The Mazda CX-80 is a six or seven-seat version of the CX-60, which is the five-seat SUV that has slightly smaller in dimensions than the CX-70/CX-90 large SUVs in the Mazda model lineup. Australia is the only country in the world to have all four of these large SUVs available to purchase.
The CX-80 is available with either an inline six-cylinder diesel or petrol engine or this 2.5 litre in-line four-cylinder petrol with plug-in hybrid. This Melting Copper metallic CX-80 P50E is the top-of-the-line spec, Azami version and it gets extra kit including 20-inch alloy wheels, front bumper with bar type grille LED headlamps with bright signature, bright “PHEV” side signature, black Nappa leather, ventilated seats (front), frameless interior mirror, and a Personalise system with Easy Entry and Driving position guide.
The PHEV engine starts quietly in EV mode allowing you to leave the house without disturbing anyone. The engine produces 241kW of power and 500Nm of torque and is capable of towing up to 2,500kg using a braked trailer with a maximum tow-ball download of 150kg. The official combined fuel use for this CX-80 is 2.7L/100km and for my week I used 4.2L/100km. The drive modes available include Sport, Normal, and Off-road and the i-Activ AWD in the CX-80 also has downhill decent control.
The charge port is located on the passenger side at the rear of the vehicle and the green light illuminates when charging is in progress. The CX-80 has a Type 2 charge port for AC charging only with a maximum charging rate of 7.2kW, with the approximate charging time at the maximum rate (from 20% to 80% charge) being 90 minutes. I used the AC charging cable for at home charging and this is enough to allow me to top up the battery over night ready for the next day. When battery was fully charged it indicated 53km of EV range on the trip computer, but in reality, I think it was less than that.
When driving in EV mode I found that the gear changes in the 8-speed automatic transmission were rough, with the gearbox ‘hunting’, and this was something I really noticed on the down changes. The CX-80 was also sluggish out of intersections in EV mode even when I had my foot flat on the accelerator and then when the internal combustion engine did kick in, it was aggressive. The CX-80 PHEV also needs better damping in the rear, something that is noticeable when sitting in the back two rows.
When the battery ran out and the CX-80 switched to the internal combustion engine (ICE) the changeover was jerky. On one occasion I was driving up a hill in EV mode and it cancelled, I think it ran out of battery, but what happened next was a little scary. Even though I had my foot flat on the accelerator the vehicle dropped speed by about 10km/h and then the ICE kicked in aggressively and I then was able to accelerate back to the speed limit.
On the interior, particularly in this Azami spec the CX-80 it is rather lux. To start with you get keyless entry on both front doors and keyless start, so the key fob can remain in your handbag at all times. The driver’s dash is a 12.3” configurable digital display and you also get head-up display, powered adjustment for the steering column with memory, and a heated steering wheel.
It took multiple attempts to for me to connect my phone via Bluetooth to CX-80, but when it did finally connect the wireless Android Auto worked well me and wireless Apple CarPlay is also available. The 12.3” infotainment screen can be used as a touchscreen, but you need to set this up under one of the menu options or you can use the rotary controller, but I did find this was a bit clunky at times. You can also use voice control, which is activated by pressing the button on the steering wheel with the masculine looking silhouette on it. This functionality worked well for me for making phone calls, changing the radio station and setting a destination on the sat nav.
The premium Bose amplifier and 12 speakers is an excellent stereo system and the media sources available are AM/FM radio, DAB+, Bluetooth, USB1, USB2 for both audio and video, and smartphone. There are two USB-C ports under split folding arm rest and there’s a shallow cubby under here for your phone, wallet or purse. At the front of centre console there is a wireless charge pad for compatible devices and one 12V socket.
Both front seats have power adjustment for recline, forward/back, and seat height front and rear with the driver’s seat also having two-way lumber support and two memory positions. They are also heated and cooled and I found that the cooled function worked adequately, but was noisy when operating. In addition to the two cup holders in the centre console there is also a large drink bottle cubby in the front doors.
