Mazda CX-80 Review 2025

Demand for SUVs continues to rise unabated with successful manufacturers offering a suite of them in a variety of sizes. One of the latest to arrive has ignored the electric SUV trend by only featuring a choice between plug-in hybrid petrol and mild hybrid diesel. Find out how wise that is with our comprehensive Mazda CX-80 review.

Mazda’s design studio has been on something of a roll for a good while now, with one striking, pretty — or both — car after another arriving in the latest painstakingly complex paint finish.

Alas sharing the somewhat inelegant lines of its Mazda CX-60 sibling, the larger CX-80 is neither. With its MX-30 and CX-5, Mazda is one of the very few companies to have demonstrated that good-looking SUVs are no pipe dream. Why did it stop there?

Style would have been a useful ally against an array of capable seven-seater alternatives to the Mazda CX-80, not least from the latest iteration of the Hyundai Santa Fe. That it looks to be modelled upon a couple of different-sized Lego blocks stuck together should be downside for the Hyundai yet it looks far more interesting than its close cousin, the Kia Sorento.

Other familiar names the Mazda will have to contend with include the recently redesigned Peugeot 5008, which is effectively an MPV by stealth given its interior flexibility and the latest incarnation of the popular Skoda Kodiaq.

At either ends of the price spectrum are the good value Nissan X-Trail and Mercedes GLB, a model that’s priced close to the CX-80 despite being a fair bit smaller, inside and out.

Mazda offers five trim levels across the CX-80 range, each available with both choices of motive power. Whether you choose the 327PS petrol plug-in hybrid or the 254PS diesel mild hybrid an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard.

Up to 37 miles can be driven in the PHEV with the engine off which courtesy of its low taxation banding will appeal more to company car drivers. For those paying for their own fuel — or who value a more serene driving experience — stick to the diesel which is more economical in the real world.

Although seven adult-sized seats are standard on all CX-80s, the rearmost row remains better-suited to those of a petite stature regardless of age. Usefully, the middle-row seats can be slid to and fro to maximise comfort, while pricier versions of the Mazda can have two individual seats in the second row in place of the three-seater bench.

In all the Mazda CX-80 is a likeable machine with a good deal going for it in an increasingly competitive arena. It’s high on practicality, quality and versatility, and sensibly priced.

The Mazda CX-80 is extremely closely related to the company’s smaller, five-seat CX-60. And we mention this because the only real blot on the latter’s landscape is  a ride quality slightly more fidgety than a capuchin monkey that’s happened upon a bag of Haribo.

Mazda has attempted to rectify this near ruination of an otherwise rather good car by tinkering extensively with the rear suspension the CX-80 has inherited from its smaller sibling.

The rear anti-roll bar has gone and the springs softened and lengthened to try and smooth proceedings. The front suspension has been less aggressively tweaked just to make the car a little lest abrupt in its reaction to steering inputs.

We drove a Takumi trim level car, which rides on 20-inch alloys — the smallest wheels available are the 18-inch offerings that accompany the entry-level Exclusive-Line car.

On the smoothest of roads that can make a shopping trolley ride like a blob of mercury on a mirror it’s no surprise to report that the Mazda CX-80 floats along pretty nicely — and quietly.

Like any car of this size, it’s more at home cruising mile after mile down a major A-road than twisting itself into knots on challenging B-roads. Body control is good and doesn’t allow for too much roll through the bends, the thinnish-rimmed steering wheel is a delight to wield and has a respectable dose of feel, while grip levels are surprisingly high.

All of which makes the Mazda CX-80 a gently satisfying car to drive.

As to our concerns over ride quality, we took to somewhat maliciously driving down any road imperfections we could find to deliberately unsettle the Mazda. Though larger road imperfections and potholes did elicit sharp impacts and the occasional bout of fussiness — small bumps at low speed are not well-absorbed — it does seem a considerable improvement on that of the CX-60.

We cannot comment in absolute terms without driving the CX-80 on archetypal, poor condition UK roads.

There are two drive systems on offer for the Mazda CX-80 — a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) petrol unit and a mild hybrid diesel. Both feature an eight-speed automatic gearbox and send drive to all four wheels.

The PHEV combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 175PS electric motor and a 17.8kW lithium-ion battery, giving a total system power of 327PS. There’s 500Nm of torque on offer, with the electric motor providing a large dollop of that instantly. The result is a 0-62mph time of 6.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 122mph.

This combination may offer plenty of oomph but transitions between electric and petrol engine aren’t always that refined — the CX-80 can get somewhat jerky if you call for lots of go in Normal driving mode and the electric motor does whine a tad.

The 3.3-litre straight-six diesel features a 48-volt mild hybrid system and delivers 254PS. Thus armed it’ll despatch the 0-62mph dash in 8.4 seconds and thump on to 135mph. Though the PHEV is quicker we prefer the big diesel.

It’s more responsive than the former and doesn’t get a raucous as the petrol engine when extra urgency is requested. With 550Nm of torque on tap progress is effortless without ever feeling strained.

Performance is boosted by the 48v mild hybrid system that doesn’t allow you to drive so much as an inch under all-electric power but does lob an extra 153Nm into the equation for a short bursts of time.

What this equates to when you’re out and about is an engine that will schmooze you about in an entirely serene, under-stressed fashion until you call for some overtaking zeal. Then it effortlessly delivers great gouts of torque, most noticeably in the 30-50mph range, for proper overtaking punch when required.

What’s not to like? At idle the big diesel does clatter like a tug boat plying upstream against a dropping tide. And Mazda’s smart system for shutting off the diesel engine when coasting isn’t actually that smart at slower speeds.

Ask for sudden acceleration from the snoozing diesel while pottering in an urban environment and there’s a perceptible sense of slowing from the system before the engine fires up to deliver the goods. A distinct feeling of braking when you’ve just asked for throttle doesn’t inspire confidence.

At cruising speeds everything settles down nicely. And if the smooth, unflustered delivery of plentiful torque on demand from a patently relaxed powerplant is today deemed old-fashioned, who cares?

Both versions have a switchable selection of driving modes. Normal is where you’ll tend to keep it almost all the time, while Sport sharpens accelerator responses and holds onto gears longer before up-changes.

Off-road manages wheelspin on greasy roads and tricky surfaces and Towing meters-out power to cope with the weight of the trailer. Only on the PHEV is an EV mode which locks the petrol engine out, leaving the electric motor in charge until the battery is flat.

Which would you rather drive with? A diminutive powerplant that only returns its quoted mpg figures if you never, ever touch the throttle, but drinks like Oliver Reed on a chat show if you do or a bigger, more laid-back engine that gives you all the performance you’ll ask of it without ever getting shouty?

When crash-tested by the experts at Euro NCAP in 2024 the Mazda CX-80 was rated as a five-star car, with additional comment that this is one of the most safe SUVs on sale.

Mazda has introduced some new safety features with the CX-80, such as head-on collision mitigation as part of an upgraded Smart Brake Support system, Cruising and Traffic Support, which can take action if the driver becomes unresponsive plus Emergency Lane keep with new Head-on Traffic Avoidance Assist.

Every trim level includes blind-spot monitoring, emergency lane-keep assistance and lane-departure warning, as well as traffic sign recognition. Homura Plus and Takumi Plus add adaptive cruise control and an excellent 360-degree camera which incorporates both Trailer Hitch View and See-Through View.

All Mazda CX-80s boast an impressive 2500kg maximum braked towing capacity allied to a dedicated Towing Drive mode which takes the additional weight of a trailer into account.

Usefully there’s a Trailer Hitch View built into the optional 360-degree camera system to make it easier to attach a trailer on your own.

The Mazda CX-80’s front seats are electrically adjustable in all but entry-level trim and are terrifically comfortable with a first class driving position. That rotary dial-controlled infotainment system’s easy and totally intuitive to use, plus there’s a panel of proper buttons beneath it for the single prod adjustment of the air-conditioning and seat heating. Terrific.

The standard second row seating layout is a 60:40 split/folding bench that can be slid back and forth over a range of 120mm and has reclining seatbacks. Higher trim levels give you the option of two captain’s chairs in this row — also sliding and reclining, with either a walk through space between them, or a console with extra storage and cupholders.

Thanks to a 250mm increase in wheelbase length over the Mazda CX-60 upon which the CX-80’s heavily based, there’s plenty of space here, added to which there’s a second set of air-conditioning controls and a pair of USB-C ports for charging devices.

The rear doors — equipped with integrated sun blinds — are large, creating generous openings that allow for easy access to the third row of seats. Be warned that they may pose difficulties opening sufficiently wide in tight car parking spaces.

The second row’s sliding base makes it possible to juggle legroom carefully enough to accommodate six-footers in the third row where there’s a whiff more space here than in a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento.

The footwells are a touch shallow so there’s little chance of any intimacy between larger occupants’ thighs and the seat base back there — only children will remain entirely comfortable over a long haul. Separate air vents, cupholders and USB-C ports are also provided for those right in the back.

With all three seating tiers in place, luggage capacity is a somewhat modest 258 litres but that grows to 687 litres with the tug of two straps on the rearmost seatbacks which fold into the floor.

Fold down the second row seats and the volume of space increases to a van-like 1971 litres if you cram the loadspace to the ceiling.

The build quality in the cabin is creak-free and pretty faultless. If we did have a gripe it would merely be that lower trim levels are only available with dark upholstery — albeit classy leather — and equally dark plastic finishes throughout the interior.

Plump for the top level Takumi specification and the world becomes a brighter place. White nappa leather upholstery provides an instant lift and is accompanied by bleached white maple trim, polished metal elements and a fabric dashboard cladding with open-weave stitching that you won’t want to let a curious five-year old with a biro anywhere near.

