The alternative design
Mazda CX-80: just unusual or also good?
Mazda is fighting tooth and nail against the mainstream and, with the CX-80, now has a car in its range that is not available anywhere else. Especially not at this price. Drive, format, design, operation - everything is unusual. Watch the video driving report here!
The format
Mazda is conquering a new vehicle class with the CX-60. Five meters long, but only 1.89 meters wide, if you don't count the wing mirrors. Although this results in strange proportions, it also makes life easy in the fast lane on highway construction sites. At 3.12 meters, the wheelbase is as long as that of the VW Multivan, which is good for space, but bad for the turning circle: 12.40 meters.
There is so much space inside that the third row of seats is standard and cannot be deselected. Nor would it have to be deselected (as in the Renault Espace, for example), because it can be put to serious use and the trunk capacity of 258/566/1971 liters is sufficient. On the other hand, it would be desirable for Mazda to offer an option without a third row, but with an even larger trunk. There are already three options for the second row.
The drive
For the new platform, previously known as the CX-60 and CX-80, they have developed a new 48-volt mild hybrid six-cylinder turbodiesel. With a displacement of 3.3 liters, it is unusually large. Economical at seven liters in real-world operation. Neither a quiet nor a sports engine, but with 254 hp and from 1500 rpm. 550 Nm, it is powerful. Standard sprint in 8.4 seconds, top speed 219 km/h. The 17 hp E-engine is located on the gearbox, where it provides support in the low-load range. This means that the diesel engine can often take a rest while you cruise along.
Alternatively, there is a plug-in hybrid, which consists of an equally unusually large four-cylinder petrol engine of 2.5 liters and a 129 kW/175 hp electric motor. 327 hp system output and 500 Nm torque provide a powerful boost (0-100=6.8, 195 km/h). However, the electric motor is relatively loud. The combustion engine is pleasantly throaty. The electric range of 61 kilometers is not up to date. The 17.8 kWh battery is charged with 11 kW AC. The eight-speed automatic transmission and recuperation brake work flawlessly, and all-wheel drive is standard.
Operating concept/interior
In the cockpit, there is no need to look for oversized tablets that have been unimaginatively bolted to the dashboard. Instead, the two displays are pleasantly integrated into a homely console landscape. The speedometer and central screen each measure 12.3 inches. The touchscreen only allows touch operation when stationary - but the function can be permanently activated in the menu for Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto. That's a good thing.
Otherwise, as was once the case with BMW, the controls are operated exclusively via rotary pushbuttons (and real steering wheel buttons). This may seem a bit outdated, but it really is, but it works well and is less distracting. It has advantages over many touchscreens. What is really outdated, however, is the cumbersome voice control.
There is a separate button for deactivating the speed limit warning, but the lane departure warning can only be deactivated in the menu in an incredibly cumbersome way (see video, worth watching!).
The driving experience
Steering is often unfeeling and direct these days. In the Mazda CX-80, the opposite is the case. The steering has an indirect ratio, which means you have to "crank" more than in other cars, but it is sensitive. This makes for a very relaxed drive despite the "extra work".
The suspension is somewhat unbalanced. The damping responds brittlely to slight bumps and the ride feels rough. On the other hand, the car rolls significantly, so there is a noticeable rocking motion when cornering.
The engine is acoustically present in both variants, and from 120/130 km/h the wind is audible.
The prices
The price list for the plug-in hybrid in the basic Exclusive Line trim starts at 60,000 euros, while the diesel is available from just over 63,000 euros. The basic equipment already includes a head-up display, three-zone climate control, navigation system, parking sensors, reversing camera and a whole host of other features. However, essential elements such as cruise control or heated seats can only be found in packages or higher equipment levels. The test car in the video above costs 74,000 euros. In the very complete Homura Plus trim, i.e. practically fully equipped. The only extra: the paint in the new color Artisan Red for 1150 euros.
So the Mazda is bigger than a BMW X5, for example, but cheaper than a BMW X3. The look is premium.
The driving cit
The Mazda CX-80 is not the most refined car under the sun, but it is a pleasant alternative to the current modernism and a certain sobriety in modern cars. In a pleasant way, it is a car that many people know and love, not a mobile tablet holder without charisma, but a character piece on wheels. A likeable approach that makes it easy to overlook minor details. This can work out for Mazda, because it makes them quite unique and many people today want something like this. But it's also not entirely without danger. Because tomorrow is already yesterday.
Why?
Because it's not so modernistic
Because it offers a lot of car for the money
Why not?
Because you might want some details to be more modern after all
Or perhaps ...
... from Skoda Kodiaq to BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE, you can name many things that somehow don't fit because they are too small, too weak or too expensive.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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