Mazda CX-60 Touring review finds improvements but some flaws
Going back to the drawing board Mazda has delivered a much-improved product with its updated CX-60. But it’s still far from perfect.
Somewhere along the line, Mazda swapped its hoodie for a beige cardigan. Since pivoting to “mainstream premium” back in 2017, the brand has drifted away from the cheap-and-cheerful Mazda3 glory days and started courting a demographic that appreciates a good lawn edger. It feels distinctly … mature.
The CX-60 is a fledgling star in this sensible era. It’s aiming squarely at the country club crowd, even trying to steal buyers from the Lexus NX, BMW X3 and Audi Q5.
But while the CX-60 chases prestige, the elderly statesman of the showroom is still doing the real work. The trusty CX-5 remains the brand’s breadwinner, selling more than 20,000 units this year. Mazda still holds third place on the national sales ladder, but it’s the old favourite paying the bills.
The debut CX-60s landed with a thud rather than a splash. It was pricey. Reviews were mixed, so Mazda didn’t sulk, they sent the engineers back into the workshop with a spanner and a bruised ego to overhaul the suspension and transmission.
To get people into the new metal updated in May, Mazda is dangling a carrot. You can now grab a six-cylinder G40e Pure for a sharp $53,990 drive-away. We, however, tested the G40e Touring. At $63,171 drive-away, the Touring is knocking on the door of prestige territory. The top-spec Azami plug-in hybrid usually lists for $81,490, but a 2025 plate clearance has slashed that to $79,990 drive-away.
The question is: are you ready to pay German prices for a Japanese car that feels like it wants you to go to bed at 8pm?
What do you get?
You can choose your poison, a sub-$50k four-pot, a mild-hybrid six (petrol or diesel), or a plug-in hybrid.
Our G40e Touring powered by a turbocharged in-line six-cylinder plays the role of the middle child in the range, ticking the feature boxes with leather seat trim, dual-zone climate, wireless charging, satnav, eight-speaker stereo with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a power tailgate.
But while the kit list is healthy, the central screen looks starved compared to rivals. The 10.25-inch display is wide but so short it looks like it’s peering at you through a letterbox.
Externally, you can blend in for free with silver, blue, black, or quartz. Standing out in metallic white, grey, red, or sand triggers a $995 surcharge.
Maintenance also carries a premium tax, averaging $708 annually. Beware the fourth year: the bill spikes to more than $1300, largely thanks to a spark plug change that costs as much as a weekend in Bali.
You get the industry-standard hug, a five-year warranty and five years of roadside assistance. The latter is better than many with coverage often restricted.
How was the drive?
Mazda admits the first CX-60 was rushed during the pandemic. The 2025 update is their sorry note, featuring a deleted rear anti-roll bar and overhauled suspension along with better steering.
It’s a good apology. The fit and finish is proper prestige inside, and the drive is transformed – polished, powerful, and balanced enough to feel like a spiritual successor to the Aussie Falcons or Commodores of old.
Stop-start performance has also improved.
Just be warned, the 3.3-litre turbo in-line six likes a drink, sipping nearly 9L/100km on our watch.
They fixed the suspension, but ignored the screen. It remains a strictly “look, don’t touch” affair, controlled solely by a dial which is Mazda’s attempt to try and avoid distraction. In an age of smartphones, navigating via a scroll wheel feels frustratingly ancient and slow.
Technically, the CX-60 competes with its own brother, the family-favourite CX-5. But the newcomer has been hitting the gym, measuring 165mm longer and 45mm wider, though it sits 37mm lower to the tarmac.
It’s also the better workhorse, boasting a 2.5-tonne towing capacity – 700kg more than its four-cylinder sibling.
Would you buy one?
Kel: Dramatically improved, our drive in the diesel earlier this year was a definite “no”. Mazda has done a great job with the driving upgrades, although I just couldn’t live with the infotainment daily. Using that dial sent me back a decade with the early BMW iDrive system which I battled then, and things haven’t improved.
Grant: The consensus from friends was Mazda is now a mature person’s brand, and the CX-60 is the exhibit A. It’s refined – almost Lexus-like in many ways – but about as exciting as a board meeting. The turbo six is thirsty, too. Given the choice, I’d probably still side with a hybrid Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, or the new Toyota RAV4. Price-savvy shoppers will find the four-cylinder CX-60 version more palatable.
