THE Mazda CX-60, which debuts in 2023, is the brand's first SUV with turbocharged inline six engines and a rear-wheel drive bias.
The CX-60, according to company leaders, has been 10 years in the making and represents a "step change for Mazda" and a "technical tour de force" in terms of luxury, performance, handling, and efficiency.
The Mazda CX-60 is a moving work of art with a design aesthetic that embodies peace, tranquility, and harmony between the natural world and people.
The CX-60 enters a crowded market category and faces fierce competition, but it provides something unique that many of its contemporary’s lack: pure style. The CX-60 is a stunning vehicle with smooth, swooping lines that seamlessly blend together.
Styling
The term Jinbai Ittai, which originates from Japanese, denotes a vehicle that has been built entirely with the driver and their interactions with it in mind. This starts as soon as the motorist approaches the car, when they notice the lines that invite them inside by leading them toward the door.
It does look like a BMW X3 somehow.
The contoured margins and commanding front-engine SUV construction are the clearest examples of the KODO design, which unites all the cars in Mazda's current lineup.
- Motoring: Mazda CX-60 2.5 Dynamic work of art
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A new bar-style front grille, a distinctive wing with lighting functionality, and a vertically stacked front lamp design are present up front, along with a sculpted front face and a nearly too long hood.
The 20" alloy wheels are highlighted by the shorter rear silhouette at the back, which together with the 20" alloy wheels give the vehicle a striking image.
Mazda deserves praise for creating a stunningly appealing car that entices you to get behind the wheel. The Jinbai Ittai principle is applicable to both the inside and the exterior, not just the former.
Interior
I really do mean it when I say that the design is driver-focused. The driver is made to feel like the centre of attention throughout the whole driving experience, from the infotainment system's switch gear and screen orientation to the seat's ergonomics and mirror shapes and directions.
All of the contact points are soft-touch and are covered with either high-grade plastics on the doors, leather on the center console, or a soft rubber substance on the dashboard.
However, Mazda has maximised the inside space to such an extent that it is without a doubt the roomiest interior I have seen in a long time.
This is why it receives my vote. Because the CX-60 interior is wide and offers 1,504 mm of shoulder room in the front seats and 1,441 mm in the back seats, the rear occupants may actually extend their legs very far apart without having their shoulders touch.
The boot is considerably bigger, with a huge 570-litre load capacity that rises to 1 148 litres when the back seats are folded flat and 1 726 litres when the car is fully loaded.
Comfort and convenience
As previously indicated, there is plenty of interior space, but the extras Mazda has decided to include make this a nearly ideal family vehicle.
Automatic climate control, simple switch gear, simple controls, and a clutter-free environment and interface guarantee a relaxing and worry-free journey.
High-end instrument displays are available in the driver's cockpit area, including a complete 12-inch TFT-LCD instrument metre display for the driver and a 12.3-inch infotainment center display with Apple Car Play and Android Auto for everyone else.
Due to Mazda's creative placement of sound-deadening materials in key locations throughout the interior, the audio quality from the sound system is unmatched, and ambient and road noise are reduced to a minimum.
Performance
A 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC S-VT (SKYACTIV-G) gasoline engine with i-Stop can be found under the hood. The 8-speed automatic transmission is connected to this. The 141 kW and 261 Nm of torque are produced by the combination, which offers the ideal ratio of power to efficiency.
The torque of the engine and motor is directly transmitted when the torque converter is replaced with a clutch. This results in fast, rhythmic shifting similar to that of a manual transmission, giving the driver a more responsive response.
The CX-60 achieves the ideal combination of dynamic performance with its smooth, snappy, multi-stepping gear changing that offers a wide operating range.
Fuel efficiency
The CX-60, according to Mazda, will deliver 7.3 l/100 km. Others have claimed a combined cycle testing, of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres in a variety of burdened and unladen driving conditions.
Safety
On Euro NCAP, Mazda received a thunderous 5 stars. With remarkable scores of 89% in the protection of vulnerable road users and 91% and 88% in the areas of child and adult occupancy, respectively.
Additional mandatory active safety features include an ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, a Traction Control System, an Emergency Stop Signaling System, Hill Hold Assist, and Auto Headlights.
My Decision
The CX-60 is in the firing line for everything from the high-grade Mazda CX-5, Kia Sportage, and Volkswagen Tiguan models to the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Lexus NX.
It is in good company and delivers more than some of its competition with its Jinbai Ittai KODO design language, luring drivers to get out and take a drive.
Driving this car should be a unique experience. The CX-60 does face fierce competition in this market, and with dwindling brand equity, it is possible that the brand has lost some clients to the competition. They will undoubtedly gain back a few clients if they can persuade those people to try the CX-60 because it is that amazing.-andrew@muzamhindo.com.
