Mazda Australia has a full range of engine options available to it for the new, more upmarket CX-60 SUV.
A plug-in hybrid has already been confirmed for Australia, but Mazda has also revealed inline six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines will be offered globally.
Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi stopped short of confirming the line-up that will eventually arrive Down Under, but said Mazda Corporation is investing heavily in a range of powertrain technologies across its range, “we will get the opportunity to decide which of those technologies and powertrains we match with which cars”.
Given it currently offers petrol and diesel power in the CX-5 and CX-8 SUVs – the CX-9 is petrol-only because of its North American focus – it’d be surprising if the CX-60 also didn’t offer a choice between PHEV, petrol, and diesel.
The CX-60 is the first Mazda SUV built on a new rear- and all-wheel drive architecture to be confirmed for Australia.
The new, more upmarket crossover will arrive in the closing stages of 2022, with pricing and specifications to be announced closer to launch.
Headlining the engine line-up will be Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV). It combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine making 141kW and 261Nm with an electric motor making 100kW and 250Nm, and a 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
It produces a total system output of 241kW and a combined torque figure of 500Nm. It’s the most powerful road car the brand has ever produced.
Beyond the Europe-friendly PHEV, there will also be 3.0-litre e-Skyactiv X petrol and 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv D diesel engines, both inline six-cylinder units and featuring 48V mild-hybrid assistance.
All CX-60 engine variants will be equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which features a multi-plate clutch and integrated electric motor/generator in place of a hydraulic converter as an input clutch.
Full-time all-wheel drive is provided by a new system developed for Mazda’s first longitudinal layout platform, which uses an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch.
Under the skin is a double-wishbone front suspension with control arms top and bottom, as well as a multi-link rear design.
Measuring 4745mm long, 1890mm wide and 1680-1685mm tall with a 2870mm wheelbase the CX-60 is 37mm longer than a BMW X3, though 1mm narrower, and boasts an extra 6mm in wheelbase.
The CX-60 e-Skyactiv PHEV offers 477L of cargo capacity with all seats up to the belt line, though adding the underfloor storage compartment brings the figure to 570 litres.
Drop the rear seats, and there’s 1725L of capacity including underfloor storage, measured to the ceiling.
