Mazda unveils posh new CX-60 crossover

Next-gen machine promises to be better to drive, more luxurious than previous offerings, but it won’t be particularly cheap.

Mazda’s new CX-60 represents a new approach from the brand.

Mazda has revealed its new CX-60, a fresh SUV intended to bridge the gap between mass-market machines such as the Toyota RAV4 and luxury vehicles like BMW’s X3.

It promises to be Mazda’s most advanced car yet, but is unlikely to be cheap.

Built on a new platform set to be shared with the next Mazda6, it adopts a front-engine, rear-drive platform similar to premium BMW or Mercedes models.

Mazda prioritised driving pleasure in developing the new CX-60.

The CX-60 will also introduce a new naturally aspirated 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine that swims against the tide introducing smaller motors and turbocharging to new models.

That’s an odd development in 2022, but Mazda insists it’s the right call, with the potential to use less fuel than a boosted four-cylinder motor such as the 2.5-litre unit currently offered by the brand.

The car has a large, squared-off spin on Mazda’s grille, and smaller headlights than other models.

It will be joined by a 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel that, like the petrol motor, is connected to a 48 volt mild hybrid system.

Mazda has not shared power output and fuel consumption details for the six-cylinder motors.

The five-seat crossover also introduces plug-in hybrid tech to Mazda customers for the first time, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100kW electric motor and 17.8kWh battery to deliver 241kW of combined output.

The hybrid version lets you burn fuel on the highway and run emissions-free in town.

That’s more than we’ve seen from any other Mazda road car - including the twin-turbo RX-7 - and it’s enough to deliver a 5.8 second dash to 100km/h.

The combination s also capable of propelling the car for up to 60 kilometres on battery power alone.

All three motors are linked to a new eight-speed automatic transmission that ditches a conventional torque converter in favour of a multi-plate clutch, an approach favoured by high-end Mercedes-Benz models.

All-wheel-drive traction is also available.

The CX-30 brings a BMW-like long bonnet, short front overhang and cab-rearward silhouette.

Fresh tech for the CX-60 includes “see-through view”, Mazda’s spin on Jaguar Land Rover’s “clear sight ground view” feature that allows drivers to see a digital display of what’s under the car for improved vehicle placement at low speed.

A safe exit system checking for traffic has been pinched from Hyundai and Audi, joining adaptive cruise control that can automatically adjust to speed limit changes.

Like BMW’s X7, it is available with an illuminated grille to accentuate highlight its front-end styling.

The CX-60’s cabin takes Mazda to new heights.

A digital dash and 12.3-inch infotainment display mirror modern luxury cars.

A new driver personalisation system recognises the driver and automatically adopts their preferred positions for the seats, steering wheel, mirrors, head-up display and more. It can also provide an “automatic driving position guide” which adjusts the seat based on the driver’s size, placing short drivers close to the wheel, or lowering the seat to give taller drivers more headroom - a feature we have not seen in a new car to date.

High-grade versions will have a 12-speaker Bose stereo linked to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Mazda says materials in the new CX-60 rival luxury cars.

Maple wood, nappa leather and Japanese textiles lean into Mazda’s eastern heritage, taking a chapter from Lexus’ playbook. Ambient lighting joins a high and wide centre console intended to remind you of the powerful motors found in luxury cars.

Closer in size to the seven-seat Mazda CX-8 than the popular CX-5, the new machine rides on 20-inch wheels and weighs in at two tonnes.

Full local specifications will be revealed closer to its local debut in the second half of 2022.