The buttons and knobs give no cause for complaint and it’s something a joy to see plenty of physical controls surviving in an age so dominated by inferior, slower and more distracting touchscreen-only technology.

The Mazda CX-80’s on-board technology may not look like the last word in infotainment by some of today’s massive, full-colour screen standards but it’s crisp, clear, easy to use and entirely intuitive.

There are three 12.3-inch screens working in harmony here. A digital driver’s display majoring in in tidy, faux analogue dials, the layout of which differs according to the drive mode selected. That’s complemented by a head-up display which shows vehicle speed, navigation directions, cruise control settings and other information.

The central infotainment screen is operated by a rotary controller lodged between the front seats. This is actually a touchscreen but may only be used as such when the car is stationary. However, why would you want to?

The rotary dial is a doddle to use, the menus are clear, well laid out and easy to surf and the system so much easier to use on the move with your fingertip that it beggars belief how far we’ve fallen down the touchscreen rabbit hole.

DAB radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, Google Maps, Google Play Music, Google Assistant voice control and Amazon Alexa are all fitted as standard across the model range.

A 12-speaker Bose sound system is standard on the Homura trim level and above but you need to go to either the Homura Plus or Takumi Plus trim levels to access wireless phone charging, which is a shame.

The entry-level Mazda CX-80 in Exclusive-Line trim costs from £48,920. Prices then rise to £52,070 for the Homura trim level, £53,020 for Takumi and £54,720 and £55,670, respectively, for the top-of-the-range Homura Plus and Takumi Plus grades.

Comparable in both dimensions and interior accommodation, perhaps the Mazda CX-80’s two most immediate rivals are the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento. The Hyundai isn’t available with a diesel engine and the plug-in hybrid variant costs from £51,885.

The Kia can be equipped with a diesel albeit only a four-cylinder unit and plug-in hybrid versions cost from £47,295. Also comparable price if not quite size is the Mercedes GLB which can be yours from about £47,000.

There are slightly smaller seven-seat rivals aplenty, the priciest being Peugeot’s 5008 plug-in hybrid from £43,450 — still over £5000 cheaper than the least expensive Mazda CX-80.

Skoda’s admirable Kodiaq is available from £37,505 while the capable Nissan X-Trail seems a bargain starting at £36,175.

Combining clever technology to deliver cleaner fuel combustion with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, the diesel-engined Mazda CX-80 can return WLTP Combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 49.5mpg and generating CO2 emissions of 148g/km.

Those CO2 emissions place it towards the top end of the Benefit-in-Kind company car tax spectrum, at 34-35% depending on trim level.

Unsurprisingly company car drivers will gravitate towards the BiK-friendly plug-in hybrid which can officially return up to 176.5mpg and has a pure-electric range of 37 miles from a single charge of its 17.8kWh battery.

Fully recharging the battery from a typical 7kW home wallbox takes about two and half hours. Unlike the new Skoda Kodiaq the Mazda CX-80 PHEV doesn’t have any DC rapid charging capability.

It does offer an EV mode for running as long as possible with the engine off and a Charge mode which ring-fences a driver-set amount of battery charge for later use.

With CO2 emissions listed at just 36g/km and that all-electric range, Mazda’s plug-in hybrid falls into the 8% BiK tax bracket – the same as company car drivers pay for the Santa Fe or Sorento.

Mazda gives you a fairly standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty.

The Mazda CX-80 is available in a choice of five trim levels — Exclusive-Line, Homura, Homura Plus, Takumi and Takumi Plus.

Truth is you’ll get pretty much all you want in the way of goodies from the least costly Exclusive-Line trim level, while its smaller wheels will give a better ride quality.

Opt for the entry-level Mazda CX-80 Exclusive-Line for a standard features list that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, electrically-adjustable and heated door mirrors, LED Automatic High Beam dusk-sensing headlights, LED daytime running and rear combination lights, a reversing camera, rain-sensing front wipers, front and rear parking sensors plus an electrically operated tailgate.

Inside you’ll find three-zone climate-controlled air conditioning, a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch multimedia display screen, DAB radio with 8 speakers, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, Google Maps, Google Play Music, Google Assistant voice control, Amazon Alexa and two USB-C ports in each row of seating.

Building upon that, the Mazda CX-80 Homura adds 20-inch alloy wheels, electric front seat adjustment, black Nappa leather seat trim with heated and ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats in the second row, an auto-dimming driver’s door mirror, body-coloured exterior trim details, a 12-speaker Bose sound system and sun blinds integrated into the rear doors.

Additional kit for the Mazda CX-80 Homura Plus comprises of a 360-degree camera system with See Through View and Trailer Connection Support View, darkened rear privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof and adaptive headlights.

Closely mirroring their Homura and Homura Plus equivalents are the Mazda CX-80 Takumi and Takumi Plus — the key distinction is that the Takumi versions have white leather upholstery.