Mazda has always brought the most unexpected things to the table with their cars, from the golden age of the rotary engine to their unique Jinba Ittai philosophy when approaching how to best create fun and rewarding driving experiences, as well as their distinct mantra for styling vehicles. They like to do things differently there, and the same unexpectedness could be said when I stepped inside the new CX-60 SUV.
I was surprised to find out that it’s being driven by a diesel engine. And what’s this? Physical buttons and switches, no humungous iPad-style screens, and traditional SUV styling? Having spent a bit of time with the updated CX-60, there’s certainly something really special and appealing about it.
What Is the Mazda CX-60 3.3D Takumi Plus About?
In Japanese, ‘Takumi’ translates to ‘artisan’ or ‘craftsman’, which is a rather fitting name for all the refinement and extra stuff that you get in the Mazda CX-60, and this top-most Takumi Plus trim level. Given that it is their flagship model of the CX-60 range, you can bet that it gets all the best stuff that Mazda could throw at it. Even when you’re looking at it at a glance, the Takumi Plus variant looks more sporty, elegant, and luxurious.
No doubt, it looks especially delectable in this Soul Red Crystal paintwork, and I’d say it’s absolutely worth the £900 upcharge just to get it. Other changes that you get as part of the Takumi Plus model includes the exterior garnish and lower body panels, such as the wheel arches, side skirts, as well as the CX-60’s front and rear lower bumpers, which are now painted in body colour, instead of black rubberised cladding in the lower trim levels.
The alloy wheels, which are 18-inch grey rims on the base-tier CX-60s, while the Takumi Plus gets you huge 20-inch diamond-cut wheels instead. On that note, the Mazda CX-60 as a whole is a pretty interesting car to look at, as with most of Mazda’s new SUV line-up, encompassing the CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90. To my eyes, it’s very handsome from the rear three-quarter, with its complex body lines and sharp angles.
It’s quite neat to analyse all that curvature and crisp surfaces on the CX-60, and it looks its best from this angle. From the front, though, we now get to preview Mazda’s design language a bit more clearly, especially with their newer crossovers and SUVs, and one which I’m still warming up to. It’s a subjective take, and note just how long that bonnet is, almost like a 60s or 70s grand tourer, and one that I don’t think I’ve seen in other SUVs.
How Does It Drive?
When you’re spec’ing the new Mazda CX-60, you have the choice of one of two different engine options here in the UK market: a 2.5-litre e-SKYACTIV PHEV (plug-in hybrid) petrol engine, as well as the one that we have here, the 3.3-litre e-SKYACTIV D mild-hybrid diesel engine. For comparison, just in case you’re not totally sure about which powertrain is right for you, the 2.5-litre e-SKYACTIV PHEV engine cranks out a pretty decent 327 PS.
This is courtesy of a really clever plug-in hybrid set-up that combines a petrol engine with a battery pack and an electric motor. This PHEV powertrain should be good for a 0 to 62 mph time of just 5.8 seconds, and onto a top speed of 124 mph, which are really good figures for such a large SUV. On top of that, the PHEV powertrain could also let you drive up to 40 or so miles purely on electric power alone, practically as a fully-electric SUV.
Next up, we have the 3.3-litre e-SKYACTIV mild-hybrid diesel, which is becoming far more unconventional here in the UK and Europe, where more and more carmakers are slowly shunning diesels. Mazda, nevertheless, with the brand’s typical left-field-ness and always eager to do everything differently, has bolted a somewhat old-school, though rather clever and refined inline-6 diesel engine, with their Mazda M Hybrid Boost mild-hybrid system.
The result is a slower 254 PS of power (despite this engine being a more expensive option than the petrol PHEV), but on the flipside, you get way more torque, now at 550 Nm. Still, this ought to help it accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a modest 7.4 seconds, and onto a top speed of 136 mph. While diesels may sound like a very antiquated concept, the fuel economy figures certainly aren’t, averaging in the low-50s mpg in mixed driving conditions.
These are pretty fantastic efficiency figures for this class of SUVs. You could even argue that this engine is a lot easier-going when you want to deal with it day-to-day, as you don’t have to charge it, nor do you need to worry about range at all. Instead, the Mazda CX-60’s 48V mild-hybrid system captures kinetic energy automatically when you’re driving, and then uses that to constantly top up and recharge a 48V lithium-ion battery.
It will then deploy those electrons to give the CX-60 a great balance between awesome fuel economy, very low tailpipe emissions (by diesel standards), and pretty high torque, which can even help you tow loads as heavy as 2,500 kg. When you do want to have a bit of fun, or when you’re just driving the new Mazda CX-60 day-to-day, this 3.3-litre mild-hybrid diesel engine does nip around, and it’s not as much of a slouch as it might sound!
Sure, as refined as it might be, you would still feel that slightly gruff diesel sensation, so that’s not going away anytime soon. Otherwise, though, the CX-60 is set up and tuned to be quite nimble, and despite its humungous proportions, it’s really easy to know where you are on the road, with a decent bit of straight line poke and sharp dynamics by SUV standards. With that in mind, the Mazda CX-60 is a very pleasant thing to drive.
