Facelift for Mazda CX-8, the big brother of the CX-5

Mazda injects its international SUV range with fresh blood. For example, it has launched the CX-60 in Europe and will bring the CX-80 to the Netherlands next year. In the United States, Mazda recently launched the CX-50 on the car market, a tougher alternative to the CX-5. In addition, the CX-70 and CX-90 will soon be in American showrooms. A whole series of newcomers, some of which do not even come to Europe. It is by no means unique that Mazda SUVs are not coming to Europe. Elsewhere in the world, Mazda is currently selling the CX-8 and CX-9. The CX-8 has now been subtly facelifted, but what is it really?

The Mazda CX-9 closely resembling the CX-8 and presented earlier.

First the current Mazda CX-9, which appeared just a little earlier. The current Mazda CX-9 was presented in 2015 as the successor to the first generation CX-9, which was also briefly delivered in the Netherlands. The current model is a three-row SUV that shares its platform with the Mazda 6. At 2.93 meters, however, the CX-9’s wheelbase is considerably more centimeters than that of the 6. So is the overall length of the car. CX-9, which is not subtle at 5.08 meters. About two years after the launch of the CX-9, which was sold in the United States but not in Mazda’s home country, Mazda pulled the curtain on an SUV that closely resembled it: the CX-8. The CX-8 has the same 2.93 meter long wheelbase, but with a length of 4.9 meters and a width of 1.84 meters it is no less than 18 centimeters shorter and 13 centimeters narrower than the CX-9. Initially, this CX-8 was purely intended for the Japanese market, after all, the CX-9 was not delivered there. Later, Mazda also introduced the CX-8 in Australia and New Zealand, among others, where the CX-9 was on the menu. There the two very similar but different SUVs in size stand brotherly side by side in the showroom. Like the CX-9, the CX-8 is also available with six or seven seats.

The facelifted CX-8 (shorter and narrower than the CX-9)

Five years after its introduction, the Mazda CX-8 subtly goes under the knife. The CX-8 gets new front and rear bumpers, a grille with mesh instead of horizontal slats and new lighting. The headlamps have been redesigned and have a light signature similar to that of the younger CX-50 and to a lesser extent the CX-60. Mazda also adjusts the lighting at the rear. For example, the chrome strip running across the width of the tailgate no longer extends into the taillights. Here too we see a new light signature. Mazda also brings a new instrument panel to the CX-8 that contains three semi-digital clocks that are no longer housed in three separate tubes. The SUV is further refined on a detailed level. In Japan, the CX-8 is available with a 190 hp 2.5 SkyActiv-G petrol engine, with a 230 hp blown version and a 2.2 liter diesel that generates 200 hp and 450 Nm.

Relevant for the European consumer? No, but perhaps for the enthusiast an interesting look at the way in which Mazda develops certain models specifically for certain markets.