Mazda CX-60 Review (2025)

Introduction

Mazda may have the reputation of a middling brand, but it aspires to be considered among the premium manufacturers.

In terms of the quality of its cars, it may have a point that it deserves to be in contention.

Most of its models look good, have well-refined engines, lovely interiors and handle well.

Unlike many other automakers, though, Mazda does things differently.

It still offers unusually big engines, given that anything above 2.0 litres and four cylinders is becoming increasingly rare, and it still uses diesel engines at a time when many manufacturers are shying away from them.

Although its mid-size SUV, the CX-60, has only been around since 2022, it's already the winner of several awards, including several ‘Best Large SUV’ accolades.

Speaking of size, it was the biggest Mazda car offered in the UK until very recently, when the newly launched CX-80 took that title.

Alongside the launch of the new bigger sibling, the CX-60 has had a makeover. It offers a revised suspension setup that Mazda claims will offer better handling while also improving ride comfort.

Equipment and trim levels have been revised, along with some interior tweaks, although the powertrains remain the same.

So, is this revised recipe any good? We have taken a CX-60 for a test drive to find out.

At A Glance

Mazdas of old looked rather modest and inoffensive.

While the CX-60 doesn’t feature sprawling angles and aggressive, chiselled lines, it certainly looks a touch more menacing.

There is a large front grille, bordered by a thick chrome surround which extends out at the sides where it meets the headlights, while beneath that, you'll find a couple of sculpted cutouts with some thin air intake slits.

There is a small lower grille towards the bottom, too.

These air intakes are larger and have a more assertive shape on the two higher trims, while the lower grille is wider, and the front splitter is shaded in the car’s body colour, whereas it’s dark grey cladding on the entry-level model.

Similarly, at the sides, the cladding extends around the car's extremities, including the wheel arches on the entry-level version, again shaded with the car’s main body colour on higher trims for a sleeker, sportier appearance.

A crease runs horizontally above the doors' cladding, while more lines help define the wheel arches. A slight slope in the roofline becomes apparent, too.

The rear lacks the character of the front end, although the shapely taillights extend onto the tailgate, and there's a moustache-shaped indentation housing the number plate.

The dual tailpipes have a half-hearted division on all models to offer the look of quad exhausts.

The updated Mazda model looks sophisticated but not ostentatious. It is a happy middle ground that's athletic enough without losing classiness.

Key Features

Three trim levels are offered on the CX-60, all of which are well-equipped.

The entry-level Exclusive Line has 18-inch alloys, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, and a DAB radio. It includes front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, too.

You also get a head-up display, leather upholstery, a heated leather steering wheel, a start/stop button, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights and taillights, rain-sensing wipers and a powered tailgate.

Mid-range Homura gets 20-inch black alloys, piano black door mirrors, electrically adjustable seats, exterior body-coloured cladding and a feature called the Mazda Driver Personalisation System, which we’ll cover later.

Also included are heated front and rear outer seats with front seat ventilation and a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system.

The top-spec Takumi trim adds white Nappa Leather, white maple wood interior décor, and chrome exterior accents.

There are three options for power - and the choice will raise eyebrows.

While most manufacturers have dropped diesel engines, two powertrains are diesel.

And, while many automakers have kicked big engines aside, Mazda hasn’t.

The e-SkyActiv D mild-hybrid (MHEV) is available in two forms: one with rear-wheel drive and the other with all-wheel drive. Its 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesel unit produces 200 and 254PS, respectively.

The CX-60 was the first Mazda to be offered as a plug-in hybrid, and the same offering is made in this facelifted version.

Called E-SkyActiv PHEV, it combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, and all-wheel drive.

All powertrains come equipped with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The only restriction is that the lower-powered diesel, producing 200PS, is only available with the entry-level trim, with higher grades limiting you to the choice of the 254PS diesel or the PHEV powertrain.

Range & Batteries

The CX-60 PHEV has a 17.8kWh battery.

That is good enough for a 39-mile all-electric range, but it’s just under the 40-mile range, which, as we'll explain later, makes it more expensive as a company car.

Anything above 30 miles is about what you should achieve in practice.

Performance & Drive

We are focusing on the 254PS diesel in Homura trim, with a lovely rhodium white exterior body, Mazda’s newest signature colour.

We also had a brief opportunity to check out the entry-level 200PS diesel, which can go from 0 to 62mph in 8.4 seconds, which isn’t bad for a fairly hefty SUV.

But, if you're happy to lease a 3.3-litre engined car, you'll no doubt expect more than 200PS under the bonnet.

In that respect, the 254PS version we’re focusing on might be more suitable, with the 0-62mph time dropping to 7.4 seconds.

