Mazda CX-80 G40e Pure: Is the base model the best?

Price: $54,950 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3283cc turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol, 48V mild hybrid
Outputs: 209kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Fuel consumption (claimed/on test): 8.4L/100km / 8.8L/100km
CO2 emissions, fuel type, tank size: 197g/km, 91RON, 74-litres
L/W/H/WB: 4990/1949/1710/3120mm
Kerb weight: 2084kg
Boot: 258L (third row up)/566L (third row folded)/1971L (third and second rows folded)
0-100km/h: 7.0 seconds (est)
Warranty: Five-year/unlimited km, five years of roadside assistance

Mazda raised eyebrows when it announced a new range of SUVs to sit above the hugely successful CX-5. Using a new platform with a range of new engines – including, impressively, two inline sixes – the CX-60, CX-90 and CX-70 were launched to new heights in pricing for the Mazda brand, with high-end variants in the CX-90 topping the $100,000 mark.

Enter the fourth and final member of the group for now: the CX-80. We attended the local launch late last year and found its value equation to be the best of the four CX-00 models, while the refinement issues of its siblings weren’t quite as pronounced either. Is that a winning recipe? Let’s find out by exploring the entry-level CX-80 Pure.

Price and equipment

For now, there are four CX-80 models in Australia and while the Pure tested here is only available
with a petrol inline six badged ‘G40e’, upper models are also available with a ‘D50e’ diesel inline
six, as well as a ‘P50e’ four-cylinder plug-in hybrid.

2025 Mazda CX-80 pricing (plus on-road costs):

CX-80 Pure standard equipment:

• 18-inch alloy wheels with a tyre repair kit
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Keyless entry with push button start
• Heated/auto-folding mirrors with driver’s side auto-dimming
• Tri-zone automatic climate control with vents in all rows
• Black cloth upholstery
• Eight-way manual driver’s seat
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters
• 7.0-inch digital driver’s display
• 10.25-inch infotainment screen
• Mazda Connected Services
• Wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Eight-speaker sound system
• 6x USB-C charging ports
• 150W AC power outlet
• Head-up display

CX-80 Pure safety equipment:

• 360-degree camera
• Eight airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assistance
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality
• Lane keeping assistance with lane departure warning
• Blind-spot monitoring with vehicle exit warning
• Front and rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention monitoring
• Auto high beam
• Traffic sign recognition
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Auto-dimming rear mirror
• Automatic rear braking
• Tyre pressure monitoring

The CX-80 range achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating in October 2024 with scores of 92 per cent for adult protection, 87 per cent for child protection, 84 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 83 per cent for safety assistance.

The Pure is well equipped for a base model, though there are some notable exceptions to its equipment list, such as leather trim, powered front seats and an electric tailgate. Those are added alongside heated front seats with driver’s memory, rear door sunshades and a wireless phone charger for an extra $7000 with the next-step-up Touring. If you’re after the diesel or plug-in hybrid as well, the Touring is the least expensive model they’re available in.

Performance and economy

Only one engine is available in the CX-80 Pure: a new 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol inline six mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Outputs are a keen 209kW of power and 450Nm of torque, which is put to the road through an eight-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel drive system. Thanks to the new design and mild-hybrid system, the new inline six presents a tempting offering against four-cylinder petrol and hybrid competitors.

The CX-80 Pure is rated at 8.4L/100km for claimed fuel consumption, or officially 0.7L/100km less than the 206kW/422Nm turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol Santa Fe. We achieved a thrifty (for its size) 8.8L/100km in our week with the CX-80 Pure, including a low-6s highway run – anybody with memories of how thirsty the first CX-9 was will understand how much of an achievement that is. Helping running costs further is that the CX-80 Pure can use 91RON regular unleaded fuel, and it has a large 74-litre fuel tank for good range.

On the road

Each of the CX-00 models has been criticised by local and international media for needing more mechanical refinement and a stiff ride quality, so much so that the CX-60 underwent a facelift that’s about to go on sale locally to fix the issues. The CX-80 is the last developed of the models, providing hope that Mazda has learnt its lesson. Plus, the small-looking 18-inch wheels of the Pure will help, right?

