It’s not often I drive a burgundy-coloured car; I think the last time was in a Ford Mondeo. Yes, it was that long ago. But I was re-acquainted with that distinctive colour last week when I picked up the new Mazda CX-80, just a few weeks after driving the very similar-looking Mazda CX-60.
The last time I really enjoyed my week in the diesel version of the CX-60; this time it was a plug-in hybrid. Naturally it was quieter, but in saying that the diesel version could not be described as ‘noisy.’
The CX-60 was a big car, but this seven-seater CX-80 is even longer 250mm longer to be exact. The all-round figures are: length, 4,995mm,with,1,890mm and 1,705mm in height.
It’s Mazda’s biggest car in the European market and they expect that it will be able to compete with likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 and other large German-built SUVs.
Like the CX-60, the interior is very impressive and the grey material on the dash certainly catches your eye when you sit in. The 12.3-inch infotainment screen is easy to use and I liked the old-style radio controls and the large button called a ‘click-wheel’ to select the various radio stations. That ‘click-wheel’ is located where you would normally find the gear lever in a manual car and you can keep your eye on the road and experiment with various station with your left hand.
When all seven seats are in use there is not much luggage space. I thought there might have been a spare wheel underneath the car, but not this time. The two seats in the third row in the standard version are a decent size and the third row occupants have USB sockets and air vents. Another plus is that located is a 1.5kW output socket, which can be used to charge up other electric devices you have brought with you on your travels.
However, the car will also be available in a six-seater Homura Plus or Takumini Plus model. In those versions, there is a six seat lay-out with two so called ‘captain’s chairs’ in the middle row. I haven’t seen that version yet, but it sounds very impressive. The children always want to hide away in the third row, but who sits in the captain’s chairs, granny and grandad?
The cream-coloured seats are simply luxurious. You get 20-inch alloy wheels are standard, as are the power-adjusted front seats which can be heated. That extra was appreciated during the recent cold spell.
I also like the heads-up display on the dash, letting you know what the speed limit is on the road you are travelling and your own speed. A real ‘point-saver.’
With a full charge, Mazda claim that you should get 61km in pure electric mode, but I think around 50km in electric mode is a more realistic figure in Irish driving. Prices start at €61,380. It’s not cheap, but probably not a bad price for a spacious seven-seater.
The car came just a few weeks too late for the recent Irish Car of the Year awards, but expect to hear a lot more about this massive motor in 2025. While we bide our time and wait for a European Union full of electric cars by 2035 you can enjoy the comforts of the plug-in hybrid CX-80.
