Mazda has made no secret of its desire to move upmarket with a range of premium vehicles based on a rear-wheel-drive platform and powered by plug-in hybrid and inline-6 powertrains.
Various patent drawings have shown up over the years and Mazda has also showcased some of the technology destined for the vehicles.
Well, the wait is almost over as Mazda on Tuesday provided a first look at an SUV that’s set for a reveal on March 8 and thought to be based on the newly developed rear-wheel-drive platform.
It’s called the CX-60, and it will be a small offering targeting the likes of the Volvo XC60 and Lexus NX. It isn’t expected to be sold in the U.S. Instead, we should get a similar but slightly larger SUV called the CX-70.
There will also be an even larger SUV with third-row seats, which will be called the CX-80. All three will be launched within the next two years, Mazda said. Together with the CX-9, the three new SUVs will form what Mazda refers to as its Large Product Group. Though yet to be confirmed, a large sedan possibly serving as a replacement for the Mazda 6 is also expected to form part of this group.
Mazda has confirmed the CX-60 will arrive with a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining the automaker’s 2.5-liter inline-4 with an electric motor for a combined 300 hp. An 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are also expected to form part of the package.
Mazda has previously failed going down the premium route with its Eunos brand of the 1990s. Will it work this time around? We’ll have to wait and see.
Mazda also has the compact CX-50 crossover due in showrooms later this year as a 2023 model. This model is aimed at buyers with active lifestyles and shares a platform with the front-wheel-drive CX-30 and MX-30 compact crossovers.
Keyword: Mazda teases 300-hp CX-60 plug-in hybrid SUV