It’s worth noting, too, that there are currently two different variations of this same engine, with an entry-level version being offered with 200 PS. This powertrain should manage a 0 to 62 mph sprint in a more relaxed 8.4 seconds, before reaching its 132 mph top speed. However, this specific engine option has some caveats, namely the fact that, unlike the other two engines earlier, this one’s only 2WD rather than all-wheel drive (AWD).
Aside from that, this powertrain is only offered with the entry-level Mazda CX-60 Exclusive-Line model, and you can’t spec it on the pricier trim levels, including the Takumi Plus. Regardless of which engine you pick, they all come with an identical 8-speed automatic transmission, and if you want to fine-tune and tweak the car to drive how you like it, the Mazda Mi-DRIVE system has a series of drive modes that you can fiddle around with.
What Is It Like Inside?
Like what we saw on the exterior, the Mazda CX-60 Takumi Plus gains you a vast selection of interior cosmetic updates and material changes, as well. It’s clear that the cheaper models feature a more utilitarian upholstery, with lots of hard-wearing vinyl material, while the Takumi Plus here is intent on cocooning you in absolute top-end luxury, with gorgeous woven fabric materials and handsome stitching, presenting superb craftsmanship.
This is apparently a unique Japanese stitching technique, called Kakenui, which looks eye-catching next to that white maple wood trim, and it’s particularly cosy when you combine this with the white Nappa leather seats. If there’s one word that I’d use to describe how it feels to sit inside the CX-60 Takumi Plus, it’d be ‘soft’. Everything here, in the CX-60’s cabin, between the fabric, leather, and wood, all feels stunningly supple and sumptuous.
The specific CX-60 that I have here, with the white and cream upholstery, makes it feel incredibly spacious, too. Besides luxury creature comforts, you even get a flurry of extra cool tech and nice-to-haves in the Takumi Plus model. Some of these goodies include the upgraded 12-speaker Bose surround sound system (over the regular 8-speaker setup in most other trim levels) and a Qi wireless charging pad for your phone, among others.
I’d also be remiss to not mention the CX-60 Takumi Plus model’s expansive panoramic glass roof, opening up so much more airiness into the cabin. Speaking of tech, this new generation of Mazdas has made a massive leap forward when you compare the in-car electronics to the old ones. Right in the middle is a 12.3-inch infotainment system, which you could either control via the touchscreen display or a rotary dial on the centre console.
The latter approach is quite a bit easier and safer to manipulate while you’re driving, too. This system also comes with Mazda Connect, and a built-in satnav with 7 years’ worth of free updates to the included mapping software. Of course, the infotainment unit comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and ahead of you, there’s a slick 12.3-inch instrument cluster, in addition to a handy heads-up display that projects onto the windshield.
Comfort is another highlight of the interior, and there’s plenty of that to be found inside the new Mazda CX-60, whether you’re sitting in the back or the front. Even with the front seats moved way back to fit my taller driving position, there’s ample legroom and kneeroom for rear passengers, and the CX-60’s boxy silhouette also means that rear headroom isn’t compromised, either. Further in the back, you then get a very sizeable boot space.
On the subject of comfort, one of Mazda’s trademark bits of interior design is their use of more conventional switchgear and controls, such as that rotary dial that I mentioned earlier, with physical buttons aplenty for all your in-car controls, as well as the gear lever, which also has a more traditional operation! So, if you’re tired of using laggy touchscreens and unintuitive buttons, Mazda might become a sanctuary for you.
The Experience
As with any new car, the Mazda CX-60 features a generous variety of safety systems and driver aids, and many are bundled by default. These include rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, hill descent control, automated emergency braking, and a couple more handy systems to keep an eye out for you in the background, and ensuring that you’re able to drive safer and easier.
If you spec the Takumi Plus trim, you get a few more ADAS systems on top of that, which include advanced tech like a 360-degree camera system, which makes parking in tight spaces and driving down narrow streets much more effortless. Furthermore, you also get Mazda’s Cruising & Traffic Support capability, which makes driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic a lot simpler, as well as radar cruise control, in addition to stop-and-go functionality.
Mazda CX-60 3.3D Takumi Plus Cost
The new and updated Mazda CX-60 range starts from £46,640 for the entry-level Exclusive-Line model. You can move up from there, with the Homura starting at £49,790, and the Homura Plus for a starting price of £52,590, while the Takumi starts from £50,740. Then, there’s this top-of-the-line Takumi Plus version, which starts from £53,540 for the PHEV engine, while the diesel is more expensive, bringing its starting price up to £56,050.
Verdict
The new Mazda CX-60 is the definition of going against the grain, using a mild-hybrid diesel engine in this day and age, though in practice, it’s probably one of the best diesels ever made, beautifully fulfilling the trifecta of performance, efficiency, and refinement. With an abundance of luxury and practicality, as well as a pleasingly old-school feel, and an exotic design, it could be one of the most tempting SUVs in its class today.
Specification
Mazda CX-60 3.3D Takumi Plus Specs
- Price: £56,050
- Engine: 3.3-litre e-SKYACTIV inline-6 MHEV diesel
- Power: 254 PS
- Torque: 550 Nm
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds
- Top speed: 136 mph
- Weight: 2,025 kg
- Economy combined: 51.4 – 53.3 mpg
- CO2: 142 g/km