We recently spent an extended period living with the Mazda CX-60 3.3L Turbodiesel to bring you this road-driving review.

Mazda, like most others, has changed its mix of models on offer to slant heavily towards SUVs/crossovers. These high-riding vehicles comprise more than one third of its local portfolio. That percentage is even higher on the world stage. At the very top of the SA line up is the CX-60. And leading that range is the Mazda CX-60 3.3L Turbodiesel, available in, what’s called ‘Takumi’ spec.

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The CX-60 is a rather new prospect to the Mazda range. It was added to the local listings about a year ago. As top of the Mazda tree the model goes head-to-head with some really polished, premium players in the market, so how does it stack up?

Family Feel

Mazda’s Kodo design language is well accepted. The smooth lines and natural look has translated well across the range from the Mazda2 and 3 hatchbacks to the CX-30 and CX-5 (click here to read a driving review). The same familial appearance has been applied here. The major departure being the bluff nose with oversized girlle. For the most part it works well. A few folks we spoke with didn’t quite click it was a Mazda when they first saw it.

The CX-60 has a cab-backwards look about it. This was intentional as it is a nod to the fact that the car has a rear-wheel-drive bias. It’s an interesting visual feature hinting at the mechanicals underneath. Most people commented favourably on the Soul Red paint finish. The latter being a Mazda signature colour. The Takumi spec levels also boasts dual-tone 20-inch alloys which look pretty good.

Bucking the Trend

South African buyers tend to be quite conservative when it comes to car interiors. As a result automakers tend to offer rather sombre interior colours. This test unit was no different, clad almost entirely in black. We have seen images of some really stylish lighter treatments offered in Europe. However, the colour of the trim does not take away from its perceived quality. All contact points, from seat coverings, to the steering to the tops of the door cards feel premium.

There are two digital screens on the facia. The instrument cluster can be configured with different views, as suits the driver. There is also a pretty crisp and clear heads-up display. Interestingly, the infotainment display is NOT a touchscreen. Instead, Mazda has stuck with a scroll wheel that has a click function. There are a few shortcut buttons, which are helpful. Although, inputting an address into the navigation system takes a while using the scroller.

The system has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, one needs to connect your phone using one of the two USB-C ports in the centre armrest. Once done the system is pretty user-friendly. Oh, there is also a 12-speaker hi-fi system that can really belt out your favourite tunes.

Loads of Room

The cabin of the Mazda CX-60 is quite roomy. The front seats are electrically adjustable for height and reach. Incidentally, they offer a cooling function, but no heating option. The latter would be much preferred in the depths of the never-ending Cape Winter. The sense of space in cabin is helped by the panoramic roof.

Although we did not use the rear bench, there seems to be enough room for larger adults with enough head- and legroom. The CX-60 boasts 480 litres of boot volume which is pretty handy for family getaways. Oh, and the boot is accessed by a powered tailgate, which can be operated from inside the cabin as well.

Most Powerful

Mazda continues to buck the trend with its choice of powerplant. The Mazda CX-60 3.3L turbodiesel features a brand new engine. The inline six is mated to a 48V mild-hybrid system. Mild hybrid assistance means it’s capable of shutting off and coasting while decelerating. This is evident by the rev-counter needle that suddenly falls away to ‘0’ while one is driving along. The engine produces peak power of 187 kW along with 550 N.m of torque.

The diesel mill sounds a little clattery at start up and at low engine speeds. However it does smooth out as it warms up and speed increases. The rorty engine note is reminiscent of similar powerplants found in BMW SUV models. The engine is a stronger performer.

There is loads of torque on tap from just about all engine speeds. This could be a function of the small electric motor that resides with the eight-speed transmission, which boosts power while the turbodiesel builds up boost. The engine’s party trick, of course, is frugal fuel consumption. In an urban scenario the average hovered just below the 6,5 L/100 km-mark. That fell to an impressive 5,7 on the open road. Speaking of…

Braving the Roads

The open road is where the Mazda CX-60 3.3L turbodiesel feels most at home. Low fuel consumption aside, the primary ride quality is commendable. It rides along with a decent gait and nice level of body control. In fact, the CX-60 has a good level of grip and can be driven quite quickly through a set of long corners. It is there that it’s rear-wheel-drive feel is most evident. Even the steering has a much nicer feel than most of its rivals.

In contrast, the CX-60 does not deal well with rutted roads or scarred tar. The multi-link suspension on low-profile tyres doesn’t iron out road imperfections as we’d hoped. Sudden, sharp movements are felt, and heard inside the cabin. Perhaps the CX-60’s suspension was tuned for European roads. Either way, it isn’t as smooth as befitting a range leader.

Summary

Mazda has undertaken a real turnaround over the last decade or two. The ageing line-up that was once a staple in SA (the likes of 323s and 626s) has made way for a modern, fresh family that consists of several commendable models. The CX-60 is the local range-leader, although there are a few larger CX models available in other markets.

One of the main drawcards of the Mazda CX-60 3.3L turbodiesel is that everything we mentioned above, among others, is standard. The eye-catching colour aside, there is is nothing that one can add to the car when buying from a dealer. That is pretty good, but also how it should be with any car at this price point. And about that…

The Mazda CX-60 Takumi is the first million-rand Mazda. While that sounds like a lot, car prices are generally quite high in SA at the moment. The Mazda CX-60 offers a lot as standard, however, does it do enough to tempt folks away from the usual premium brands. We’re not sure that it does…

Model: Mazda CX-60 3.3L Turbodiesel
Price: R1 074 400
Engine: 3,3-litre, inline-six turbopetrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, AWD
Max power: 187 kW
Max torque: 550 N.m
0-100 km/h: 7,4 sec
Top speed: 219 km/h
Consumption: 4,9L/100 km (claimed) (5,9 as reviewed)