Long-term report: Mazda wants to go all premium with cars like the CX-80. Can it pull it off?

Weeks after filing my last report, I realised I hadn’t given the merest details about the Mazda CX-80 that was mine for the next several months. So let me now explain more.

The CX-80, along with its smaller CX-60 brother, are a pair of SUVs that Mazda is hoping can take it into new waters – the premium market. Mazda has a long-term plan to be a genuine rival to the German ‘Big Three’ of BMW, Mercedes and Audi, but also the likes of Volvo and Land Rover. The two SUVs are the first step on that path.

The CX-80 uses the same underpinnings and mechanicals as the smaller 60, but has had its wheelbase stretched by 250mm and it stands 26mm taller in order to fit in a third-row of seats. This is a seven-seater SUV that has a broad remit – the lower-rung models rivals everything from a Skoda Kodiaq to a Hyundai Santa Fe, while the top-spec versions have their eyes on the Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery.

BW74 FOV is the ultimate expression of Mazda’s dream of being considered a premium carmaker. It’s the range-topping Takumi Plus version, complete with leather and wood, but also comes in a very American seating configuration. As standard, the CX-80 is a seven-seat SUV, with a three-person bench that slides and reclines, and a pair of seats in the boot.

My car, however, is a six-seater, and interestingly, Mazda offers two variations on this theme. There’s a normal six-seater with two ‘Captains Chairs’ in the middle row with a narrow walk-way through the back seats, or the £750 option that I’ve got. The walk-way is filled in with a fixed centre console that has armrests, cupholders, and extra storage drawers. It really gives off a Range Rover vibe.

In fact, in this Takumi Plus spec, the whole car has a very upmarket feel. The seats are trimmed in upgraded, soft white Nappa leather, there’s shiny chrome dotted around the cabin, real maple wood inlays, and a special stitched dashboard panel. Here, woven fabric is stretched across the fascia and has a ‘hanging’ stitching technique called ‘Kakenui. It sounds a bit contrived, I know, but it all adds up to a beautiful-looking and feeling interior.

There are only two engine options in both the CX-60 and CX-80 – a 2.5-litre petrol plug-in hybrid, or a newly-developed 3.3-litre, straight-six mild-hybrid diesel. Some of my work involves towing, so I chose the diesel as it’s the traditional choice for this activity. It’s a sizeable engine and fits neatly under that very long bonnet – its basic stats are 254bhp and a chunky 550Nm of torque.

As soon as the CX-80 arrived it was pressed straight into duties. It arrived with around 5,800 miles on the clock, but within the first few weeks I had clocked up nearly 1,000 miles in it. The CX-80 is already showing its strong suit of attributes such as engaging handling and impressive fuel economy, but also some annoyances like a firm, sometimes unforgiving ride. Check back in my next report where I shall dive into this in more detail.