This Mazda CX-60 offers a preview of a new platform we’ll see in the U.S. with the similar CX-70.
So far, we in the U.S. have seen the new CX-50 crossover emerge, but this latest reveal is a different animal for the brand. Meet the plug-in hybrid CX-60 — a model that’s meant for the European market. We may not see it here, but we will in time see a CX-70 model that paints a forward-looking picture for the company’s SUV lineup when it arrives on our shores.
Before diving into the specs, let’s go over what exactly the CX-60 is. This Mazda rides on a new, larger platform (and is a larger vehicle, on the whole) than the CX-50, and brings a new powertrain to the game. This upscale SUV will launch with a standard plug-in hybrid powertrain, backed up by a 2.5-liter gasoline motor. To that, Mazda combines a 134 horsepower electric motor, bringing the CX-60’s total output up to 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. With a 17.8-kWh battery pack on board, Mazda says this car will drive on electricity alone for up to 39 miles.
Towing capability should, at least in theory, be pretty decent. However, the automaker did not quote that specific number in its reveal Tuesday.
Perhaps more interesting than that is the transmission choice here. Is it using the same old six-speed automatic from every other Mazda in the past decade? No! The new Mazda CX-60 actually brings in an eight-speed transmission, mated up to an i-Activ all-wheel drive (now standard across the entire Mazda SUV lineup). It also brings in the new Mi-Drive modes, which adds in a few more choices than normal and Sport in the old models.
What do we think of the styling?
In some respects, the Mazda CX-60’s styling is another evolution of the design language we’ve seen over the past few years. The back looks pretty CX-5-ish, but the front end certainly brings some new cues. We’re also looking at a much longer hood, as Mazda is using a longitudinal platform that will, in due time, house a 3.0-liter inline-six engine and 48-volt mild hybrid system.
Move inside, and the new Mazda CX-60 looks as elegant as you’d expect from a brand with serious upmarket ambitions. Some of the controls are pretty similar, especially if you’ve seen the most recent CX-50. In the center though, Mazda ditched the standard gear selector in place of an electronic unit to control that eight-speed transmission. This sits more or less in the middle of the brand’s SUV lineup, and as such is still a two-row model.
The CX-70 will most likely be a two-row as well, though possibly with wider proportions to suit our specific market. If anything, I hope the car gets a slightly broader stance, perhaps with a wider grille than what’s on display here. Expect a similar dash-to-axle ratio and long hood line to accommodate that larger engine.
If you’re looking for something larger still, we’ll see a CX-90 a little while after the CX-70. That will be a three-row SUV, and will almost certainly replace the aging CX-9 when it ultimately makes it to the U.S. market. Like the CX-60, there’s one more larger SUV in the works from Mazda — a CX-80 — and that seven-seater won’t make it to America either.
