First Sight: Mazda CX-60 signals new platform and interior quality
By Guy Bird2022-03-08T16:00:00
Japanese maverick brand Mazda launched its new CX-60 SUV in the virtual world, but Car Design News’ Guy Bird got an early sit in its cabin in a secret location in Germany to talk through the production car’s design with Mazda’s European design director Jo Stenuit
To kick things off, a re-cap on where the CX-60 will sit within Mazda’s burgeoning SUV line-up could be instructive, as it’s already a bit confusing and is about to get more so (especially globally). When the CX-60 goes on sale this autumn it will become Mazda’s flagship European and Japanese SUV. The mid-size premium five-seater will offer rear-wheel drive and sit on a new platform that can cater for six-cylinder petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and although officially unconfirmed for now, possibly full-electric later as well. Meanwhile, the similar-sized US-only CX-50 that launched late in 2021 will remain as a more off-road, adventure-focused SUV as will the smaller and global CX-5 for more on-road manoeuvres.