The MX-5 sports car is no longer the only rear-wheel-drive Mazda sold in Europe as the CX-60 has landed on the Old Continent. Should you need more space, the automaker's UK branch has announced the three-row CX-80 will be launched at some point in 2023 as a bigger variant with seven seats. Technical specifications have yet to be revealed, but the two SUVs will likely be identical, save for the size difference.
Not only does the CX-60 ride on an RWD-based platform, but it's also the first Mazda to use a new family of inline-six petrol and diesel engines complemented by a plug-in hybrid setup. The CX-80 will probably inherit the powertrains and the choice between rear- and all-wheel drive linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Much like the MX-5 we mentioned in the beginning, the midsize SUV has something called Kinematic Posture Control, which diminishes body roll by applying the brake to the inner rear wheel while cornering.
Mazda CX-60 (2022) in Machine Grey
How big is the CX-80 going to be? Mazda doesn't say yet, but we'll remind you the standard two-row CX-60 is 4,740 millimetres (186.6 inches) long and has a wheelbase measuring 2,870 mm (113 in). In its heaviest configuration, which would be the PHEV, the CX-60 weighs nearly 2,100 kilograms (4,630 pounds). Needless to say, the CX-80 will be slightly heavier as a result of extending the body to fit the third row of seats.
The CX-60 and CX-80 are not heading to North America, but Mazda is planning equivalent models as the CX-70 and CX-90, respectively. The former has been confirmed to receive a 3.3-litre inline-six petrol engine with a different tune than the 280 bhp and 331 pound-feet (450 Newton-metres) of torque available in the Australian-spec CX-60.
Look for the US-bound CX-70 to debut soon, possibly as a 2024MY. The CX-90 will follow at a later date.
What Exactly Is The CX-60?
Source: Mazda