Mazda debuted its new CX-60 on Tuesday, a car meant for Europe’s burgeoning, almost American-like appetite for big SUVs, and a car that previews what we will likely get here in the States, the CX-70. The CX-60 is a big and slightly boring plug-in hybrid electric car, which is to say that it is a modern car. It is also Mazda’s first PHEV.
The Europe-only CX-60 combines a 100 kW electric motor with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder to produce up to 42 miles of electric-only range in the city, and 39 miles of electric-only range on the highway, provided you’re traveling at 62 mph or slower, according to Mazda. Mazda also says it can go from zero to 62 mph in “just” 5.8 seconds, which is slow. In the United Kingdom, the CX-60 will start at £43,950, or around $57,583, which is expensive no matter where you are for a Mazda.
That seems in part because the CX-60 is part of Mazda’s push into SUVs, but also Mazda’s never-ending push toward premium. Take, for example, all of this stuff:
At the top of the all-new Mazda CX-60 range is the £48,050 Takumi, which features 20-inch black machined alloy wheels and body-coloured mirrors, combined with chrome plated signature wing grille treatment and side window surround, while the gloss black bar type radiator grille design is another feature unique to this flagship grade. Like the Homura, there’s the option to add the Convenience Pack and Driver Assistance Pack. Highlights in the £1,000 Convenience Pack include privacy glass, 360 view monitor with see through view and wireless phone charging, while the Driver Assistance Pack adds a large tally of additional active safety technology for £1,100.
The £1,400 Comfort Pack is only offered with the Exclusive-Line, but adds high-grade features like 20-inch alloy wheels, electric front seats, front seat ventilation, rear seat heaters and the Mazda Driver Personalisation System technology. Across all three models in the CX-60 range there is a choice of eight body colours including the new Rhodium White premium metallic paint.
Uniquely Mazda, the CX-60’s interior achieves the very highest standards of craftmanship combined with new technologies and human centric ergonomics to deliver a premium interior rooted in Japanese heritage. The elegant, premium quality interior design introduces the ideas of Kaichou – an element of disruption which mixes different materials and textures. With the flagship Takumi grade, materials such as maple wood, nappa leather combine with uniquely worked Japanese textiles and chrome details, and Musubu – the art of binding which was the inspiration for a specially detailed instrument panel stitching.
The treatment of the maple wood trim reflects the Japanese aesthetic of Hacho – asymmetrical balance, or intentional unevenness. The woven fabrics’ diverse patterns and yarns respond sensitively to changes in light, and a Japanese stitching technique called Kakenui creates ‘hanging stitching’ seams with spaces between the trim fabrics revealing a glimpse of the material beneath.
Standard are things like all-wheel drive, while Mazda says the CX-60 has an “all-new” eight-speed automatic transmission, in addition to a panoply of options to add safety, aesthetic, and comfort features. Mazda says that there will also be a CX-80 coming to Europe soon, too, an even bigger SUV. More excitingly, Mazda also said that its Skyactiv-X engines will also be offered in the CX-60 at some point, a boon for those who have had the patience for it. Even when Europe is getting a new boring SUV they find a way to make it better than what we usually get here.
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