2023 Mazda CX-60 revealed, now in Australia for final evaluation

UPDATE, November 29: Mazda CX-60 Australian pricing

Full Australian details, including pricing and specs for the entire 2023 Mazda CX-60 line-up, has been announced today. Get all the details in the video below, or at the link above it, and continue reading here for our first international drive. Our first Australian drive will come soon.

Story continues: CX-60 revealed

“These strenuous evaluations (for the 2023 Mazda CX-60) are a vital step in our absolute commitment to customer experience and continuous brand improvement.”

Following the start of 2023 Mazda CX-60 production at the company's Hofu plant in April, a pair of pre-production examples have made their way to Australia for final evaluation.

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Australia is a significant market for Mazda, where the brand outpunches its global sales, taking second spot behind giant Toyota. That means it’s crucial the new CX-60 can meet the expectations of Australian buyers.

To evaluate the CX-60, Mazda engineers will be taking the two pre-production cars on 30,000km tours over the next six months and feeding data back to the Hiroshima research and development centre.

Mazda is yet to lock in final specifications for Australia and has not revealed which powertrains are fitted to the pair of test cars it’s testing Down Under.

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Speaking on the torture test about to face the CX-60 development vehicles, Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said: “our engineering team will consistently push the cars to their extremes.

“These strenuous evaluations are a vital step in our absolute commitment to customer experience and continuous brand improvement.”

Specific timing for an Australian arrival is still to be confirmed, but Mazda has so far confirmed the 2023 CX-60 will be priced from "around $55,000" when it arrives in Australia later this year.

Continue reading to see full details on the global CX-60 line-up and equipment list.

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The story to here

April 23, 2022: CX-60 unveiled, production begins ahead of launch

Production of the new Mazda CX-60 has begun at Mazda's Hofu plant in Japan ahead of a global launch to begin from around September.

Mazda describes the CX-60 as its most important new model in over a decade – which, if not mere hyperbole, makes it more significant in the company's esteem than the hugely popular second-generation CX-9 that first went on sale in 2016, and the second-gen CX-5 that debuted in 2017.

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"Mazda’s new flagship represents everything that the company has built into its DNA over the last 100 years," the company says, "from outstanding exterior and interior design to the finest Japanese craftsmanship, the latest innovations in human-centric technologies and a world-class powertrain".

An Australian debut for the CX-60 is confirmed, as described below, but specific timing is still to be announced.

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April 9, 2022: CX-60 power figures revealed

Mazda has released additional information for the 2023 CX-60 for the Japanese market, revealing power figures for its new six-cylinder diesel engine.

Debuting alongside the rear-wheel-drive CX-60, the 3.3-litre 'Skyactiv-D' straight-six turbocharged diesel will produce 170kW of power and 500Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed auto sending power to a rear-biased all-wheel drive system.

The brand's new eight-speed torque-converter is the sole gearbox option across the entire CX-60 line-up.

That 170kW, 500Nm arrangement isn't the most powerful option, however. An electrified 48V mild-hybrid version of the diesel mill, titled 'e-Skyactiv-D', will also be available.

With the assistance of a 12.4kW electric motor, the boosted version will produce a combined 187kW/550Nm. The battery has a capacity of 0.33kWh.

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According to the Japanese marque, the mild-hybrid diesel can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 220km/h.

Mazda is yet to confirm specification details for its 3.0-litre naturally-aspirated 'Skyactiv-X' inline-six petrol engine, however, it has confirmed the familiar 138kW/250Nm 2.5-litre four – as seen in the 3, 6, CX-30, CX-5 and CX-8 – will open the CX-60 range.

Full details for the CX-60 can be found below, including details for the plug-in hybrid powertrain.

March 25, 2022: CX-60 confirmed for Australia

Mazda has confirmed its new 2023 CX-60 will be priced from "around $55,000" when it arrives in Australia later this year, making it a genuinely semi-premium to premium segment offering.

Get the full story at the link below.

