Mazda’s CX-60 is a car that is incredibly economical for its size.
The spacious, classy SUV is Mazda’s biggest car. Yet despite being 4.75 metres long and almost 1.9 metres tall it can still return upwards of 50mpg in real world driving.
Prices start at around £45,000 and max out just past the £53,000 for top spec versions. There is the option of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and all models come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
There are three trim levels: entry level Exclusive-Line; mid-range Homura and range-topping Takumi.
Mazda offers the CX-60 as a plug-in hybrid with a battery and electric motor paired with a 2.5 litre petrol engine. Or you can have the 3.3 litre diesel model I recently spent a week with.
I’ve driven both versions and each one is fascinating in its own way. The PHEV version can do up to 40 miles on battery power, meaning you can do most daily journeys without taking a sip of petrol. The switch between electric and petrol power isn’t as smooth as in some rivals, however.
Efficiency
In my opinion the diesel car offers the better driving experience. You might think that in this day and age having a huge 3.3 litre diesel engine is crazy.
But Mazda’s clever engineers have managed to wring incredible levels of efficiency out of such a big engine. It develops 254hp (there’s also a 200hp version that costs a little less) and will do the 0-62mph dash in 7.4 seconds.
Despite my model being four-wheel drive, which reduces fuel economy, it still averages an extraordinary 54.3mpg. That’s pretty much achievable in rear-world driving too. My time with the Mazda CX-60 saw me do a good bit of dual carriageway driving on the A90 as well as trips to Highland Perthshire, Fife and Angus.
One week and several hundred miles later I averaged 49.5mpg from the Mazda CX-60. That’s the sort of fuel economy you associate with a supermini, not a huge SUV.
Of course being able to cover long distances with barely a sip of fuel isn’t worth much if the journey is no fun.
Fortunately the big Mazda is a superb cruiser. A soft-ish suspension setup coupled with low wind and road noise makes it a very comfortable car to spend a lot of time in.
Mazda’s interiors have always been a step up in quality from those found in Ford, Kia, Hyundai and Peugeot. Even by Mazda’s high standards the inside of the CX-60 is pretty special. Leather seats, wood inlays and touches of chrome all add up to a quality feel.
Comfort and practicality
There’s a large infotainment screen, buttons for the heating controls, and an excellent rotary control system similar to the one BMW uses. This operates most of the infotainment functions and is much easier to use than a touchscreen when you’re driving.
Rear passengers enjoy plenty of leg and headroom and dogs will be very happy in the boot, where they have 570 litres to lounge around in. If you need to carry bulky items the rear seats drop at the touch of a button to create a 1,726 litre load bay.
Caravan owners will also be pleased with the diesel CX-60’s 2,500kg towing limit.
All versions of the CX-60 are very well equipped. Leather seats, heated seats and a heated steering wheel are standard across the range, as is a 12in infotainment screen, cruise control, climate control, reversing camera and keyless entry.
My mid-level version added ambient cabin lighting and a clever facial recognition system that automatically adjusts the seat, door mirrors and steering wheel to suit each driver.
The Mazda CX-60 comes so close to being perhaps the best large mainstream SUV. It’s roomy, good looking, well equipped, comfortable and good value for money. Only its handling lets it down.
Mazda’s other SUVs, the CX-5 and CX-30 are both agile cars with best-in-class handling. The CX-60 is wallowy and stodgy during corners.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a very good car indeed. If Mazda improves the handling when the car gets its mid-life refresh it will become a great car.
Facts
Price: £50,705
0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
Top speed: 136mph
Economy: 54.3mpg
CO2 emissions: 138g/km
