Mazda CX-80 2025 review - Australian first drive

There are 10 different prices you can pay for a CX-80, with the costs spanning more than $30K between the cheapest and most expensive models.

That's a lot to get through, so the short version is that only the petrol-powered version has an entry-level Pure model ($54,950). Everything else goes Touring, GT and Azami. And all these prices, are before on-road costs

It's a decent jump to Touring, too. With petrol power, you'll be shelling out $61,950, with diesel that's $63,950, and with plug-in power it's $75,000.

Next is the GT range, with petrol, diesel and PHEV setting you back $68,950, $70,950 and $82,000, respectively,

Finally, and sticking with that same order, the flagship Azami is $74,150, $76,150 and $87,200. If that's not special enough for you, you can spec the high-end SP package on Azami cars, which will set you back an additional $5000.

The petrol-powered Pure opens proceedings with a highlight list that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch driver display, three-zone climate control and LED lighting. But... you also get cloth seats with manual controls, which feel a little low-rent, all things considered.

The Touring is probably the bang-for-bucks pick, which adds a second 12.3-inch screen for the driver, leather seats that are heated up front, sunshades, an auto-opening boot and wireless device charging.

The GT gets 20-inch alloys, adaptive headlights, body-coloured wheel arches and cladding, electric adjustment for the steering wheel, heated second-row window seats, a hands-free auto boot, a panoramic sunroof and 12-speaker Bose stereo.

Finally, Azami cars get a different 20-inch alloy wheel design and colour, Nappa leather seats that are now ventilated up front, and some extra styling and safety kit.

It's also worth pointing out the CX-90 currently has a special drive-away offer of $73,262 for the petrol-powered Touring, but even with the deal in place, it feels like a big jump from one seven-seater to the next. The CX-80 looks like a bargain by comparison.

The CX-80 is a big boat, stretching 4990mm in length, 1890mm in width and 1710mm in height, and it rides on a 3120mm wheelbase. Each trim weighs in excess of two tonnes, and will tow between 2000kg and 2500kg of braked trailer.

Those dimensions translate to solid interior space, despite this not being Mazda's biggest SUV. Middle-row room is ample for my 175cm height and things are strong even in the third row.

That begins with super-wide-opening rear doors that, combined with a little step, make climbing into the third row a pretty easy affair.

Once in, you can set the middle row further forward, reducing leg room in that row but increasing it in your own, which means I could genuinely sit there comfortably, even for longer journeys. The air-vents, cupholders and USB ports only improve matters.

At the boot, you'll find 258 litres (VDA) with all three rows in place, 566 litres in five-seat mode, and a massive 1971 litres with the two rear rows folded.

You can have one of three flavours in the CX-80, with the cheapest being a 3.3-litre, six-cylinder turbo-petrol, producing 209kW and 450Nm. There's also a 3.3-litre, six-cylinder turbo-diesel, making 187kW and 550Nm. Both are equipped with a 48-volt mild hybrid system to marginally reduce fuel use.

Finally, there's a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor for a total 241kW and 500Nm.

All models are AWD, though Mazda points out each is "rear-biased" for a sportier feel, and paired with an eight-speed automatic.

2025 Mazda CX-80 GT

Mazda reckons the petrol engine will sip 8.4L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, while the diesel drops the claimed figure to 5.2 litres.

The PHEV claims 2.7L per 100km combined, but those numbers – as they are with all plug-in hybrids – are nonsense in the real world. Still, the PHEV will deliver a driving range of 65km, and will take some 90min to recharge its 17.8kWh battery via 7.4kW AC charging.

The PHEV has a 70-litre tank, while the ICE models step up to a 74 litre capacity. Theoretically, that means the petrol can travel 880km on a single tank, while the diesel will carry you more than 1400km.

There's no official ANCAP rating, but you can expect Mazda to be targeting a maximum five stars.

Standard equipment includes things like AEB, front and rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree monitor, with no noticeable omissions from the standard spec sheet.

2025 Mazda CX-80 GT