Mazda CX-60: Movin’ on up

What is it?

As in life, the automobile world lives by its own class system.

So-called social stratification rules cover rungs strictly on a wealth basis.

With vehicles measured on price, pedigree and performance, the story is replete with strictly observed grades with little or no upward mobility.

Most automobile manufacturers over time have stuck to the model playbook of ‘horses for courses’.

Now, one of their ilk, Mazda, has broken ranks with a bid to take its larger SUVs upmarket, starting with the CX-60.

Mazda has form in this, in the 1990s, pushing the 929 saloon into ‘premium’ territory with such advancements as solar powered air-con from panels in the roof.

Has Mazda succeeded again, or has the ‘luxury leg-up’ fallen short, with the aspirant left to languish in its ‘middle-class’ station in life?

What’s it cost?

The MY25 CX-60 comes with the choice of three powertrains – petrol and diesel in mild hybrid assisted form and a plug-in hybrid petrol – in Evolve, GT and Azami specification.

Prices start at $60,550 for the entry-level Evolve petrol, diesel adds $2000 to the price, while the plug-in hybrid Azami flagship clocks in at $86,800.

All are before dealer and delivery charges. The last mentioned was on test.

A Luxury Package is a $4000 option.

As the T-shirt says: SAME SHIRT, DIFFERENT DAY – the CX-60 has much the same look as the CX-5, with only the bonnet pushed out to take the bigger six-cylinder motor.

The extra length may not be to everyone’s liking as it overpowers a pleasant-to-the-eye profile.

On the other hand, there’s plenty of flat metal surfaces all round to display a plethora of stick-on badges.

The Azami earns a 12.3-inch screen compared with a 10.25-inch display in the Evolve.

Both screens are controlled via a large knob on the centre console. Easy to operate it is; intuitive it is not (maybe it’s me).

Climate control comes via an array of switches on the lower dash, along with a volume control for the audio. Yee har!

The instrument cluster in front of the driver ape a traditional analogue cluster.

A head-windscreen display offers up a sharp selection of info.

The CX-60 range earned a ANCAP rating of five stars on 2022 testing.

Standard features across the board include adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, reverse emergency braking, rear crossing and turn-across traffic function.

The GT adds driver attention monitor, the Azami cruising and traffic Support and front cross traffic alert.

All vehicles are covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, five-year roadside assistance and seven years capped price servicing.

What’s it go like?

The cabin throws out a challenge to the automotive aristocracy.

Soft surfaces abound, including dashboard and centre console, the latter showing off with a mixture of matt black plastic and metal look.

Seating – power adjustable and heated – offers plenty of head and leg room and the rear is easy to get in and out of with the door opening to 90 degrees.

There’s bottle storage in the doors and a centre console bin with padded lid.

The boot is accessed through a power tailgate to 477 litres of space with rear seatbacks up, expanding to 1726 litres with them folded.

On board is a temporary spare tyre.

The Azami on test was powered by a six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine serving up 187kW of power at 3750 rpm and 550Nm between 1500 and 2400 rpm, with the assistance of a mild hybrid electrical boost.

Power is put to ground via an all-wheel drive system.

Press the start button on the dash and the CX-60 prepares for the off with a ‘ready’ from the boost motor lighting up the instrument panel.

The engine fires up with a growl, the electric motor on hand to ease fuel consumption, the maker claiming combined urban/highway use of 4.9L/100km, which we found quite optimistic in a mix of mainly city traffic.

In these days of ubiquitous electronic controls, the anachronistic chunky gearshift seems out of place, while the Mi-Drive switch at the base of the centre stack, ranging from Eco to Sport, can be too easily knocked from one mode to another, while using the cubby up front.

Upgrades for the 2005 CX-60 include improvements to suspension and chassis, doing much to give a fillip to already refined ride and handling.

Softer rear springs, increased rear rebound damping and firmer front compression damping improve comfort and driving feel.

Add to this re-calibrated power steering, all-wheel drive and stability systems combining to deliver Mazda’s Jimba Ittai philosophy of vehicle and driver acting as one.

What we like?

• The price is up
• Physical volume control for the audio
• Soft surfaces abound, including dashboard and centre console

What we don’t like?

• Claimed fuel consumption rather optomistic
• Chunky gearshift seems out of place
• Drive mode switch easily knocked

The bottom line?

Despite the odd quirk, there is no doubt about the improvements in quality and quantity of CX-60 equipment over its cousin, the CX-5.

Inevitably, these come with steep price rises.

You get what you pay for.

 

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