Mazda CX-80 review

Is the Mazda CX-80 a good car? 

The Mazda CX-80 hits the right notes when it comes to rear seat space in the second and third rows, versatility and efficiency, regardless of whether you go for the plug-in hybrid or six-cylinder diesel. And despite the firm’s ambitions to push the car into premium territory, the pricing isn’t too aggressive. If the numbers add up, there’s plenty to like for family buyers.

How much does the Mazda CX-80 cost?

If you’re looking for an efficient, family-sized seven-seat SUV, there really is no shortage of options in 2024. The challenge is how to stand out; while many many try to achieve this, they often don’t quite hit the mark. Mazda, on the other hand, is pretty adept at going its own way, and it’s done so again with its first seven-seat SUV for the UK.

There are multiple reasons for this, which we’ll get into, but for now the new Mazda CX-80 joins a class that includes the very fresh-looking Hyundai Santa Fe, the Kia Sorento, plus slightly smaller rivals such as the Skoda Kodiaq, SEAT Tarraco and Nissan X-Trail. In the case of the Korean pair, the Mazda actually undercuts both, with a starting price of £48,920. This is for the base-level Exclusive-Line car, but it still comes with plenty of attractive features including leather seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels. 

Above this is the Homura from £52,070, which has a sportier look and feel thanks to darkened trim and black 20-inch wheels, plus an array of extra equipment. The top-spec Takumi is priced at £53,020, and comes with a more obvious ‘luxury car’ bent, thanks to a light-coloured interior and additional chrome highlights. 

Both the Homura and Takumi can be upgraded with a Plus Pack, which adds high-end features including a panoramic sunroof, adaptive headlights and a privacy glass tint on the rear windows. These models cost £54,720 and £55,670, respectively. The quoted prices are all for the entry-level plug-in hybrid variant, but there is also a 3.3-litre in-line six cylinder diesel option available for an extra £2,500. However, the plug-in is expected to take the majority of UK sales. 

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A major part of why the Mazda CX-80 is quite different to most of the other cars it will compete for sales against is down to the way it is packaged. Its technical layout is much closer in style to true premium contenders from BMW and Mercedes, in that it mounts its engines longitudinally, or lengthways, and for a majority of the time powers the rear wheels only. This doesn’t just allow for a more premium stance, but also is reflected in the engines that Mazda has developed for it.

That’s why the CX-80’s diesel engine is a comparatively large 3.3-litre straight-six, rather than the more traditional transversely mounted four-cylinders found in its mainstream challengers. This is aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, or ‘M-Hybrid Boost’ as Mazda calls it, in which a small 17bhp electric motor assists the engine when pulling away from a standstill and at low revs to boost efficiency. With 251bhp and 550Nm of torque on tap, 0-62mph takes 8.4 seconds. This translates to some fairly good on-road performance, and there are no noticeable gaps in the torque delivery, which helps the CX-80 make effortless progress without ever feeling strained or rushed. 

The benefit is an extra layer of sophistication to the drive, which is more reminiscent of a BMW X5 than anything with a Mazda badge. The engine isn’t quite as silky- smooth as in premium German rivals, nor is the eight-speed automatic transmission as slick or well calibrated. But this is a superb powertrain considering the price point.

The plug-in hybrid Mazda CX-80 takes a slightly more standard approach in swapping the in-line six for a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but here it works together with a much more powerful 173bhp electric motor that’s fed by a 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery. 

Total power output for the CX-80 PHEV is 323bhp, and there’s 500Nm of torque, with the e-motor providing a big chunk of that instantaneously. This allows the two-tonne SUV to dispatch 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds. 

While the performance of this model is slightly more electrifying – no pun intended – with a more pronounced turn of speed, the way the plug-in hybrid transitions between petrol and electric drive isn’t quite as well resolved as is the case with some rivals. There’s also a touch of electric motor whine, and the car can get a little jerky if you ask for lots of power in its standard drive mode. 

Sport mode does a good job of smoothing things out, as this relies on the petrol engine, with the electric motor purely being a source of additional power and torque, rather than driving the wheels independently. 

The CX-80 uses double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link set-up on the rear that Mazda says has been tuned for stability and comfort. It also gets Kinematic Posture Control (KPC) technology from the Mazda MX-5 sports car that’s supposed to reduce body movement during cornering.

The other advantage of running a rear-drive-based chassis on an SUV like this is that it should benefit the balance and handling, but it’s not an unqualified success here. The CX-80 definitely feels like a Mazda thanks to its accurate steering and general poise, but it’s also to the detriment of the ride, which is unsettled, even on smooth roads.

Small bumps at low speeds can often catch the CX-80 out, resonating through the cabin despite the relatively modest 20-inch wheel size. The flipside of this is that the handling is sensible rather than spectacular, and we’re not sure it’s a worthy trade-off for the sake of the ride.

