Mazda’s CX-60 SUV, due to arrive in Australian showrooms at the beginning of next year, will be available with a hybrid-only powertrain line-up.

There will be three options from which to choose. Leading the range is Mazda’s first production plug-in hybrid model, using a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder Skyactiv-G engine mated to a 100kW electric motor and 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery. System power output totals 241kW with peak torque of 500Nm, making it the most powerful Mazda road car ever produced.

Two new straight-six engines featuring M Hybrid Boost technology – Mazda’s 48V mild-hybrid system – will also debut on Mazda CX-60. The first is a 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv D turbodiesel, producing 187kW and 550Nm. There’s also a turbocharged petrol unit available, again with a 3.3-litre capacity, delivering 209kW and 450Nm.

Each powertrain employs the rear-biased i-Activ All-Wheel Drive system and the new eight-speed Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission, which uses a multi-plate clutch with an integrated electric motor/generator.

Three Mazda CX-60 model grades will be offered in Australia – the Evolve, the GT and the flagship Azami.

All grades will be fitted with an array of equipment including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, a powered tailgate, exterior powered mirrors with auto-folding, heating and auto-dimming function and advanced keyless entry.

Alloy wheel sizes will range from 18- to 20-inches, and Rhodium white metallic, a newly developed paint finish, can also be specified regardless of model grade.

“The CX-60 represents a whole new chapter for Mazda and introduces a series of firsts for the brand: an all-new platform; full plug-in hybrid technology; rear-biased all-wheel drive and state-of-the-art longitudinal powerplants,” said Vinesh Bhindi, Mazda Australia Managing Director.

“All of this is wrapped in our beautifully restrained Kodo Design evolution, and as we draw closer to the local introduction of this authentically premium vehicle, the 14,500+ expressions of interest we have already received are a clear indication of the level of anticipation that already surrounds Mazda CX-60.”

Full specifications and pricing for the Mazda CX-60 range will be confirmed later this year.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (November 2022)

18 November 2022