Mazda makes great-looking cars. It used to make great powertrains as well. But then it tried to re-engineer the combustion engine while the rest of the motoring world focused on electric.
That’s a sweeping generalisation of the Japanese firm’s activity over the past decade, but it’s the perception, and frustration, felt by admirers of the brand.
Mazda’s design language has set the brand on a solid footing for nearly two decades. It was initially steered by Dutchman Laurens van den Acker, then brought to full effect by Ikuo Maeda and his Kodo design philosophy.
Think of how striking the Mazda6 was when it came to market in 2013. Or the muscular RX-8. Or the still-gorgeous MX-5. Even the concept versions of the upcoming Mazda6e look great.
So, Mazda has design mastered.
In contrast, its powertrain engineering seems in disarray. It saddled itself with a complex evolutionary redevelopment of the internal combustion engine that it christened Skyactiv. At its core is an exceptionally high compression ratio, which maximises thermal efficiency, extracting more energy from combustion while reducing pumping losses.
To reach this stage, the firm had to redesign virtually every engine component and create new transmissions. It has been incredibly innovative for regular engines, but was gazumped by the move to battery power.
Skyactiv is also far too complex to communicate to most buyers in the showroom, and the end results are far less striking in terms of fuel economy. Even the tagline “Skyactiv” feels like aberrant marketing nonsense. Adding an “e” to the start of it for the plug-in hybrid version doesn’t help.
There’s no question that Mazda has some of the best engine engineers on the planet. They don’t always get it right, but their history of reliability stands them in good stead.
Yet they seem to have been slow to embrace the EV revolution. It backed hydrogen as the fuel of the future, partly because its engine expertise could be applied in its usage far more than simply developing electric motors or battery packs.
Like Toyota, all that investment in hydrogen hasn’t yielded much return, particularly in the mainstream market.
When Mazda bit the bullet and developed an EV, what it offered European buyers was the MX-30, a small car with an even smaller range. We’ve been teased with the great-looking Mazda6e, which promises 550km on a full charge, but that’s unlikely to land on this island until next year.
Both of these traits – smart styling but misguided engineering – are reflected in the CX-80. For a big SUV, it looks impressively smart. Premium brands, with their overworked creases (BMW, we’re looking at you) and awkward front noses (Audi), should study the simple yet stylish lines of this Japanese brand and honour it with imitation.
Inside, the CX-80 is again premium plush. It evokes the sense of a mobile sofa. Being the biggest Mazda in the range at nearly five metres in length, you can get it with seven seats or opt for the more opulent six-seater format, where the middle row gets individual seats.
The comfort levels in the front are exceptional, epitomised by the lounge-chair softness of the front seats. The finish is more old-school than the current trends, from the use of wood to the tendency to retain buttons and a big click-wheel controller for the infotainment screen, which is also a touchscreen. Think luxury executive saloon from circa 2000 rather than cutting-edge EV.
Some will find the format and the infotainment graphics dated, but I suspect many Mazda buyers will appreciate the more conservative approach, again epitomising its approach to the new EV age, steady but restrained.
As you’d expect, there’s plenty of room in the back, even in the third row with the middle row slid forward a touch. Headroom is decent too, and that’s because this is actually a stretched version of the CX-60, where engineers have added an extra 250mm in length and 24mm in height to accommodate that third row of seats.
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All is positive about this car, until we take to the road. In EV mode, it cruises along and can hit just over 50 km on full-battery power, which is close to its 61 km of claimed distance, before the engine is called upon to lend a hand. The 2.5-litre petrol engine (yes, Skyactiv) can be a little gruff for its size, but it’s the way it handles the regular transition between engine and electric that proves most annoying.
A claimed 0–100 km/h time of just 6.8 seconds seems ambitious unless you are in EV mode. And if you do manage it, then it’s going to be accompanied by a lot of engine noise.
So, it’s a cruiser then, except the CX-80 weighs in at 2.2 tonnes and the ride quality isn’t always up for the ruts and bumps of Irish roads. While the car is undoubtedly agile for its size and the steering feel is assured, it’s hard to ignore the wallowing ride.
It’s great to see someone deliver a seven-seat plug-in hybrid at a price point that’s not tipping towards six figures. Consider the comfort levels and the styling, and the CX-80 should do well among family buyers, but it’s up against some SUV heavyweights.
Its main rivals come from Korea in the form of the Hyundai Santa Fe, starting at €66,995, and the Kia Sorento at €63,300. Both boast all the modern touches, spacious, comfortable cabins and, though they sometimes feel a little underpowered, a more refined hybrid transition between engine and electric.
On paper, Mazda’s reticence to embrace EVs as quickly as others seems sensible, given the rocky sales they went through last year.
Yet it has given ground to other Asian rivals, and when it does make the leap, a revival might be tougher going. The CX-80 epitomises the quandary Mazda finds itself in: smart car, nicely designed, but misdirected engineering efforts seem to be coming up short.
Lowdown: Mazda CX-80 Phev Exclusive
Power: 2,488cc petrol engine combined with 129kW electric motor powered from 17.8kWh battery pack and eight-speed auto transmission delivering a total output of 241kW and 500Nm of torque with four-wheel drive
CO2 emissions (annual motor tax): 36g/km (€140).
Fuel consumption: 1.6L/100km (WLTP)
Claimed EV-only range: 61km
0-100km/h: 6.8 secs.
Price: €62,380
Our rating: 3/5
Verdict: Looks great, delivers on comfort but let down by ride quality and hybrid set-up out on the road
