the ultimate Mazda happiness can be found in Belgium

It is a shame that the diesel engine is seen in such a bad light in the Netherlands, even though it is cleaner, more economical and more powerful than ever. Our ultimate moment of happiness in the new one Mazda We experience the CX-80 with a wonderful 3.3-liter six-in-line diesel engine (254 hp, mild hybrid).

That powerful diesel with its sublime pulling power (550 Nm from 1500 rpm) is ideal for mileage eaters and caravan tractors. He does not have to make an excessive effort to get the car, weighing almost 2,200 kilos, moving and yet it only consumes 5.7 liters of diesel. Moreover, such a six-cylinder sounds as if it was made for eternity, although it is still a bit raw when started from cold.

Belgians can simply buy this version, but Mazda does not dare to do so in the Netherlands. If we just calculate what the quarterly road tax rate is, we understand that decision. In the province of Utrecht you would pay 783 euros…

Mazda CX-80 seven seats

The Mazda CX-80 plug-in hybrid is for sale in the Netherlands. It participates in a trend that started in mid-2024: big seven-seaters with a plug. Kia recently facelifted the Sorento and elsewhere in this issue we test the Hyundai Santa Fe. Earlier this year we drove the Peugeot 5008 and Volkswagen has the Tayron unveiled, although it will not come onto the market until later in 2025.

Visually, the Mazda CX-80 is little more than a large CX-60 and technically there is little new under the sun. Both models share just about everything there is to share: the drivetrain (PHEV) and the chassis are the same.

Yet the CX-80 is quite a bit longer; it saves 25 centimeters. The wheelbase is also 25 centimeters longer. Its added value is the extra rear seat, which allows it to transport seven people.

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Savings

It wasn’t love at first sight between the plug-in hybrid powertrain and Mazda. During the first test drives with the CX-60 in 2022, the electric motor and combustion engine reacted to each other like an exhausted couple with a forty-year marriage of convenience. It was trial and error, hiccups and jerks.

Furthermore, the tuning of the chassis was very sturdy. Mazda admits that the CX-60 was launched in too much haste. Later versions of the CX-60 have already been modified. In the CX-80, with the same chassis and the same drivetrain, it has to be done right the first time. Mazda took a closer look at the tuning of the suspension and damping, which is somewhat softer than on the CX-60.

Mazda CX-80 range

The powertrain is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 191 hp, which works together with a 175 hp electric motor. In total they deliver 327 hp and are good for a torque of 500 Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission transmits power to all four wheels. You can travel 60 kilometers purely on the electric motor – nowadays you don’t really make an impression with that anymore. The 17.8 kWh battery is therefore modest.

Really spacious

Mazda often goes its own way and does not follow all fashion trends. The CX-80’s dashboard is not packed with huge screens and soothing or exciting color strips that match your mood. There’s no need for all that distraction, says Mazda, and we nod in agreement. Operation via real buttons in the CX-80 is logical and fast. But the design of the dashboard, with a relatively small screen on top of the dashboard, is starting to go a little out of fashion.

Before we start driving, we clamber into the back row of seats. Usually it is not a party for tall people there and at most a toddler can sit comfortably. But in the CX-80, the headroom in particular is excellent and the legroom is also not too bad if the people in the second row are a bit accommodating. Someone of 1.70 meters sits comfortably in the back and also has their own cup holders and climate control. In the second row of seats you can replace the sofa with two captain’s chairs.

At the touch of a button

While driving we quickly come into contact with well-known Mazda virtues. Mazda calls its philosophy Jinba Ittai: rider and horse become one. Those Japanese tidbits of wisdom can usually scare us, but they still apply in the CX-80. You are really well integrated into the car, with a good position in relation to the steering wheel and pedals and a nice seating position thanks to the very comfortable seats.

The correct tuning has been found for the chassis; not too soft, not too tight. Just right. Also very nice in the era of mandatory warning beeps if you slightly exceed the speed limit: you can silence them with one press of a button to the left of the steering wheel.

The plug-in hybrid drivetrain has been significantly improved, the four-cylinder petrol engine with 191 hp and the 175 hp electric motor seem to have undergone relationship therapy. Yet you notice the scars of the past, the petrol engine still comes into play rather abruptly at times. And when the battery is empty and the electric motor is idle, you notice that a lot of work is going on under the hood. Not surprising, because the CX-80 PHEV weighs 2130 kilos. According to Mazda, purely on the petrol engine you will achieve a consumption of 1 in 12.3, but our route is too short to test that.

Mazda CX-80 trailer

The CX-80 costs at least 63,090 euros, the smaller CX-60 costs 55,290 euros. There is good news for caravan drivers. The CX-80 can tow a trailer of 2,500 kilos and has the new Trailer Hitch View function. This allows you to connect the trailer behind the car without the help of other people.

This works as follows: lines are projected on the large display via the reversing camera that run from the towbar to the center of the trailer, making it easier to position the car in relation to the trailer. This way you can place the tow bar just millimeters from the trailer and connect the tow hut without excessive effort.