However, if performance is the goal, the PHEV will drop that even further to an impressive 5.8 seconds.

All the powertrains, though, feel like they’ve got plenty of poke.

The 200PS version seems lacking on paper, but it accelerates well enough to be an adequate choice for most. And it’s the one we’d recommend on balance - especially as it doesn’t struggle for pulling power despite not having all-wheel drive.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with the 254PS we’re testing, which offers a little bit of extra performance in exchange for a slight, but not significant, drop in fuel economy.

It is punchy and untroubled, and the engine never feels under strain. The mild-hybrid system takes some of the effort to move the CX-60 along, so in that sense, you always feel like there's plenty of power in reserve.

This is why we think the 200PS is the better option - not because it's superior, but because the 254PS version is simply overkill for most people's needs.

The PHEV may offer the best performance and lowest running costs, but it can be more raucous, and it works harder than the larger diesels. As such, the diesels sound more refined, even if they’re a little rattly at low revs.

The same applies to the eight-speed automatic gearbox. It is well-refined in the diesels but lacks smoothness and generates quite a lot of noise from the electric motor in the PHEV.

It is fine in terms of handling but not as good as the premium brands, which can achieve the difficult feat of maximising ride comfort and handling.

Most manufacturers have to effectively choose between one or the other.

The CX-60 offers plenty of grip and a keen turn-in, while body lean is surprisingly well controlled.

But push things a little harder, and this is quickly replaced by plenty of understeer and body roll around faster bends. The steering isn't as responsive as the higher-end rivals that Mazda is hoping to unseat, either.

Perhaps we're being harsh, as the CX-60 copes just fine, given its size.

However, the trade-off is quite a hard ride. It is not uncomfortable, and, for most people, this won't be a deal-breaker, but many of its lower-end rivals offer more absorption from potholes and lumps in the road.

The Mazda often feels unsettled and a tad nervous, even when driving along smooth motorways at 70mph. There is quite a bit of road noise, too.

Charging

If you choose the PHEV, a full 0-100% top-up takes two hours and twenty minutes using a 7.4kW home wall box.

Sticking with a standard domestic three-pin plug will take under eight hours.

Running Costs & Emissions

The entry-level 200PS diesel returns 55.4mpg and emits 132g/km of CO2, which is excellent for a 3.3-litre engine.

Even better, it’s still fairly economical with the higher-powered 254PS engine with all-wheel drive, which manages 52.3mpg and emits 139g/km of CO2.

Of course, the PHEV comprehensively beats these figures, managing a claimed 201mpg and emitting just 32g/km of CO2.

The latter is a no-brainer if you want a company car, but because it just fails to reach a 40-mile all-electric range, it’s pushed from the 8% to the 12% Benefit In Kind tax band - and some of its competitors are in the 8% band.

As a manufacturer, Mazda is comfortably in the top half of most reliability and customer satisfaction surveys. However, the CX-60 is still too new to know how it will perform.

Interior & Technology

In line with its ambitions to be considered among the premium brands, the interior of the CX-60 looks sophisticated and classy.

Plenty of soft materials are used, while the entire dash is bathed in silver trim, which thickens at the sides around the outer air vents before making its way to the doors.

The centre console is wide, too. The lower two trims feature carbon fibre patterns, which are replaced by maple wood on the top-of-the-range Takumi trim.

Our black Nappa leather is lovely, although again, the Takumi trim gets special treatment, featuring white Nappa leather, adding an additional touch of sophistication.

The chunky steering wheel features a larger silver double spoke at the bottom, like a modern Mercedes, while more silver trim outlines the piano black buttons on the two horizontal spokes.

The dashboard is divided into two sections, and between them, there's a gap into which the infotainment system slots, leaving the screen to peer over the top.

The infotainment system itself is nice to use. It offers sharp, clear graphics, a user-friendly menu layout, and is fairly responsive.

Several things add to the convenience. Firstly, although the touchscreen doesn't work when on the move, that's a safety feature. Instead, you use a very handy rotary dial, which makes things much easier to adjust on the move.

While the system isn’t entirely on par with BMW, which continues to provide class-leading infotainment, it's not all that far behind.

Secondly, Mazda has retained physical controls for the climate control and heated seats, which are beneath rather than part of the infotainment system.

The 12.3-inch digital driver display offers crisp graphics and valuable information, although the layout depends on which driving mode you're using rather than being configurable to your preferences.

Overall, it’s a lovely cabin design, which we’ve come to expect from Mazda in recent years.

Practicality & Boot Space

Finding a comfortable driving position in the Mazda CX-60 is very easy indeed - easier still if you avoid the entry-level Exclusive-Line trim.