Mostly, is the answer. There are times where the CX-80 Pure is still too stiff for its intended family car useage, like travelling over lower speed bumps that have you moving around in the seat. The first gear is also oddly short, meaning that you lurch forward as it shifts gear. But generally, it’s an improvement on the CX-60 in particular and while a Santa Fe is softer, the CX-80 is keener in the corners if that matters to you.

While there is still a bit of work to do on refinement, Mazda’s active safety features are excellent with mature and confident coverage from the lane keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. The auto high beam works well too, and each feature is easy to tailor to your taste. Impressively as well, features like the 360-degree camera and head-up display are standard across the range.

Mazda has also worked hard to improve its previous Achilles’ heel: road noise. In this regard, the CX-80 is impressive and the small-wheeled Pure is the best in the range. Even at highway speeds, it’s quiet and conversation between occupants is easy. The visibility is also generally good in the CX-80, with big windows and mirrors, though the sloping D-pillar limits over-the-shoulder vision.

Plus, the oddly close driver’s mirror that’s common to most modern Mazda products doesn’t provide enough field of vision.

Interior comfort, practicality and boot space

Anybody who’s sat in another Mazda product using this platform will not at all be surprised by the CX-80’s cabin as it’s near identical to its siblings. Some more interior differentiation between the four would be great, especially for those who have spent almost $100,000 on a top-spec CX-90.

But as we’ve seen in all those cars, the fundamentals are strong with generally great quality, lovely switchgear and easy to use technology. Having said that, the CX-80 Pure’s door trims are all hard plastic, as is the dashboard fascia – to get these in soft materials, a $7000 spend upwards to the Touring is necessary. Really, that’s the only detraction in the CX-80 Pure’s cabin – we’d expect plusher materials, even at its sub-$60k pricing.

Centre of the cabin is a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. Notice the lack of the word ‘touch’ there as the CX-80 Pure’s screen can only be controlled via the wheel on the centre console. Strangely, the larger 12.3-inch screen in the GT and Azami can be touched to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so why not the smaller one? It would be nice to give users the option as smartphone mirroring is far easier to use that way.

The CX-80’s second row is a comfortable and spacious place to spend time, with three adults able to fit comfortably. There are also cup holders in the doors and central arm rest, map pockets, two USB-C charging ports and a third zone of automatic climate control.

The third row of the CX-80 is more spacious than a Mitsubishi Outlander or Kia Sorento, and pretty similar in space to the boxier Hyundai Santa Fe. That means that – unlike a lot of rivals – you can use it daily for more than children to sit in. It also features cup holders, air vents and two USB-C charging ports to keep occupants happy.

The CX-80’s boot is large, with 258-litres of space with the third row erected, 566L with the third row folded (to the belt line) and a big 1971L with both rear rows folded. The boot is also practical with hooks to hang bags off and under-floor storage with space for the cargo cover, though no spare wheel.

Service and warranty

Like other new Mazda products, the CX-80 Pure is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance.

The CX-80’s service intervals are once-yearly/every 15,000km (whichever comes first). Five years or 75,000km of servicing costs a pricey $3469 ($694 per annum).

Verdict: should I buy a Mazda CX-80 Pure?

With Mazda’s premium push, we’d gotten used to higher pricing than you might expect from the brand, but with the CX-80 Pure, it’s hit a home run for value. Sure, the base CX-80 lacks features such as leather trim, but against something like an equivalent Mitsubishi Outlander, it’s more practical, features more safety equipment, feels more modern, is better to drive and uses a lusty turbo petrol six that’s capable of impressive fuel consumption.

Sure, it’s not perfect and there are issues for Mazda to work on, namely the too-firm ride quality and the sometimes-jerky transmission, plus adding soft touch door trims and making its service pricing cost less. But the CX-80 surprises as the most appealing member of the brand’s new large platformed-SUVs and has genuine appeal against its also-talented rivals. A gutsy inline six seven seat SUV with the typical Mazda classiness for under $60,000 drive away? There lies its appeal.

Mazda CX-80 Pure rivals

Hyundai Santa Fe
Skoda Kodiaq
Kia Sorento