I don’t like the side air vents in these CX Mazdas as they stick out too far and I have bumped my knee on them on multiple occasions. In the CX-80 I also found that the air vent above the glove box couldn’t be closed off and it was blowing cold air on my knees even when I had the climate control setting on ‘Feet’ only mode.
The wide opening rear doors give clear access to the rear seats, which in the second row have a 60:40 split and can be manually reclined or moved forward and back. For me there was a good amount of head and leg room in the second-row seats, but my knees felt like they were up a little high. The outer seats are heated and the centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two cup holders in the front of it. The second row has two ISOfix/three rear tether child seat restraint points.
Features in the second row include digital rear climate controls for temperature, mode, and air speed and these can also be adjusted from the front of the vehicle. Rear passengers get two central air vents with individual direction control and one central on/off switch and two USB-C ports below the air vents. There are manual blinds on the windows and two large drink bottle cubbies in each of the rear doors, but no mat over the transmission tunnel, only on the floors.
To access the third row you manually slide the second row seat forward while pressing the button on the side of the second row seat. The third-row seats have rear tether child seat restraint points only and when I sat in the seats my knees were up high, so they’re not great for adults to sit back there. There are two rigid drink holders in each of the wheel arches, one USB-C port on each side, an air vent on each side that can be closed off, and it has mats on third row floor. To exit the third row, you use the latch on the shoulder of the second-row seat and push it forward.
The CX-80 GT and Azami grades have a gesture open and close boot or can be opened/closed from the tailgate, key fob, and in the cabin. With the third-row seats up there is enough room in the boot for a small shop or school bags and with the third-row seats down the boot space is large enough for a weekly shop and a pram. The third-row seats have a 50:50 split fold and are manually raised and lowered using the strap on the back of the seats.
The boot space has one 220V/1500W plug, a 220V/150W plug and a 12V plug for powering various devices. There are also four substantial tie down points, one light, clips to hold back the third-row seats belts when not in use and I really like that the cargo cover can be stowed under the boot floor when in use and there’s a tyre repair kit under there also.
All variants of the Mazda CX-80 range have a 5-star ANCAP (2024) safety rating with an Adult Occupant Protection score of 92% and a Child Occupant Protection score of 87%. Dual frontal, side chest (1st & 2nd row), side head (1st, 2nd & 3rd row), and driver knee airbag are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.
The Mazda CX-80 is fitted with an autonomous emergency braking system capable of functioning at highway speeds, and a lane support system (LSS) with lane keep assist (LKA) and emergency lane keeping (ELK) functionality. A blind spot monitoring (BSM) system is also standard. ANCAP tests of the AEB (Car-to-Car) system showed GOOD performance with collisions avoided or mitigated in most test scenarios, including in AEB Junction and some of the AEB Crossing scenarios (where the test vehicle can autonomously brake to avoid crashes when crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle). ANCAP tests of the AEB Head On system functionality also showed GOOD performance and of lane support system functionality showed GOOD performance, including in the more critical emergency lane keeping test scenarios. The overall ANCAP safety assist score of the CX-80 is 83%.
For convenience you also get Adaptive LED Headlights with High Beam Control and rain sensing wipers and I like that there is a light on the stalk to indicate when you are in auto wiper mode. The CX-80 Azami has a standard rear-view camera as well as a 360° View Monitor with see through view and front and rear parking sensors.
All new Mazda vehicles are backed by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty plus five year’s Mazda Premium Roadside Assistance. The plug-in hybrid CX-80’s service intervals are every 15,000 km but no longer than 12 months, whichever comes first and the cost for the first five basic services on the CX-80 P50E is estimated to be $2,686 according to Mazda Australia’s website.
The Mazda CX-80 P50E Azami AWD starts at $87,450 excluding on-road costs and as tested with the Melting Copper Metallic Premium Paint ($995) this CX-80 costs $88,445 plus on-roads. You can Build & Price your Mazda CX-80 online or visit your preferred Mazda dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Battery charged overnight to 100% | The powertrain issues |
| The Bose stereo | Took multiple attempts to connect to Bluetooth |
| Wide opening rear doors | The design of the outer front air vents |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.