Mazda Europe has ambitious goals for 2023. They closed last year with sales of 141,000 units and the idea is that this year they will reach 170,000. They have weapons for it. One of the most important, this Mazda CX-60 diesel which adds to the range. But the 2023 CX-5 also arrives (which gains microhybridization in its gasoline engine), the Mazda MX-30 REV and, at the end of the year, the new CX-80.
At the same time, the brand wants to improve its presence and be perceived as more premium. Perhaps in principle the idea of gaining volume and at the same time being more exclusive. There the CX-60 is vital. And it has reached the Spanish market very well, since so far this year they have had almost 1,300 orders. And they wanted to sell 1,700… in the whole year.
Very recently the CX-60 passed through the channel. But today we have a unit very different from that one. Although they share color (the Soul Red characteristic of the brand), also with a Homura finish (the sportiest one that most buyers choose). Of course, instead of having a plug-in hybrid propulsion system, we have diesel mechanics.
Yes, in the middle of 2023 Mazda dares to launch a new diesel engine, with six cylinders in line. is available now from 48,700 euros and we will see in this first contact how it goes. It is a price without discounts. You can find offers for the Mazda CX-60 in our new car section, published by official dealers of the brand, which include brand promotions and that are even lower if you choose to finance the car.
Exterior, interior and trunk
Having recently published an extensive test with the Mazda CX-60 PHEV, let us skip the explanation of what the car looks like on this occasion. Still the same big SUV from 4,745mm lengthwith the wing-shaped grille and LED headlights that are integrated from the side.
We only found differences in the badges. On the front wing, an emblem with the Inline 6 and on the rear, the e-Skyactiv-D. In that rear area we also find real exhaust outlets. And that’s where the differences are.
The cabin does not change at all. It is very elegant, with very good qualities in the materials used, which combine different materials and textures. The volume of the trunk is 570 liters, a good figure in the plug-in version but more normal in rivals with a combustion engine.
Engine
If it does not change at all on the outside, inside or in the capacity of the trunk, it will be necessary to focus on the great novelty of the Mazda CX-60 diesel, which is none other than its mechanics. It is a 3.3-liter engine, watch out for the displacement, Mazda never opted for the downsizingwith six cylinders in line and placed behind the front axle, which will avoid pitching in gear (and a better distribution of masses) and defines the design of the car with that very long nose.
Delivery 200 hp of power between 3,600 and 4,200 rpm and has an interesting maximum torque of 450 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 3.00 rpm. They are sent, via an eight-speed gearbox without a torque converter, developed by Mazda, to the rear axle. That will allow us, in theory, to enjoy driving more.
There are two key technologies to achieve low consumption and emissions. On the one hand, the light hybrid system 48V M Hybrid Boost, capable of stopping the engine up to 37% of the time and thanks to which it achieves the ECO label in Spain. on the other the DCCI, the ignition by compression controlled by the distribution with partial premix. Let’s see in practice if as well as see if those 5 l/100 km that it promises can be achieved or not.
Behavior
After a long time driving the Mazda CX-60, I must admit that I liked it… even more than the plug-in hybrid variant. And you’re going to allow me to explain why. First, because he weighs 200 kg less than her. And that without losing two qualities that stood out from the PHEV, such as its poise and driving comfort on the highway.
And it is that it is an ideal car to drive on high-capacity roads and fast curves but, despite this weight loss, without being as agile on twisty roads as the CX-30 or CX-5 can be… although It is true that the brand has evolved, especially in the case of the latter, with small improvements year after year so that it gains in dynamism and refinement.
Refinement is above all what the six-cylinder engine offers. The greater the number of cylinders, smoothness is gained, but this engine conquers even the sound when turning it up. It is the same four-cylinder block, with two other additions, but for the first time it has been mounted in a car, the result is exceptional.
It doesn’t deliver power very sharply, so don’t expect it to hit your seat when accelerating. In this sense, Mazda does not use a typical turbo, but a compressor, thinking about consumption and the result is a very linear power delivery. And it moves the car perfectly without any problem.
The one in charge of sending the power is an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It may not be as fast as a ZF can be but it does the job quite well. It is Mazda’s own development, which has its merit. The change can also be used with the paddles to achieve a more dynamic behavior. Knowing that you have a prop car helps to better place the weights on a lively drive.
There is also a variant of 254 hp, which also come from the same block. There is little difference in consumption, but that engine is always associated with all-wheel drive. I think that if what you are looking for is to have fun sometime, better the variant of 200 and propulsion, which shows. What is not so noticeable is the difference in power. And it is that we were able to drive a powerful version for a while and that greater capacity is not perceived, at least not as much as the 54 CV that the technical sheet says. Choose this version if you live in a place with bad weather conditions or if you move on simple dirt tracks often. There he can help you.
Finally, we are going to talk about consumption. Because the homologation figure is very low, just 5 l/100 km. We have moved through different environments and we have achieved very low figures. Even driving the car very fast, they hardly go up a few tenths, until 5.2l/100km, with deep accelerations. As soon as you go at more normal rates and on conventional roads, you see lower figures than those approved.
I would like you to take these figures with a grain of salt, as this is not the environment where we carry out the tests. We will wait for a long-term test to confirm them, but in this first contact we are seeing up to one liter less per 100 km than other models in the segment that have passed through the channel.
Opinion cars.com
We really liked the Mazda CX-60 diesel and we believe that it can bring much joy to the Hiroshima brand. Because? It is a good car dynamically, with very good poise on the highway and, without being as agile as the CX-30 or CX-5 can be, which feel lighter driving them -the CX-60 is from a higher segment-, it goes very well and you can enjoy behind the wheel.
When to choose it before the variant that the CX-60 PHEV? Obviously, when you don’t need the Zero label or don’t move too much in urban environments. If your thing is to move a lot on the highway, this car is one of the best alternatives in the segment. It may not be when it comes to taking slow curves on secondary roads, with some very prominent German rival in that regard.
For the rest, it is just as good in interior qualities and stands out in ergonomics behind the wheel, something in which Mazda always stands out. We hope to do a thorough test with it and see if the low consumption, in the environment of 5 l/100 km or less that we are achieving today, can be achieved on long trips with a loaded car.
If so, with its starting price, it is a really tough rival for the German benchmarks. In a highly disputed segment, because, although in Spain the premium SUV D segment barely accounted for 3.7% of sales in 2022, that percentage rose to 6.5% in the business channel. And beware, that there 64.2% of buyers prefer diesel.
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