The Mazda CX-80 has been confirmed for Australia, with the brand’s still-mysterious SUV set to effectively replace the CX-9 in our market.
Joining the CX-60 and CX-90, the CX-80 will continue the brand’s premium push – or what it calls “Mazda Premium” – and is expected to be offered with a choice or petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid powertrains.
“The First-Ever Mazda CX-80 will play a key part in growing our premium product portfolio by distilling the exemplary qualities of the CX-60 and CX-90, while offering our customers an even broader choice of options, as we continue to expand, enrich and diversify the Mazda range,” says Vinesh Bhindi, Mazda Australia Managing Director.
Just what the CX-80 is, however, remains something of a mystery. But we do expect it to be a three-row SUV, and, given it shares its ‘large product’ platform with the CX-90, we’d be shocked if it didn’t also share that model’s engine choices, though possibly detuned to give some clear air between it and the bigger flagship SUV.
Like its smaller CX-60 sibling, the CX-90 will appear with two potent inline six-cylinder engines, one petrol and one diesel, both supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
The petrol option makes the CX-90 the brand’s most powerful vehicle. The 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo petrol churns out a sizeable 254kW and 500Nm, making it the “most powerful mass production petrol car ever developed by Mazda”.
Option two is a 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesel producing a CX-60-equalling 187kW and 550Nm. Both powertrains pair with an eight-speed automatic. There is a third powertrain option available overseas, a potent plug-in hybrid setup that pairs a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and 17.8kWh battery, producing a total 240kW and 500Nm.
But how, or if, those powertrains will appear in the CX-80 remains to be seen, with the other unanswered question being timing.
Mazda internationally is on the record as confirming the CX-80 will launch in Europe by the end of 2023, but that doesn’t guarantee an Australian launch this year.
The brand has confirmed the CX-9 will be removed from sale here by the end of the year, and you’d have to assume it wouldn’t want its replacement to be too far away. Which means a launch in early 2024 is definitely on the cards.
Pricing is yet to confirmed, but we do have a guide. The CX-60 kicks off at $59,900, which means the CX-80 – which is designed to sit above that model – should start somewhere north of that.
Expect full details of the CX-80 to drop later this year.
Keyword: Confirmed! Mazda CX-80 locked in for Australia - but when will we see this premium Toyota Kluger rival?