FIRST DRIVE | New Mazda CX-60 is big on space but lacking in pace
It has been a while since we attended a new Mazda product launch.
The last time we held court with the people from the Japanese brand was when the CX-30 was released in 2021.
At the recent release of the CX-60, we took every opportunity to grill product executives about matters, admittedly unrelated to the main focus of the morning.
We got answers. You will be happy to know, for starters, that the brand is aware of the gripes levelled at the ride quality of the current BT-50. According to a representative, a more forgiving suspension choice is now offered. We look forward to sampling that.
As for the move to ditch the fabric roof, manual MX-5 in favour of the less desirable RF, the firm commented the (small) size of our market meant that supply for the more traditional, favoured MX-5 variant is channelled to regions where uptake is greater.
One is doubtful about that line, however, considering the fairly significant number of RF models seen languishing, unsold, listed on pre-owned car buying portals.
The new CX-60 takes position at the top of the product hierarchy, previously occupied by the ageing CX-5.
Stylistically, the newcomer is assertive, elegant and striking, as many of the other products from the Japanese brand's portfolio are.
Mazda enthusiasts are all too familiar with the “Kodo” and “Jinba Ittai” philosophies, mentioned quite liberally in the launch reading material for the new CX-60.
The former refers to the concept of “breathing life into a car” while the latter draws on the notion of “horse and rider in unison” — abstract ideas, but they do make sense when you study the final execution.
Visually, the sculpted lines and voluminous surfaces of the large Mazda come together to create something pretty sophisticated. And behind the wheel, the driver certainly does feel harmonised with proceedings, thanks to a snug seating position, clear sightlines and a simplistic, logical placement of controls.
Build quality is faultless, while materials are rich in texture, with soft-touch surfaces. The look and feel is typically Mazda.
So is the performance, which is not to be inferred as a compliment.
Perhaps with the exception of the stout 2.2-litre, turbocharged-diesel in the CX-5, the engine options serving Mazda's passenger car range errs on the uninspiring side.
Durable, yes, but sprightly in terms of performance? Not quite.
Overseas, the brand offers a turbocharged, six-cylinder petrol, as well as hybrid alternatives. Locally, the company is quite happy to follow the normally-aspirated petrol route, though most of its rivals offer forced-induction.
A plug-in hybrid may join the range later, but for now the CX-60 is powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder unit, producing 141kW and 261Nm, paired with an eight-speed automatic that uses a clutch, not a torque-converter.
The range consists of two grades: the Dynamic and Individual. The Dynamic is rear-wheel drive, while the Individual is all-wheel drive.
Our brief test drive was with the Individual model. It truly was brief, with a 15-minute duration, but we are expecting to have the vehicle on test for a period that would allow a greater depth of evaluation.
On the road, it certainly does feel larger than the CX-5. It is 4,745mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,680mm high, with a 2,870mm wheelbase.
For front occupants, Mazda claims 44m more shoulder room than the CX-5, while rear passengers get 50mm more to play with. The boot offers a 570l capacity, or 1,148l with the seats folded flat.
Noise insulation is well suppressed at town speeds. The suspension seems tuned towards the firmer side of the scale. As for power delivery, the initial experience was in line with expectations: when you kick-down, the 2.5-litre makes quite a din, without having a dramatic effect on pace.
Mazda was quite excited to announce the fitment of adaptive cruise control and a 360º monitor with see-through view in the CX-60. Autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are part of the safety repertoire.
Another highlight is a personalisation system that uses facial recognition, automatically adopting the chosen settings (seat position, climate control and more) set by the driver. Possibly handy in households that share a vehicle.
Pricing kicks off at R739,800 for the Dynamic and R844,500 for the Individual.
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