Mazda CX-60 G25 Touring 2025 Review

Mazda’s new entry-level CX-60 G25 Pure kicks things off at $44,240 (all prices exclude on-roads), undercutting the previous six-cylinder base model by a cool $6000.

So if you’re looking to stretch your SUV dollar with the CX-60, this model is where to start looking.

The top dog in the G25 trio is the Touring this review centres around, which is priced from $50,240, while the mid-tier Evolve slots in at $49,240.

All three G25s share the same visual swagger as their pricier six-cylinder siblings, so unless you’re popping the bonnet, you’d be hard-pressed to spot the difference.

Underneath, it’s all about Mazda’s trusty 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine (138kW/250Nm), which has been donated from the Mazda CX-5 – the brand’s top-selling vehicle in Australia.

Mazda’s bread-and-butter engine sends power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission and sips fuel at a claimed 7.5L/100km.

Despite the lower price – and performance – Mazda hasn’t skimped on equipment.

The base G25 Pure includes the same high-def 10.25-inch infotainment screen, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors and dual-zone automatic climate control as its six-cylinder siblings.

Other standard kit includes wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloth upholstery, native sat-nav and heated, power-folding and auto-dimming wing mirrors.

Not bad for the base model, especially when you factor in LED headlights along with the rather nice leather covered steering wheel and gear shifter.

Moving up to the G25 Evolve adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Maztex upholstery, a wireless phone charger, powered tailgate and advanced (but not too bossy) safety tech like driver-monitoring and front cross traffic alert.

The G25 Touring we drove gets all the above and leather upholstery along with heated and power-adjustable front seats with memory settings – highly sought-after items.

Buyers can choose from eight exterior colours in total and it’s good to see that only half of them are optional (adding $995), meaning you can choose black, silver, blue and platinum quartz without adding another thousand clams to the price tag.

All models come with eight airbags and usual repertoire of proximity sensors and driver assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking and blind spot monitoring. The CX-60 retains its five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2023.

Like all Mazdas, the CX-60 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, backed up by five years of roadside assist – handy if you get a flat tyre and don’t feel like changing it yourself or getting your hands dirty.

Service intervals are neither brilliant nor terrible, set every 12 months/15,000km, whichever comes first. Capped price service costs for the G25s are considerably less than other CX-60s, costing $2292 over five years, which averages out to about $460 per annum; about $250 less per service than the six-cylinders.

On paper the new Mazda CX-60 G25 variants make for compelling reading, especially from a value perspective.

Don’t be surprised if a few folks walk into a showroom looking for a CX-5 and walk out with a CX-60. It’s showroom upsell bait, and Mazda knows it… at least until the new-generation 2026 Mazda CX-5 rolls into town, which is bound to shake up the pricing ladder once again.

The best thing about the 2025 Mazda CX-60 range is that it’s more affordable than before, now priced $6000 lower than before.

The sub-$45K starting price – and a $48K drive-away price for the time being – makes it much cheaper now and this will put it on the radar of customers who may have not considered the CX-60 previously, due to its premium price.

Indeed, the CX-60 will now butt heads with mainstream mid-size SUV favourites like the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Mitsubishi Outlander and Kia Sportage.

Mazda has revised the suspension a couple of times on the CX-60 following criticism of it being stiffer than a custom-shaped surfboard, and for the most part the latest iteration is pretty good.

Granted, it’s not as compliant as some rivals such as the recently-recalibrated Mitsubishi Outlander – whose Aussie-tuned suspension is very family friendly.

Indeed, the CX-60 still feels somewhat harsh over bigger hits and heavily pocked and scarred roads.

But if you’re looking for something fun to drive, the CX-60 will fit the bill. It’s rear drive layout, well-weighted steering and firm suspension means it changes direction rather nicely.

It’s also a relatively refined vehicle with enough acoustic insulation sandwiched throughout the vehicle’s body to keep things relaxed inside.

Another boon for the CX-60 is its upmarket interior.

Sure, it doesn’t have the massive central touchscreens of the many Chinese challengers hitting the road, but the overall interior design, material quality and ergonomics in in the G25 Touring are impressive.

The integration of technology is subtle and while there are few audio alerts and noises when the car thinks something’s about to go awry, it’s not annoying like some rivals, and I was never compelled to switch off any of the safety nannies.

That all CX-60 G25 models come with essential features like wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 360-degree surround-view parking display, alloy wheels, copious USB-C ports, one-touch up/down electric windows all round and a big (477L) boot will be reason for many buyers to take a closer look.

The two chief criticisms that can be levelled at the heart-transplanted 2025 Mazda CX-60 G25 range is their thirst for fuel relative to their six-cylinder siblings and sub-optimal ride comfort.

Despite weighing at least 250kg less, the G25 four-cylinder versions drink more juice than any of the sixes and way more than the PHEVs – both in the lab and in the real world.

Fuel consumption is rated at 7.5L/100km on the combined cycle, but during our first test drive we were looking at 9.1L/100km.

That figure is nothing to crow about, given the driving involved a range of different scenarios, including gridlocked traffic, free flowing country roads and smatterings of everything in-between.

The longitudinally-mounted four-cylinder petrol engine has one saving grace; it will happily guzzle lower quality 91 octane unleaded petrol. No premium required for this Japanese cruiser, which will keep running costs down.

In terms of response and motivation, the engine does the job but it’s no firecracker. With two humans onboard, it takes a while to build steam going uphill and might feel a bit underwhelming with five people and their gear on board.

The eight-speed auto isn’t the best cog-swapper in this class either. One could argue it’s fit for purpose 97 per cent of the time, but it can trip over its own feet sometimes, responding slowly and clumsily at pedestrian speeds, or holding gears way too long.

We had a chance to plonk down in entry-level Pure model and although it still has a mature look and feel inside, it’s less elaborate than the other two model grades and the material quality isn’t quite as classy.

Another thing that irks us is that the central infotainment screen won’t always allow touch input, depending on what the car decrees.

While the newly-minted 2025 Mazda CX-60 G25s sacrifice performance and efficiency compared to their electrified or six-cylinder siblings, they maintain the vehicles’ premium feel and generous equipment levels.

Based on the lower price and a rather upmarket interior fit out, the repositioned CX-60 will almost certainly make the new range a compelling option for budget-conscious buyers seeking a slightly larger, more premium mid-size SUV than the norm.

With sharp pricing and a bit more interior space than its ageing CX-5 sibling, the new CX-60 G25 will almost certainly broaden the SUV’s appeal and although it’s far from perfect, the latest recipe is arguably the most attractive to date.

2024 Mazda CX-60 G25 Touring at a glance:
Price: $50,240 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 138kW/250Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 173g/km (ADR Combined or WLTP if overseas model)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2023)

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