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Mazda Australia could have simply launched cheaper, four-cylinder rear-wheel drive variations of its CX-60 mid-size SUV, however don’t count on it to observe swimsuit with the associated three-row CX-80 giant SUV.
The corporate’s managing director, Vinesh Bhindi, advised CarExpert the CX-80 – successfully a CX-60 with seven seats – is “not out there” with the naturally aspirated Skyactiv-G 2.5 petrol engine that’s simply been launched to the CX-60 vary domestically.
“I feel CX-80 turns into too huge for this drivetrain, so it’s not engineered [for the CX-80]. It’s not out there, and we’re not in search of it,” Mr Bhindi stated.
The CX-60 ‘G25’ vary is powered by Mazda’s ubiquitous 2.5-litre atmo 4, driving the rear wheels completely. In comparison with the ‘G40e’ 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol inline six with 48V mild-hybrid (MHEV) tech, the four-pot SUV is down 71kW of energy and 200Nm of torque, and affords related gasoline consumption (7.5 versus 7.4L/100km), however is $6000 cheaper.
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The CX-80 vary presently opens from $55,200 for the entry-level G40e Pure variant, which comes with the identical 209kW/450Nm 3.3L turbo-petrol straight-six out there within the smaller CX-60. Whereas there’s no cheaper 2.5-litre model of the CX-80 globally, the Japanese market affords a non-MHEV 3.3L turbo-diesel which might serve an identical function.
Identified in its dwelling market because the CX-80 ‘XD’ – versus ‘XD-Hybrid’ for the 48V M Hybrid model identified right here because the D50e – the non-electrified inline-six diesel is obtainable with rear-wheel drive and is as a lot as 900,000 Japanese yen (~$9100) cheaper than the equal CX-80 XD-Hybrid 4WD.
That value berth within the home market might simply see a $6000-ish cheaper model of the CX-80 in Australia sans Mazda’s M Hybrid tech, probably bringing the three-row SUV’s entry level under $50,000 earlier than on-road prices and far nearer to the ~$42,000 start line the Mazda CX-8 supplied earlier than it was discontinued.
Mr Bhindi stated Mazda Australia shouldn’t be “planning something for any variation in diesel”, no less than for the CX-60, so it’s unclear whether or not the Japanese model is investigating the non-MHEV diesel for the bigger CX-80 at this stage.
Whereas Mazda has expanded the CX-60 lineup to match – and now beat – the extent of selection on provide within the CX-80 vary, the wide-body CX-70 and CX-90 are unlikely to be made out there with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrains like their narrower counterparts.
In the identical interview, Mazda Australia’s managing director stated the model’s native analysis and improvement funds is being targeted on upcoming EV and hybrid merchandise slightly than increasing the supply of plug-in tech for the Massive Structure-based SUVs, citing cooling demand following the top Fringe Advantages Tax (FBT) breaks for PHEVs earlier this 12 months.
Australia is the one market on the earth by which Mazda affords all 4 of its Massive Structure SUVs. The CX-60 and CX-80 are aimed primarily at Japan and Europe, whereas the longer and wider CX-70 and CX-90 had been designed with the North American market in thoughts.
Native clients are steering to the European-leaning fashions primarily based on gross sales numbers, with the CX-60 and CX-80 every accounting for 4067 and 2963 registrations to date this 12 months to September respectively, whereas the the comparatively pricier CX-70 and CX-90 pale as compared with simply 278 and 547 models every.
In the meantime, the ageing however much more attainable CX-3, CX-30 and CX-5 have discovered 11,971, 9370 and 17,029 new properties respectively to date this 12 months, accounting for 54.6 per cent of Mazda’s complete quantity (70,242) in 2025.
MORE: Discover the Mazda CX-80 showroom
