The MX-5 sports car is no longer the only rear-wheel-drive Mazda being sold in Europe as the CX-60 has landed on the Old Continent. If you need more space, the British automaker’s branch has announced the three-row CX-80 will launch at some point in 2023 as a larger variant with seven seats. Technical specifications haven’t been revealed yet, but the two SUVs will likely be identical, except for the size difference.
Not only does the CX-60 use an RWD-based platform, it is also the first Mazda to use a new family of petrol and diesel inline-six engines equipped with a plug-in hybrid setup. The CX-80 will likely inherit the powertrains and a choice between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Just like the Miata we mentioned earlier, the midsize SUV has something called Kinematic Posture Control, which reduces body roll by applying brakes to the inner rear wheels during cornering.
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How big will the CX-80 be? Mazda hasn’t said anything yet, but we’ll remind you that the standard two-row CX-60 measures 4,740 millimeters (186.6 inches) in length and has a wheelbase of 2,870 mm (113 inches). In its heaviest configuration, which will be the PHEV, the CX-60 weighs nearly 2,100 kilograms (4,630 pounds). Needless to say, the CX-80 will be slightly heavier due to its extended body to fit the third row seats.
The CX-60 and CX-80 are not coming to North America, but Mazda is planning a model equivalent to the CX-70 and CX-90. The former has been confirmed to receive a 3.3-liter inline-six petrol engine with a different pitch of 280 horsepower and 331 pound-feet (450 Newton-meters) of torque available on the Australian-spec CX-60.
Look for the US-bound CX-70 to debut soon, possibly as 2024MY. The CX-90 will follow at a later date.
