The medium SUV marketplace is easy to divide into luxury and labourer. On one side of the $60K marker sit your mainstream volume brands like Hyundai, MG, Toyota and the other are premium marques, like Audi, Lexus and others.
But three-row large SUVs? They’re muddier territory, and the 2025 Mazda CX-80 doesn’t help proceedings. It’s essentially a stretched CX-60, using the same 'Large Product' underpinnings and engines as that vehicle with 250mm more length between its wheels.
The CX-80, therefore, not only has Hyundai Santa Fes and Kia Sorentos to face up against, but also BMW X5s and Volvo XC90s. That’s a tough crowd.
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Plus, at home in Australia (where the CX-80 launches in November) we already have the related wide-body CX-90 as Mazda's 'true flagship’ giving the CX-80 an even trickier task: keep up premium appearances without pricing CX-8 and CX-9 owners out of the running.
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 7/10
Probably the most crucial piece of the CX-80 puzzle and, although Mazda hasn’t confirmed the line-up or pricing yet, we’re expecting the three-row SUV to start from under $60,000. That would undercut the CX-60 ($60,550 MSRP) so expect some line-up tweaking to make it all fit.
Considering the extra size and same peachy powertrains as the smaller CX-60, the CX-80 might end up a pretty sharp deal. One thing we know is there’s no ultra-flash Takumi pack for the Australia market with the white leather dashboard doilies.
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The six-seat Homura Plus diesel model we spent the bulk of our time in is likely to be representative of the top Azami SP trim with 20-inch alloy wheels, one of nine metallic paint colours ('Melting Copper' is pictured) and LED lighting details with slick sequential indicators.
Inside, there’s leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, a pretty powerful Bose sound system, power seat adjust, integrated sunblinds, tri-zone climate control and classy contrast stitching.
If Mazda can get a leather upholstered variant with heated seats and larger screens into the low $70K region, there’s every chance it will sell up a storm against the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy hybrid ($75,000), Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV ($81,080) and Toyota Kluger Grande hybrid ($82,860 all before on-road costs).
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Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
The CX-9 was a high point in Mazda design, its cab-rear proportions, lunging bonnet, broad shoulders and aggressive front end brought a dash of Range Rover chic to a segment that was more about moving people than emotions.
Mazda has continued in a similar vein with its latest Large Product models yet the language hasn’t evolved, the resulting CX-80 doesn’t have the genre-breaking effect the CX-9 did. It is still handsome in its details and front end, though the stretched body looks a little awkward and tall compared to the CX-60 and wider CX-90.
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It’s especially strange down the flanks where the rear doors take on all the extra length, flattening the roofline in one section. The punchy blacked-out grille, signature Mazda lighting and attractive alloy wheels keep things chic, on the whole.
Inside the CX-80’s cabin there are clear influences from Audi and Mazdas from before. Tidily organised buttons and an aesthetic focused more on classy surfaces than technology help amplify the pleasant cabin materials and thoughtful copper flourishes in the Homura Plus.
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Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 8/10
Just like the CX-90 and CX-60, the 80 suffers from a wide and tall transmission tunnel that eats into storage space. The cupholders are stingy and the wireless charging pad, under the centre stack, is difficult to access.
A plush centre armrest butterflies open to reveal two USB-C charging ports and a shallow storage area. The door bins are scalloped to grip a 600mL or 1.0L camping bottle nicely, with extra storage for wallets, receipts, muesli bars, microfibre towels... whatever you like.
The CX-80’s multimedia screen is touch compatible when using wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto though is otherwise controlled with a rotary dial. As a twiddly-thing apologist, I should love this, but the world has moved on since this multimedia system was released. A touchscreen for quick keyboard entry and simple shortcuts would be appreciated.
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Plus, Mazda’s software skin is beginning to look dated, and with Hyundai and Kia offering more connected and fully-featured systems, the CX-80’s feels a bit old hat. The flipside, of course, is the ease of interaction for key actions.
Familiar controls for the audio and safety systems are found on the steering wheel, and below the touchscreen is an array of switches for the heating and ventilation, heated and ventilated seats and other shortcuts. A head-up display tells speed, speed limit and navigation directions but is difficult to see through polarised sunglasses.
In the second row, the CX-80 is available with a separate climate zone and integrated sunblinds while all trims get a pair of USB-C charge points accessible to rear passengers. The six-seat set-up seems to be the layout du jour. All Aussie cars will get the second row centre console rather than the European walkthrough with its tinny drinks tray.
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Space is ample with loads of headroom under the panoramic sunroof, heaps of leg and toe room and a stadium arrangement to aid visibility. With the captain’s chair set-up the two seats slide 120mm fore and aft and after adjustable recline, between 15-33 degrees. They’re comfortable with good back support though lack any side bolsters for cornering.
ISOFIX ports and top tether anchors will feature in the second row, but there were no top tether anchors in the European-spec cars. A three-wide bench seat will be offered in Australia, too.
The third row is not quite as generous as a CX-90 but is perfectly serviceable for adults up to 170cm tall. It’s also easy to get into thanks to those whopping great doors and one-touch flip forward function. Third row riders get USB-C charge points, cupholders and air vents.
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A power tailgate opens pretty briskly to reveal a 258L storage space behind the third row of seats, enough for the bags from the school run. There’s also a 12-volt socket and household power point but no spare tyre. Folding the third row flat increases space to 678L and then to 1971L with the second row stowed.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 8/10
Australians will get the full gamut of CX-80 powertrains — the widest offering in the world — with 3.3-litre turbo-petrol and diesel straight sixes or a plug-in hybrid.
