Mazda refreshes its range with a number of new models. Later this year, the crossover portfolio will be expanded to include the CX-80, a three-row version of the CX-60 crossover that our spy photographers saw in public testing with a full-body camouflage wrap.
While the covers hide the design details, the camouflage can’t hide the CX-60’s similar style. The CX-80 should have a big, simple grille, thin headlights and a stylish back.
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We expect the similarities will carry over to the interior, with the CX-80 likely sporting 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and infotainment display, as well as wood trim. We doubt it will have a different layout.
Another sharing is said to be under the hood, with the CX-80 inheriting the CX-60’s powertrain range. The smaller crossover was launched with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine that combined an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. The setup is good for 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and allows for up to 42 miles of pure electric driving.
Mazda should also offer non-hybrid engine options. The CX-80 could feature the 3.0-liter inline-six engine and 3.3-liter inline-six diesel, which the company says will produce up to 251 hp and 404 lb-ft of torque. The automaker is also likely to offer a plug-in hybrid variant, although the powertrain range will likely depend on the market.
The CX-80 looks quite similar to its smaller brother; However, a closer look reveals some of the design changes required on the larger model to accommodate the extra row of seats. There is more sheet metal behind the crossover’s rear doors, most prominently visible around the fuel filler flap. The test vehicle also features unique rear quarter windows that are much larger than the CX-60’s glass.
Mazda hasn’t set an official debut date for the new CX-80, but has confirmed it will be phased out in Europe before the end of the year. The company will sell it in other markets, including Japan. It’s unclear if it will make it to the US, however, as the automaker launched the similar three-row CX-90 here earlier this year. The big crossover will be followed by a smaller CX-70, which is scheduled to debut in the US before the end of 2023 with just two rows of seats.
