How is Mazda’s first PHEV faring?
It is not often that extensive user reviews have been written for such a young model as the Mazda CX-60, with the exception of a few electric models. And it is young, because Mazda’s large SUV has only been on the market for a year. For the brand, this model is a breakthrough, their first plug-in hybrid. But is it also a good car? Owners and users give us a glimpse into the world called CX-60.
Although the Mazda CX-60 is also available in other countries with six-cylinder in-line engines, including a 3.3 liter diesel, it always has the plug-in hybrid powertrain in the Netherlands. This combines a 2.5 liter four-cylinder with 192 hp with a 100 kW (136 hp) strong electric motor. A system power of 327 hp is the result. The gross 17.8 kWh battery pack should provide an electric range of up to 63 kilometers.
How does such a CX-60 drive?
It’s Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid, so let’s start driving. The next owner is very positive: “Commuting to work is 40 km for me and that goes easily in EV mode. Then the car is fine with the traffic. In 2 hours the car is full again for the return journey. However, put your driving mode on Sport, then you are in a real Japanese rocket. The car then pulls like crazy with a big rumble from the engine. The 8-speed gearbox shifts smoothly and when you would do it yourself. Combined with a handling that the BMW X1 (this driver’s previous car) doesn’t even come close to, the driving experience is really fantastic.”
Even as time goes by, this owner has nothing but praise for the driving characteristics of his SUV. Many other users crack critical nuts about the tuning of the chassis. “Like other users, I experience the suspension of the car as stiff,” confirms this driver. “Personally I like this, but if you go over a traffic island (let’s hope it’s a speed bump) then a little extra suspension comfort would be nicer. This is not a problem on normal roads”, is the nuance. “I honestly think it’s a ‘beast’ of a car, but that damping does ruin some of the fun,” concludes the owner who opted for the top model CX-60 Takumi.
Electric driving and towing weight
Thanks to the plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Mazda CX-60 can also drive fully electrically, a range of 63 kilometers is specified. What remains of that in practice? “If I charge the car at the pole, I can always drive more than 50 km electrically, depending on the roads,” writes one driver. “I expected that, so I am satisfied with the electric range.” Fuel consumption is also tracked. “I am not very satisfied with the fuel consumption and the corresponding range. Purely on petrol, in Dutch use (50% N-roads and 50% highway) I hardly exceed 1 in 10 (note – I do not count electric driving, so only petrol kilometers). And with a 1500 kg heavy caravan on the hook, I reached 1 in 6.6, with 100 km / h on the cruise control.”
Caravanners are not unknown to the brand, the smaller Mazda CX-5 is also regularly chosen as a towing vehicle. With 2,500 kg towing weight, the CX-60 can pull considerably more. This camper does not have to say that twice: he sent his combination to Slovenia and shares his experiences from the campsite. “It’s just a solid tractor that is stable on the road, rides comfortably and always has enough power to climb a big slope. Although I do not find the damping on the rear axle solo great, it is a different story with a caravan on the towbar. Here I have little to criticize and the secondary roads in Slovenia are, to say the least, not the best kind.”
Interior and seating comfort
It is striking that none of the reviewers elaborate on the space on offer, so we cautiously assume that this is sufficient. The seating comfort is discussed, and mostly positive. Like the former BMW driver we quoted earlier. “The seats are comfortable and can be adjusted in several ways. However, I liked the sports seats in the BMW X1, which I drove before, even better. The lateral support in particular was better there.” Mazda puts luxury amenities in return. “However, the Mazda not only has seat heating, but also ventilation and that came in handy even in September, nice!”
It is not the only driver who switched from a BMW, for this white CX-60 a 320d cleared the field. How do you like that? “The driver’s seat is nice and firm and well adjustable,” writes the owner. He continues: “Both the seat heating and the seat cooling work well. The lateral support of the seats is limited, unlike the sports seats in the BMW, but with a normal driving style you will not slide off your seat.” A tall driver writes: “I’m still looking for the ideal seat. I am 1.95 meters tall and the center console in particular is quite wide. It is still a bit of a struggle with my right knee.”
Infotainment and driving assistance
Mazda is a somewhat stubborn and principled brand. One of those principles is the rejection of touchscreen. After a short period of ‘touching while stationary, pressing and turning while driving’, touch-sensitive screens are now a thing of the past. “The ergonomics for the driver are great: no touch screens, just buttons and a ‘drive’ to control everything”, exults an enthusiastic user. Yet he also has criticism: “I think it’s a pity that the displays cannot be arranged to your own taste. And the head-up display could have been smaller in my opinion, almost the entire bottom of the windscreen is projected.” A short, powerful response comes from this CX-60 Homura driver: “The ergonomics of the car are really great. Everything is there and you will find everything where you expect it. I haven’t had to search for anything in all sorts of menus yet.”
A driver who wants to switch off the lane assistant does have problems with the menu structure: “On the new 60 km roads between the villages, with one and a half road sections between the white stripes, you really have to pay attention when you step aside for an oncoming vehicle. The system sends back… I would like to be able to switch it off temporarily in a more convenient way than now via 3 submenus.” In addition, the alertness assistant also leads to irritation with multiple uses: “Looking left or right for a long time to enjoy the surroundings or just to see if you don’t miss anyone when merging, produces a beep and a warning: ‘distracted driver ‘. Should be able to be set a little less tight,” said the CX-60 Takumi rider.
We received this message in the endurance test Mazda CX-60. We’re not the only CX-60 riders.
Disturbances and annoyances
We see it more often in this section: teething problems with the first series of a new model. The Mazda CX-60 is also no stranger to this kind of ‘novelty’. Two owners are stranded on the way. They both describe the same thing: “Suddenly the car gives a message that there is a fault in the hybrid system and that I have to take the car to a specialist. This was accompanied by a total loss of power. On the emergency lane I turned off the car, took a breather, and then started the car again. Fortunately, the car started without any problems, only with the report about the malfunction in the hybrid system. According to the dealer, the fault can be solved by means of a system update, which will be carried out in two days. In the meantime, we can just use the car.” For the other user, updating software was not enough: modules had to be replaced.
Smaller criticisms that we read are noises from the front suspension and when refueling it is better not to try to fill the tank completely. “The refueling was accompanied by a big splash on my shoes when I wanted to top off”, this driver experienced. “Stopped this morning at the first click of the pump, then it went without spilling.” This does reduce the total range, writes another: “The tank is not really big, but to get it full it takes a while and you have to be very careful not to get petrol on your shoes. If you are refueling and the gun cuts out, then with a lot of patience you can fill up with another 7 liters.”
The Mazda CX-60 is the brand’s first plug-in hybrid and, looking at the user experiences, you can see that the manufacturer still has to get used to this technique. Both the drive and the chassis require extra attention in such a car and users note that there is still room for improvement here. On the other hand, there is sufficient space, good seats, about 50 kilometers of electric driving range and smooth performance.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl