Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may already know of Mazda‘s intentions to bring its brand upmarket. The CX-60 is the automaker’s aggressive charge into premium territory, complete with features like an in-line-six engine, a rear-wheel-drive-based platform, and high-end materials.
Today, Mazda Philippines officially brings in the crossover in two forms: the AWD HEV Turbo and the AWD HEV Turbo-D Sport.
The CX-60 measures 4,745mm long, 1,890mm wide, and 1,680mm tall. It has a generous 2,870mm wheelbase, comfortably slotting it in between the CX-5 and the CX-8 size-wise.
But we’ll tell you right away: Both variants are so well-equipped that the only differences between the two are just cosmetics and the powertrain.
First up is the Turbo-D Sport. As its name implies, this is a sportier take on the design. You won’t find a single trace of bright chrome trim here. The honeycomb grille is surrounded by black chrome, while the 20-inch wheels, mirrors, and window trim are all blacked out.
It comes with the e-Skyactiv-D powertrain, a 3.3-liter, in-line-six turbodiesel with a 48V mild-hybrid system. Power is sent to a rear-wheel-drive-biased AWD system via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The output 251hp (254ps) may result in a slower 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds compared to its gasoline sibling, but its surging 550Nm of torque and Mazda’s claimed average fuel efficiency figure of 18.85km/L are big reasons to consider the oil-burner.
You’ll find two-tone Tan Nappa leather and Leganu suede upholstery with fingerprint-resistant Graphite trim with gunmetal accents. All of the seats feature quilting on the suede inserts, and the two-tone, power-adjustable steering wheel looks upmarket.
The front seats are both 10-way power-adjustable (with driver-side memory) and are ventilated, while the rear seats can fold in a 40:20:40 split to expand the 570L cargo bay.
The AWD HEV Turbo is the one that will appeal to mature buyers. It has chrome brightwork, a vertical slat grille, and two-tone 20-inch wheels that are perfect for one-upping your friends as you pull up to have lunch around Rockwell.
This one is fitted with the e-Skyactiv-G engine, which is a 3.3-liter in-line-six turbocharged gasoline mill with a 48V mild-hybrid system. It has the same rear-biased AWD drivetrain with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
While it may not be as frugal as its diesel counterpart (a claimed 13.5km/L), the gasoline-powered in-line-six is guaranteed to be a very smooth and refined engine. Plus, the power output is now 280hp (284ps) and the torque is 450Nm, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of a very nice 6.9 seconds.
All-black Nappa leather upholstery with bronze accents dominates the interior, with aluminum trim and silver accents on the center console. Again, the feature parity ensures you’ll be able to enjoy other features like dual-zone climate control, white ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof.
Unlike other luxury brands, the vehicle is very well-equipped: two 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment screen; a 10.4-inch heads-up display; a 12-speaker Bose audio system; a slew of USB-C ports; and wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay.
The i-Activsense safety suite gets a vehicle exit warning, improved adaptive LED lighting, automatic rear cross-traffic brake support, hill descent control, and a 360° camera with a see-through view mode.
Apart from the inclusion of Kinematic Posture Control to help minimize body roll, there is the Mi-Drive selector, which has four different driving modes: Sport, Normal, Off-Road, and Towing. The last one (Towing) is a hidden option, and can only be accessed if the vehicle is equipped with a genuine Mazda tow hitch.
The coolest feature is the Driver Personalization System, which allows the car to automatically set the ideal driving position based on the driver’s height and eye position, and remember user preferences with minimal user interaction. It can store up to six different user profiles, perfect if you’re planning to share the vehicle with the rest of your family.
Finally, you may have noticed the “HEV” in its name. While it may be a mild hybrid, we were able to confirm with the distributor that they were able to get this vehicle to be eligible for EVIDA incentives—which means no number-coding as well as other benefits for owners.
Also, it is eligible for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) free-trade agreement, allowing Mazda Philippines to price this at a shocking P2.79 million for the Turbo and P2.89 million for the Turbo-D Sport.
So, consider this a mic drop in the luxury crossover segment. Is this enough to sway you from the traditional luxury brands?
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