter trunk, without being the largest, is more than enough for a family of four when traveling.
The formula used by Mazda to motorize this SUV is somewhat peculiar. When it hit the market a few months ago, it did so with a plug-in hybrid drive. But it also has diesel and gasoline engines with a slight hybridization.
The test model uses a mild hybrid straight-six diesel engine with a 48-volt electrical system. A very unusual combination.
The Mazda CX-60 3.3 E-Skyactiv-D MHEV is an SUV with a family approach. It is big and quite heavy and it shows on the road. However, Mazda uses a rigid suspension configuration that provides a very pleasant touch and prevents, above all, annoying swaying.
The steering also has a sporty touch, precise and somewhat direct, which makes it easier to navigate curved sections. But we must insist that it is not a sports SUV, nor does Mazda intend to.
Very pleasant to drive due to the remarkable thrust available at all times, our CX-60 incorporates Mazda i-Activ AWD all-wheel drive and the eight-speed automatic transmission. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 219 km/h.
Mazda’s Mi-Drive driving mode system is easily operated via a switch located next to the gear lever. The driver can choose between Sport, Normal or Off-Road modes. The color of the instrument panel changes depending on the selected mode.
Another advantage of mild hybridization combined with a refined diesel engine is that it improves the car’s environmental performance. In other words, the CX-60 e-Skyactiv D uses the energy that is produced during braking or deceleration to help the combustion engine at less efficient times.
Thus, in certain circumstances, the diesel engine can come to a stop and facilitate what is called “sailing”. In other words, a way to save fuel and contribute to highly ecological driving.
Another great advantage when traveling, especially over long distances, is the great autonomy that this car offers. With a 58 liter tank, you can travel 1,000 km.
One of the interesting things that Mazda gets with this SUV is the evidence that diesel is still a perfectly valid technology for cars of a certain weight and size. Perhaps they should take note in the European Parliament.
In addition, this six-cylinder format diesel engine offers, among other virtues, a perfect balance by reducing vibrations, while emitting a clean and pleasant sound. If you have ever driven a car with a six-cylinder engine, you will understand this appreciation better. The “diesel” sound may be noticeable when cold or when stationary, but nothing annoying since it is very well soundproofed.
In addition, this 254 PS Mazda e-Skyactiv-D engine has ultra-low emissions, thanks to DCPCI (Partial Premix Distribution Controlled Compression Ignition) clean combustion technology.
This means, when it comes to driving and in terms of practicality, that DCPCI technology allows for quicker engine response and superior thermal efficiency.
Thus, this advanced six-cylinder diesel engine incorporates other innovations to make it truly efficient. For example, the engine can work for a long time with a lean mixture so that combustion is as efficient as possible and thus drastically reduce consumption.
Mazda completes this diesel technology with the 48V M Hybrid Boost light hybrid system that incorporates a small electric motor that helps reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Furthermore, this technology allows the CX-60 e-Skyactiv D in our market to benefit from the advantages of the DGT’s ECO label. The result is really low consumption: 5.3 liters per 100 km (WLTP approval).
The luxurious and complete Homura Comfort finish offers everything expected from a Premium SUV in this segment. The black leather seats, the ambient interior lighting or the facial recognition of the driver’s position are just details to offer a seductive driving experience.
In driving assistance systems it has everything: intelligent speed assistant, traffic and cruise assistant, distance and speed alert, fatigue detector with camera, 360º vision monitor and a long etcetera that is overwhelming.
These aids allow semi-autonomous driving, always with hands on the wheel, with truly remarkable precision and efficiency.
And in connectivity and infotainment it does not disappoint either. Quite the opposite. Includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, Head-up Display, 12.3-inch center dash display, voice recognition, connected car services (MyMazda App) and a Bose 12-channel audio system speakers.