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To make its latest diesel engine as clean and efficient as possible, Mazda developed a clever new technology called DCPCI (Distribution-Controlled Partially Premixed Compression Ignition), which uses a unique egg-shaped combustion chamber to deliver cleaner fuel combustion. It also added a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and as a result, the brand says the diesel CX-80 can return up to 49.5mpg. 

Meanwhile, the CX-80 PHEV can officially return up to 176.5mpg, and has a pure-electric range of 37 miles from a single charge of its 17.8kWh battery. Fully recharging the battery using a typical 7kW home wallbox should take about two-and-a-half hours. However, the CX-80 PHEV doesn’t have any DC rapid charging capabilities, like the new Skoda Kodiaq.

At least it does feature an EV mode for running as long as possible with the engine off, plus a ‘Charge’ mode that ensures the battery maintains a certain amount of charge for use later in a journey.  

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The CX-80’s cabin is generally well built, with appealing materials and a good combination of colour and trim options to suit different tastes. There’s not an excess of delicate, scratchable materials that might be at risk from smaller members of the family – both human and canine – but on the two upper trims, the seats and dash do feature a nice, supple leather. 

High-spec Takumi models feature a bright and airy white leather finish, with blonde timber inserts, high-gloss metal-look trim and textured fabrics, but if this all feels a little delicate for a family hauler, the Homura’s black and tan combination seems just as premium. Its overall design isn’t exactly cutting-edge, and potentially lacks the coolness exuded by rivals such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, but there’s nothing wrong with the quality or construction. 

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Every CX-80 is equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch central display. It’s worth noting, though, that the latter is not a touchscreen, because Mazda prefers having a rotary dial on the centre console to navigate its infotainment menus. Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa comes built-in, though, and can control the car’s music, navigation and air-conditioning, as well as third-party apps such as Spotify. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard-fit, too.

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The CX-80 comes with seven seats as standard, but two six-seater layouts are also available. These replace the second-row bench with two captain’s chairs, with the option to have either an open walk-through space between them, or a console with extra storage and cup-holders. 

There’s plenty of room in the second row, plus a separate set of climate controls for passengers and some USB-C charging ports for their devices. Huge rear doors create large openings that allow for easy access to the third row of seats.

Unlike some seven-seat SUVs, there’s more than enough headroom and legroom in the rearmost seats for even six-feet tall adults to get comfortable. We noticed that the third-row seats are shallow, which meant our legs were slightly raised from the seat bases, but it’s a minor gripe. 

The separate sets of air vents and cup-holders are handy touches for those right at the back. There’s 258 litres of boot capacity available with all the CX-80’s seats in place, and that grows to 687 litres when the rearmost seats are folded flat – a process which is quick and simple to do by pulling straps on the backs of both. When all but the driver and front passenger seats are down, the CX-80 can carry up to 1,221 litres of cargo, or 1,971 litres if you load it right to the ceiling. 

Mazda is keen to highlight the CX-80’s 2,500kg maximum towing capacity, which applies to both diesel and plug-in hybrid models. The car also features a ‘Trailer Hitch View’ for its camera system, to make it easy for the driver to attach a trailer when they’re on their own, while a dedicated Towing drive mode takes into account the additional weight of a trailer and optimises the AWD system to improve straight-line stability. 

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Mazda is introducing some new safety features with the CX-80, such as head-on collision mitigation as part of an upgraded ‘Smart Brake Support’ system, and ‘Cruising and Traffic Support, which can take action if the driver becomes unresponsive. Other safety kit fitted as standard includes blind spot monitoring, cruise control, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and driver attention alert. 

A 360-degree camera is offered on the CX-80 and features the aforementioned ‘Trailer Hitch View’ and a ‘See-Through View’ to help with manoeuvring in tight car parks and city streets.

Mazda also has a good record for reliability, with the brand coming seventh overall in our most recent customer satisfaction survey, Driver Power. 

Mazda CX-80 alternatives

Arguably the CX-80’s key rivals are seven-seat SUVs from Korean stablemates Hyundai and Kia. The new Hyundai Santa Fe, with its fresh, boxy design and a new set of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, is one of the best choices in this area of the market. It actually has a similar set of compromises to the Mazda, though, with a hesitant hybrid powertrain and iffy ride quality on rough roads. Plus it’s more expensive and doesn’t have the option of a diesel powertrain. 

Kia’s Sorento is similar under the skin to the Santa Fe, but is a slightly older design and lacks the Hyundai’s visual punch. It does ride better, though, and there’s a diesel in the range for long-distance drivers. However, this is a four-cylinder, so lacks the Mazda’s sophistication and refinement under load. Both the Kia and Hyundai are comparable in terms of dimensions and interior accommodation.

Smaller rivals from Japan and Europe include the Nissan X-Trail and Skoda Kodiaq. Both are cheaper, but because of their size, the third row is more for occasional use, rather than full-time deployment. The new Kodiaq, particularly, comes with a strong range of powertrains, with diesel, petrol and plug-in options, and is highly rated thanks to its clever design, excellent tech and relative efficiency – although pure-petrol models do have a habit of drinking lots of fuel.