Mazda has just confirmed a range of new SUVs are on the horizon, including new badges such as CX-60, CX-80, and CX-90, as well as CX-50 and CX-70 for the North American market.
So far we know the CX-60 will be heading to Australia in 2022. It will be underpinned by the company’s upcoming-but-yet-to-debut rear-wheel drive platform, which is also set to provide the foundations for the next Mazda6, and all models mentioned here except the CX-50.
We’ll firstly focus on the CX-60 since it is coming here. It will be a two-row seat model, sitting above the recently-updated CX-5 (above). It was initially thought the next-gen CX-5 would move more up-market and welcome inline-six power, but now we suspect we’ve confused that with the CX-60. Although, Mazda says it will continue to evolve the CX-5 alongside. In other words, the CX-60 won’t necessarily replace the CX-5. In a statement handed out today, Mazda said:
“The Mazda CX-5, which has retained constant popularity since its launch in 2012, will see its design evolve and its model lineup enhanced through continuous product improvement. Furthermore, introducing the latest safety technologies and connectivity features, we will increase the appeal of the vehicle and give it the space to continue growing as part of our crossover SUV lineup.”
While Australian specifications are not yet locked in, on a global scale Mazda says the CX-60 (and all new badges mentioned here except the CX-50) will be offered with plug-in hybrid four-cylinder petrol engines, as well as a new inline-six petrol and diesel with 48V mild hybrid tech.
The company says the Skyactiv-X petrol and Skyactiv-D diesel inline-sixes will be offered in Japan and Europe, while in North America there’s a turbocharged inline-six petrol and plug-in hybrid. It’s unclear if all inline-six engines are turbocharged. Mazda says:
“The European market, where electrification is already in-full-swing, will primarily see the introduction of plug-in hybrid models with straight-four gasoline engines combined with a motor drive. The straight-six new generation Skyactiv-X gasoline engine and Skyactiv-D diesel engine will also be introduced in combination with a 48V mild hybrid system.”
In that paragraph above the company doesn’t specifically mention ‘turbo’ power for the sixes, but the next line in the statement says:
“In North America where high-power performance is valued, we will introduce both turbo-charged straight-six gasoline engine models and plug-in hybrid models to meet customer requirements and respond to environmental regulations.”
As for the other new models on the way, the CX-70 is described as a wide-body SUV with two rows of seats, and the CX-80 will offer three rows with a normal body. The CX-90 is also described as a wide-body but with three rows.
The CX-50 will be positioned alongside the Mazda CX-30 and Mazda3 in North America, offering “strong off-road performance” and SUV presence. This model will be produced in the USA at the Mazda-Toyota joint venture facility in Alabama, starting in January, 2022.
In other Mazda news, showrooms will soon welcome a rotary engine. Yep, the Wankel invention is coming back. However, the new rotary will only exist as a generator for battery-electric systems, running as what is known as range-extender functionality. Mazda said:
“In parallel, we will carry out sales promotion activities for Mazda’s first mass-production EV, the MX-30, and introduce models which incorporate multiple electrification technologies that use a rotary engine as a generator from the first half of 2022.”
Lastly, Mazda plans to introduce its first dedicated EV platform from around 2025. While the MX-30 is already available as a full electric model, it does feature a modified version of the Mazda3/CX-30 platform. The dedicated electric vehicle platform could spawn a number of models under its plan to transition to a fully electrified (includes hybrid and electric) range by 2030.