We started in the PHEV which comprises a 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder and electric motor that drives the input shaft of the eight-speed automatic. It develops 241kW and 550Nm. The system tends to respond in a non-linear way to throttle application and doesn’t give you full punch until you bury the pedal.
It’s quick enough — sprinting from rest to 100km/h in a brisk 6.8 seconds — and you can drive around some of its strange tendencies.
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Around town it is quiet and, by selecting 'EV' (one of five drive modes including 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Off-road' and 'Tow'), you can lock the PHEV into electric-only mode. Around 40 per cent of Australia CX-60 buyers have opted for the hybrid so far, says Mazda.
The long-legged diesel remains a fantastic choice. Effortlessly sailing down German autobahns, the 187kW/550Nm lump is refined enough not to shake the drivers and passengers around. It is a bit slower to 100km/h (8.4 seconds) but has predictable, linear responses.
The 48-volt mild-hybrid system works well to seamlessly shut the engine on and off at traffic lights and gives the engine a little bit of boost with a 13kW motor. We’ll sample the 209kW/450Nm petrol version soon.
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Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 8/10
The WLTP combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption cycle for the plug-in hybrid is an impressive 1.6L/100km, while the diesel is between 5.7-5.8L/100km.
On our 300km loop, both engines returned about the same result – the diesel hitting 6.8L/100km and the PHEV 7.0L/100km. On a shorter, 60km run, the PHEV achieved 1.4L/100km.
In reality, its 17.8kWh battery pack will be enough for around 50-55km EV driving in the real world. A 20-80 per cent charge on a 7.0kW DC charger should take around 90 minutes and it is not capable of Type 2 CCS fast charging.
Both powertrains have generous fuel tanks, the PHEV getting 70L capacity and the diesel 74L giving each one the ability to travel more than 1000km between fill-ups.
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Driving – What's it like to drive? 7/10
The CX-80 proved itself a refined and elegant performer on Germany’s smooth roads. Work's been done to address the CX-60’s firm ride but it may have gone a little too far in the other direction.
Mazda has tweaked the power steering, stability control intervention, front suspension geometry and added stiffer dampers. At the back, Mazda’s ditched the anti-roll bar, developed new subframe bushings and finished the changes off with longer travel, softer rate springs matched with firmer shocks.
We’ll hold final judgement until the CX-80s on Australia’s testing tarmac but initial signs are promising. The bump absorption is better, especially at low speeds, and the CX-80’s prefers to cruise rather than carve through the twisties — a slow 3.5 turn lock-to-lock steering rack doesn’t help.
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The CX-80 has the suspension set-up you’d expect of a great car: double wishbone front end and multi-link rear. Yet despite being plusher, the CX-80 still has noticeable secondary body movement over undulations which jiggles the heads of passenger and driver about, while sharp-edged bumps occasionally clatter into the cabin via the 235/50R20 Goodyear Efficientgrip tyres and 20-inch alloys.
The PHEV’s extra weight seems to settle the body, though the lighter diesel and petrol models are preferable to drive. We’ve said it before, but Mazda’s Large Product range would benefit from adaptive dampers if they are to truly challenge Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.
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The unique eight-speed automatic transmission with a clutch pack instead of a fluid torque converter has been honed, and we noticed none of the clunking experienced in CX-60s. It’s a slick shifter with delightfully accurate changes that is obedient to commands from the paddles — I’m coming around to this solution.
Forward visibility is adequate though there is a noticeable blind spot in the rear three-quarter view. Being 100mm narrower than the CX-90 means the CX-80 feels wieldy in tight urban streets, at least.
Mazda’s also improved interior insulation and you can tell. The CX-80’s cabin is quiet, keeping road noise and wind noise well suppressed even approaching the diesel’s limited 219km/h top speed on a derestricted section of the Autobahn.
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
The Mazda CX-80 is yet to be evaluated by an independent safety body such as ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
The CX-60 scored a maximum five stars in 2022, but with the addition of driver-attention monitoring, more advanced adaptive cruise control system and rear occupant detection, Mazda is looking to make sure the CX-80 succeeds in line with the latest protocols.
There are safety features such as eight airbags, auto emergency braking (front and rear), front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree birds-eye camera view.
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Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 7/10
The Mazda CX-80 is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty which remains the default, though brands like Kia and MG are moving the game on with longer seven or 10 year guarantees.
Mazda is yet to lock in service pricing, however we can look to CX-60 pricing for an indication of what to expect. Depending on powertrain, you’ll likely be paying an average of $520-$650 per year over the first five years.
Verdict
With finessed suspension, tweaked powertrain calibration and more interior space the CX-80 is already off to a stronger start than the CX-60 but its success hinges on price.
None of Mazda’s latest products are quite there yet to challenge the established premium marque players in this segment but a commitment to interesting engineering and multi-cylinder engines is worth celebrating. It’s more exciting than another 2.0-litre turbo, that’s for sure.
Leaving the CX-90 at the top of the tree, if Mazda can position the volume-oriented CX-80 in a sweet spot — say, a mid-trim in the low $70K bracket – this three-row SUV could prove a smash hit against rivals. All will be revealed at the CX-80’s local release in November.
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