It may be somewhat subdued on the looks front when compared to a Range Rover or German rivals but sometimes discreet is good. It’s one of those kind of cars where those that know, know, and not least because it’s full of standard equipment, extremely well bolted together, has a feeling of premium quality and in diesel form has a superb 6-cylinder in-line straight six engine. There’s also the CX-80 which is effectively a larger version that has more seating options.
Most Read on Euro Weekly News Now I don’t dispute that those in search of badge one-upmanship will gravitate towards more well-known premium motors and dismiss my comparison, but the Mazda is more about value for money luxury. Both in terms of running costs and the initial purchase price the Mazda offers an affordable touch of quality. These days some may baulk at the option of diesel power but Mazda has always supplied excellence in its engineering and the e-Skyactive D engine comes with mild hybrid assistance, excellent economy and low emissions.
It also performs well, not that the CX-60 is the kind of vehicle you’ll be piloting at speed across twisting cross country roads, but in its most powerful diesel form it reaches the benchmark 62 mph in just 5.8 seconds. In my view in-line straight six engines always return superb driver feedback and the Mazda is no exception.
The 8-speed automatic transmission is a smooth affair and the engine seems to offer endless reserves of ‘pull’ and in 254PS form prov.