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March 9, 2022: CX-60 revealed

Mazda has officially taken the covers of its new CX-60, finally debuting the Japanese brand's new rear-wheel-drive architecture, along with a pair of hotly anticipated six-cylinder engines.

The CX-60 will launch later this year as a two-row, five-seater standing between the CX-5 and CX-8 in Mazda's local model range – debuting with evolved styling, and a more luxurious and powerful focus.

As well as including two big new inline-six engines – available in naturally-aspirated 3.0-litre petrol and 3.3-litre turbo-diesel forms – the CX-60 becomes Mazda's first-ever plug-in hybrid, with the PHEV variant boasting power figures surpassing any other road-going model in the brand's range.

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Engine and drivetrain

The introduction of the CX-60 is a revolution for Mazda, becoming its first model to be based on the company's new 'Large Architecture' platform.

Set to be rolled out across its future model range, the Large Architecture will bring more possibility for rear-wheel drive models – such as the Mazda 6 – as well as a more modular platform for electrification, allowing the manufacturer to add electrified variants of more vehicles in the coming years.

The all-important numbers for enthusiasts – power figures for those new six-cylinder engines – are still to be revealed, but we at least know the PHEV variant will have some proper kick.

Headline figures for the CX-60's flagship PHEV variant come courtesy of its 2.5-litre, Skyactiv-G four-cylinder petrol engine, paired up with a 129kW electric motor and a 17.8kWh battery pack to produce a total system output of 241kW and 500Nm.

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These numbers not only make it the most powerful PHEV in its class, the CX-60 also becomes Mazda's most powerful road car in its history, with the electrified drivetrain, eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system allowing the SUV to complete the 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.8 seconds.

Fuel consumption is rated at a claimed 1.5 or 1.6L/100km (depending on whether the car is specced with 18- or 20-inch wheels respectively) while Mazda also says it can achieve an electric-only driving range of up to 69 kilometres – when driving in the city with the lighter 18-inch wheels fitted.

Compatible with 220-240V AC chargers, the CX-60's onboard battery can be charged from empty in four hours.

Specifics have not yet been released, but the new model will also be available from launch with a choice of two internal combustion engines – a 3.0-litre straight-six Skyactiv-X petrol or a 3.3-litre straight-six Skyactiv-D diesel, both of which will feature Mazda's 48-volt mild-hybrid system.

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Features

While details on an Australian model will come later, in Europe the vehicle is available in four grades, with the Prime-line opening the CX-60 range with standard equipment including:

Prime-line

Stepping up to the Exclusive-line, buyers are treated to a host of equipment upgrades, such as:

Exclusive-line

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The Takumi variant scores more exclusive features, from a redesigned front end to new interior materials:

Takumi

Finally, the range-topping Homura grade gains unique features to set it apart as the flagship of the range:

Homura

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Dimensions

Coming in to the Mazda range above the existing and popular CX-5, the CX-60 measures up at 4745 millimetres in length, 1890mm wide, 1680 mm high with a 2870mm wheelbase.

The larger overall dimensions allow for it to carry up to 570 litres in the boot with the second row of seats up, with its capacity jumping up to 1726 litres when the seats are folded flat.

According to Mazda, CX-60 offers 1504mm of shoulder room in the first row and 1441 in the second row, an increase of 44mm and 50mm respectively over the CX-5.

At its minimum weight, the CX-60 tips the scales at 1980 kilograms when fitted with 18-inch wheels, bumping up to 1995kg when the 20-inch alloys are fitted, while its maximum permissible weight remains at 2667kg.

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Safety

Mazda is targeting a five-star ANCAP safety rating for the CX-60, boosted by the fitment of a centre and rear side airbags as well as a host of tech equipment, including but not limited to:

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Availability

Mazda is set to roll out the CX-60 in Europe from the middle of the year, after production begins in Japan on March 11, although Australian buyers will have to wait until later in the year before local pricing and features are revealed.