Experience the step up close up
The Mazda CX-60 is larger than a CX-5, is the first Mazda to have a plug-in hybrid powertrain and operates in a market segment in which the Japanese have not been present since the disappearance of the CX-7 and CX-9. We want to experience that up close and that is why we have included a CX-60 in the endurance test fleet.
It does not stop with that plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Mazda CX-60 will also be available in the spring as a six-cylinder petrol and in other European countries Mazda will also supply the large SUV with a six-cylinder diesel. We are very curious about those variants. We will certainly compare this plug-in hybrid with other versions. We will do that in the Netherlands, but also in Germany. Because the six-cylinder will come to our country, but the self-igniter will not. The plug-in hybrid we drive has a four-cylinder petrol engine in addition to the electric motor, and we have already had the PHEV in a comparison test with a Jaguar E-Pace.
German license plate
So why a German license plate now? The intended endurance tester with Dutch license plate was suddenly unavailable and because Mazda wanted to help us quickly with an endurance test CX 60, they had one come over from the European headquarters in Leverkusen for six months. Before you immediately send an e-mail or respond below with the question of how we deal with customs: that has all been arranged.
Takumi, we also know that term from Lexus
Also on our wish list is a comparison test with the CX-60 e-SkyActiv 327 and the BMW X3 xDrive30e, which also has a plug-in hybrid powertrain. You can safely call the large PHEV from Mazda premium, especially when it comes to the Takumi version. Takumi stands for Japanese craftsmanship with great attention to detail, and this is especially reflected in the interior. At Lexus, they have used that term many times in brochures and press materials. The small stitching on the dashboard of the CX-60 looks very nice; the combination of wood and aluminum makes the interior, together with the abundance of leather, particularly luxurious. We have been writing for years that interiors of modern Mazdas are close to premium. It is no exaggeration to say that Mazda has found a connection with Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Volvo with this interior. However, we also see the Seat Tarraco plug-in, the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Santa Fe with the same technology, although not premium, as competitors.
It takes some getting used to, such a heavy Mazda, they are normally so nimble
We have to get used to the weight of the CX-60. Mazdas have been characterized for the last twenty years as light-footed and excel in driving pleasure, but with the plug-in hybrid powertrain, the car weighs just under two tons. Certainly the rear shock absorbers are hardened to absorb the high weight and quickly remove the movement from the body. It only grows around you on beautiful winding roads with flat asphalt or during long motorway journeys. In residential areas, from threshold to threshold, you can sometimes loathe him. Also noteworthy: the sounds that sometimes come from the powertrain when only the electric motor is in action. We will discuss all driving characteristics in more detail when the Mazda is included in the comparison tests. As with all plug-in hybrid endurance testers, we will try to plug in as much as possible so that we can make maximum use of the 17.8-kWh battery pack. We have not yet reached the electric range of 63 kilometers, we have reached 50 km so far. In the cold, the driving range drops to 35 kilometers or less.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl