CX-60 propels Mazda into the company car big league

The Mazda CX-60 is the brand’s flagship SUV and it comes with the company’s first plug-in hybrid technology powertrain. The plug-in petrol version is very much aimed at the corporate sector, with a diesel derivative targeting retail.

It’s Mazda’s second electrified vehicle. It combines Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100 kW electric motor and 17.8 kWh high-capacity battery. This combination delivers a total system output of 327ps and 500Nm of torque, making it the most powerful road car Mazda has ever built.

The plug-in engine comes in three trims; Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi. All are well equipped though you can add two option packs.

The base Exclusive-Line is £43,950 and features Mazda’s 12.3″ infotainment system with Bluetooth, DAB, Apple Car Play and Android Auto and a 12.3″ digital dash. You also get Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Sign recognition, push button start, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and steering wheel.

The Homura, at £46,700, and Takumi, priced at £48,050, add features ranging from 20″ black machined alloy wheels and body-coloured mirrors on the former and the Mazda Driver Personalisation System on the latter.

To our eye, the CX-60 looks like a larger CX-5 and as we really like the way the CX-5 looks, this is a good thing. Compared to a BMW X3 or Audi Q5, the CX-60 is more rounded and features smoother lines, narrow front and rear light clusters, an indented front bumper, large Mazda grille and a high rear window.

The cabin features twin central cupholders, four door pockets with room in each for drinks, under armrest storage, with two C USBs up front and two in the rear. The interior is generous and five adults will sit on board in some comfort, with very good head and leg room all around. Boot space is a generous 570 litres, 1726 with the rear seats folded

The quality inside is excellent and with Mazda hoping to make inroads into the premium sector, it needs to be. Soft touch plastics adorn all visible surfaces. Even the lower down finishes and glove box front quality are very good, as are the seat fabric, door finishes and the chrome and black instrumentation.

With a WLTP combined fuel consumption of 188mpg and CO2 emissions of only 33g/ km, the plug-in CX-60 makes a strong case as a company car. Add in the 12% BIK, 2.5 hour charging time on a home 7 kWh charger and it’s 39-mile pure electric range, and the case gets even stronger. Utilise your home smart charger at night when rates are lower and you’ll be fully charging your CX-60 up for just £1.50 per night.

Even with its large 20″ wheels, the CX-60 makes a really good fist of hiding the weight of the battery underneath the car. On uneven roads the wheel size and battery weight does make an appearance, which is common in all plug-in and electric vehicles. Over smooth surfaces, it rides excellently, with only a little road noise entering the cabin.

Around our test route in picturesque Snowdonia, the CX-60 proved agile, with its well-weighted steering and body control impressive for a car weighing 2140kgs. It is less dynamic than a CX-5, but if you compare it to the large SUV plug-in competition it fares better, with the likes of Volvos XC60, Mercedes GLE and Audis Q5 all less fun to drive.

Getting to and from Snowdonia meant some time spent on the A55, where the car’s performance was never in question. Put your foot down to overtake and the 270Nm of torque on offer brings a swift overtaking manoeuvre. The 2.5-litre petrol engine does sound a little coarse when revved, but perhaps that’s a good thing, reminding the driver that there is a petrol engine there after all.

Handsome and beautifully crafted, the CX-60 definitely has kerb appeal. With its low BIK, decent electric range and short charging times, it’s an entry into the company car sector. Furthermore, it’s also competitively priced, spacious and comfortable. One of the best in class.

We’re not sold on the Mazda click-wheel to access the infotainment. Just one mile more of electric range, 39 miles to 40, would have resulted in a lower BIK of 8%. And the claimed combined economy of 188mpg, is more likely to be 45 mpg in hybrid mode.

We really like the CX-60 plug-in. Company car drivers now have a viable alternative to the plug-in SUV German marques and to Volvo. Looks-wise, we think that the CX-60 is the business

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