2025 Mazda CX-80 Review

Can Mazda really take on the Germans with this luxury 7 Seater SUV?

Exterior – Front

So, in terms of the styling on the CX-80 it will look almost identical to the smaller CX-60 brother as both are related. Because of this up front we get a very modern look with a big Mazda grill with a big surround. The headlights are small and odd looking but at night they do look great especially with the LED Daytime Running Light stretching into the grill. Lower down there is a small premium looking air vent and some small side vents, but everything flows together quite well.

Exterior – Side

Moving round to the side and this is where the changes start to show. To start with everything from the b pillar forwards is CX-60. This means we get the CX-60 style vent which looks decent. Further back though we get some bigger rear doors to make it easier to get into the third row and the rear glass has a different shape to get some extra light into the cabin. The overall design though is very similar to the CX-60 and finally we get some premium looking wheels.

Exterior – Rear

Moving round to the back of the CX-80 and the design is the same as the CX-60 apart from the bumper. So, what does this mean then. Well, we get the same wide taillights that made this car look wider and we get the same sleek looking boot design. The lower bumper though isn’t as styled as the CX-60’s but it does still look quite decent, and it also hides the exhausts too. right, let’s have a look and see what engine and gearbox options you can have with the new Mazda CX-80.

Car and engine specs and price

So, the Mazda CX-80 consists of just 2 engines. Lets start with the base engine. This uses a 3.3 litre diesel unit producing 250 bhp. this is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox sending its power to all 4 wheels. This can do 0-62 in 8.4 seconds and an average of 50 mpg which isn’t bad considering its size. It also has mild hybrid technology to help with this too. Finally, the last engine is a 2.5 litre plug in hybrid petrol engine setup. This uses a petrol engine with an electric motor to make 325 bhp. power is sent to an 8-speed automatic gearbox powering all 4 wheels. It can do 0-62 in 6.8 seconds which is also quite good. For the electric part it uses a 17.8 kWh battery pack giving this car an electric only range of just 37 miles which nowadays it isn’t the best but considering the size I can just about overlook this but there are better rivals like the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tayron with 70 miles of electric only driving and the Peugeot 5008 with 45 miles of electric only driving. The price of the new Mazda CX-80 starts at £49,780 which isn’t bad but strangely enough the plug-in hybrid is cheaper than the diesel model. It also has more power too making the diesel engine almost a pointless upgrade. Anyway, lets have a look and see what the interior is like.

Interior – Design

So, climbing inside the new Mazda CX-80 and there is no surprise that the interior looks identical to the CX-60. This means we get this very premium setup with soft touch materials all around the cabin as well as a lot of chrome and on this car fake wood effect. The dashboard has this unique design to it with a central screen running the latest Mazda Infotainment system. This works very well, and the graphics are also quite good. Lower down we get some good-looking air vents as well as a lot of physical controls for your climate control system. The centre console is also premium looking with plenty of different materials. It is also quite wide and high making you think you are sitting low down in the car. Also, in the centre console you have what is become very rare now and that is a Mazda style iDrive controller. This is the only way to control the infotainment system on the move, and I believe that Mazda has built the best infotainment system because of this. It is very intuitive and much easier to use rather than touching the screen in the move because all of the controls are in front of you. Well done, Mazda. Now in front of the driver we get this clear looking digital instrument cluster which houses all of the essential information. You also get an electronically adjustable steering column and a very premium looking steering wheel that is round and has a lot of chrome on it. Again, a good and premium design. Finally, the seats look premium and are also comfortable and supportive for long journeys. Right lets have a look and see what the middle row is like.

Practicality

So, getting into the back and it does look quite dull which I do have to admit but as soon as you are sitting in the back you will see how wrong you are. The seats are as premium as the front and the door cards again have a lot of premium materials in it. You also get your won arm rest, your own climate control system as well as heated seats and 2 USB C ports. You can also recline the rear seats at different angles too. Right, lets have a look and see what the third row is like.

So, climbing into the back and we get 2 decent seats which are ok but probably not the best for adults on long journeys. You do get a few cup holders though and USB C ports which is good but there isn’t any of your own air vents or climate control units like the Kia Sorento for example which is a bit of a shame. Anyway, lets have a look and see what the boot space is like.

Boot Size

So, opening the boot electronically and with all 7 seats in place and you get 258 litres of space which isn’t the best that I have seen but with the third row folded down you get 687 litres of space. if you fold down the middle row 60:40 then this increases to 1,971 litres. What is a shame though I would have thought this would be a 40:20:40 split so it would be easier to get into the back if someone was sitting in the middle seat. Again, something the Kia Sorento has. Really though if you want a car with a decent boot with all 7 seats in place then you might want to look at the Skoda Kodiaq with 340 litres.

Summary

So, in summary then, what do I think of the new Mazda CX-80. Well, the looks may not be for everyone at first but once you see it in person and get used to it, it really is a good premium looking car. the interior is also of high quality and again suits this premium car. practicality isn’t its strong point though and I would like to of seen a bigger boot considering what rivals its up against and the money you are paying for it. If you don’t have the 7 seats in position often but need a 7-seater then this is a good car but if you constantly need 7 seats and boot space, then I would recommend looking elsewhere as the boot isn’t big enough for a weeklong holiday which is a bit of a shame really. Good car though elsewhere.

Exterior 4/5

Interior 5/5

Practicality 3/5

Total 12/15

Model	Mazda CX-80 Takumi
Engine	2.5l Turbo Petrol Plug in Hybrid, 325bhp, 0-62 = 6.8 Seconds, 4 Wheel Drive, 17.8 kWh Battery Pack, 37 Mile Electric Only Driving
Transmission	8 Speed Automatic
Price	£54,180
On Sale	Now