The mid-range and top trims include a feature called the Mazda Driver Personalisation System. Once you've set it up, it uses facial recognition technology to automatically position your seat and steering wheel in the right place.

Thankfully, that’s a good omen for the convenience that’s to come.

The driving position is reasonably high, about what we'd expect for a mid-size SUV, and offers a good view of the road ahead.

The front pillars are reasonably unobtrusive, helping with forward visibility. Unfortunately, the tapering shape of the rear windows, which end in a point, makes the rear pillar especially thick in places, hampering over-the-shoulder views. The side supports of the roof spoiler make this worse.

The good news is that all models have front and rear parking sensors as well as a rear-view camera, which mitigate the problem.

There is plenty of headroom and legroom in the front seats, while the wide centre console positions two front seat occupants far enough apart to prevent banging shoulders.

The rear is less generous, as there’s a slight slope in the roofline, but it’s not as bad as it looks from the outside of the car, as the top of the windows slope down more aggressively than the actual roof does.

Even if you're very tall, there shouldn't be an issue here, although we'd check before committing to a panoramic roof, which is an optional extra.

Two adults in the back is doable, although three will be a squeeze. There should be enough legroom unless you've got tall occupants in the front and back, one in front of the other.

Three kids in the back will be fine - especially if the middle seat is occupied by someone who won’t be tall enough to reach the floor, given there’s a hump which older kids and adults will have to fit between their feet.

The back seats recline but don't slide forward or backwards.

The boot space is 570 litres, expanding to an impressive 1,726 litres with the back seats folded down in a convenient and versatile 40:20:40 split.

There is also no boot lip, which makes storing and removing heavier or larger items easier. The boot's capacity is squared off, making it very usable and accessible.

The cabin offers more storage, too, including a generously sized glove compartment, cupholders, and a centre console cubby.

You will also find a tray for your phone, although a wireless charger costs extra.

Safety

The CX-60 earned a five-star rating from Euro NCAP, scoring 88% for adults, 91% for children and 71% for safety assists.

All cars have automatic emergency braking, driver attention alert, pre-crash safety, a tyre pressure monitoring system, cruise control, traffic sign recognition, as well as a lane departure warning with lane-keep assist.

You also get blind spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert and blind spot assist, as well as front and rear parking sensors.

If you avoid the entry-level model, you get driver monitoring and a reversing camera.

Options

If you're looking to spend a bit more money on your CX-60, there are several alternative body colours to our default rhodium white, including silver, quartz, dark blue, black, dark grey, and red.

Those choosing the Exclusive-Line model can upgrade to 20-inch alloys, although higher trims can’t downgrade.

You can also add heated front and rear seats in the entry-level car.

A Comfort pack, which adds the larger wheels and seat upgrades, can also be chosen. It will add power adjustment to the front seats in the Exclusive-Line trim, too.

The Convenience and Driver Assistance pack adds a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charger, adaptive LED headlights, and additional safety features.

There are also many accessories, including tyre valve caps, locking wheel nuts, tyre pressure sensors, key fobs, and door illuminations, plus roof racks, roof boxes, boot nets, mats, and door sill protectors.

Rival Cars

There are plenty of rivals to the CX-60.

If you're looking at leasing alternative plug-in hybrids, the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus NX, Mercedes GLC, and Volvo XC60 are worth considering.

All of them are more expensive, though - some by a big margin.

Even the Honda CR-V costs more than the CX-60 in PHEV form, although the Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and Toyota C-HR are cheaper than the Mazda.

Similarly priced competition comes in the form of the Toyota RAV4.

Verdict & Next Steps

Overall, the Mazda CX-60 puts up a good fight.

It has a sophisticated interior, decent and economical powertrains, and relatively tidy handling. The CX-60 is also cheaper than the premium brand competition despite ticking plenty of the boxes that the upper end of the market would expect.

The Mazda is reasonably practical, too, even if some foes can offer superior cabin space.

However, it can't compete with the best in the business regarding ride comfort, which is the car's main downside.

The plug-in hybrid isn’t as attractive as the diesels, either.

There is little to choose between them. We liked the 254PS engine a lot, but, on balance, the cheaper 200PS variant still offers decent enough performance, although the 254PS version’s fuel economy isn’t much worse.

We would opt for the base model, Exclusive-Line, which is generously equipped and has smaller 18-inch wheels, which will offset some of the car’s harshness.

The CX-60 is classier and more sophisticated than many of its middle-of-the-road challengers. While it's not as refined as the competition at the upper end of the market, it makes a very good case for itself without breaking the bank

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Mazda CX-60.

**Correct as of 20/03/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 24 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,456.10 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.