Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT 2025 Review

Four variants comprise the Mazda CX-80 family with the Pure representing the entry level from $55,200 powered by a petrol engine. Above that, the Touring, GT and Azami make up the rest of the range with each given the choice of a petrol six-cylinder or diesel six-cylinder mild hybrids, or a four-cylinder petrol paired with plug-in hybrid electric power.

Each version when paired with a petrol six is the most affordable, costing $62,200 for the Touring, $69,200 for the GT and $74,400 for the flagship Azami. Stepping up to the diesel in each variant costs another $2000, while the PHEV is a significant $11,050 on top of the diesel.

The CX-80 PHEV GT we’re focusing on here is mid-range and costs from $82,250 before on-road costs and replaces the 3.3-litre turbo straight six of the other variants with a 2.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder coupled to a hybrid electrical system incorporated into its eight-speed automatic transmission.

All-wheel drive is standard, as are seven seats, and Mazda’s most recent and advanced vehicle technology it calls the ‘Skyactiv multi solution scaleable architecture’ being rolled out for its new Large Product Group of models.

With the Pure and Touring taking care of the entry point to the CX-80 range, and the Azami catering for the biggest budgets, the GT covers the middle of the range with a level of standard specification that represents the best value in the family.

Included in the price of every CX-80 GT are some high-grade features such as leather upholstery, heating and electric adjustment for the front seats, heating for the steering wheel and second row, three-zone climate control, a large panoramic sunroof and power operated tailgate.

While the 20-inch alloy wheels are standard, Mazda offers two other optional designs for about $4000 per set, while five optional colours cost an extra $995 in addition to the three no-cost colours.

Beyond that, Mazda offers a long list of clever accessories including an integrated dashcam, cool aluminium or carbon-fibre key shell and kayak carrier, along with the usual stuff.

Service intervals of 12 months or 15,000km are fairly standard but the cost of servicing is on the high side with an average of about $695 per visit over the first five years. This is in part a product of the PHEV drivetrain which has some electric bits that need attention as well as some combustion engine maintenance as well.

All Mazdas get a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) awarded the CX-80 a full five-star rating in 2024.

Adult occupant protection scored very well with 92 per cent and a comprehensive list of driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, LED headlights with adaptive beam and auto dipping and speed sign recognition.

ISOFIX seat anchors are provided for two seats in the second row while top tethers are offered in all five rear seats.

The CX-80 also has a good passive safety rating with eight airbags, which include a driver’s knee bag and one between the front occupants to prevent head-to-head strikes.

At the centre of the 2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT’s technological suite is a 12.3-inch touch-screen which has a narrow, almost cinematic aspect. Unlike some Chinese challenger brands, Mazda’s graphics and user experience is understated and classy.

It’s the same for the fully digital driver’s display which measures the same 12.3-inches and is complemented by a decent head-up display with heaps of information – not just road speed.

There’s a wireless charging pad for one device, six USB-C sockets about the cabin and it gets its own native navigation so you won’t have to rely on the Android Auto/Apple Carplay wireless mirroring to find your way around.

Further boosting the attractive technological proposition is a 12-speaker Bose sound system which fills the cabin with rich dimensional sound, a 360-degree camera and pleasant ambient lighting after dark.

Mazda claims its entire CX-80 range is hybrid but as the six-cylinders are 48-volt boosted and pretty mild, the PHEV is the true electrified hero of the family.

It couples a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission in which the 129kW electric motor is incorporated. This allows it to lend electric power at all times and through the same route to the wheels as petrol power.

It’s fed by a 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery with enough to solely propel the CX-80 up to 65km, which is about double the average Australian’s daily commute. So even if you don’t have somewhere to charge at work, the CX-80 can still be used as a pure EV for most short drives.

It’s also relatively fast to charge as well so using the pure electric capability of the CX-80 is even more feasible and attractive.

Fuel consumption figures for plug-in hybrids are a little misleading. This is because the number is generated when using a fully charged battery, which under certain circumstances can power the vehicle exclusively and therefore would produce an effective fuel consumption figure of zero litres per 100km. Not helpful to anyone.

In the case of the 2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT, the brand claims a figure of just 2.7L/100km is possible and that may well be the case. However, when the battery is discharged to its minimum state the vehicle behaves more like a mild hybrid vehicle and this number is a bit more insightful.

During an extended trip involving long freeway stretches, hikes into the mountains and some suburban stints, the CX-80 managed a very impressive 5.5L/100km. Compare that to the claimed 5.2L/100km of the diesel and 8.4L/100km of the petrol six cylinder, and the real-world tested efficiency of the plug-in deserves praise.

That said, if your daily commute is no more than 65km, the 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery will allow that almost mystical fuel consumption figure of zero after all.

When it does require a top up, the plug-in still requires more expensive 95 RON petrol despite having no turbo, whereas mainstream hybrids such as Toyota’s popular system also use a non-turbo engine but accept a minimum of 91 RON.

Thank goodness Mazda is good at listening to customer and media feedback and is willing to make running changes to its products when necessary. That’s not very often, but when the CX-60 was introduced (and to an extent the CX-90 that followed) its suspension tune missed the Australian mark by a fair margin.

For the CX-80 though, the chassis has been almost completely sorted. Unlike the CX-60 which was boneshakingly ‘sporty’, the CX-80 has a really excellent balance of stiffness for enjoying winding roads and safely avoiding hazards, but a decent level of ride comfort as well.

This time, the chassis is leaning more into the softer comfort realm, which is probably the right approach for a large family hauling SUV with seven seats.

The steering retains its sharp edge and there’s a pleasant composure for covering long distances, which we did for a total of about eight hours on freeways and B-roads.

Once settled into a cruise, the GT is quiet and smooth and its narrower frontal area compared with the CX-70 and CX-90 reduces drag for better efficiency. Unfortunately, at lower and changing speeds the combination of electric and petrol feels a little underdone.

Gear ratios jump about between first and third with an apparent mind of its own, while the power delivery is inconsistent when trying to accelerate more vigorously. And while performance is respectable when the transmission has eventually decided what the driver wants, we couldn’t stop thinking about the silky-smooth obedience of Mazda’s excellent in-line six petrol and diesels.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the drivetrain, however, is that it’s actually surprisingly noisy. Even when stationary, there’s an obvious electric whine like a pump or similar, and its noise permeates the cabin while driving, too. A shame since the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are otherwise good.

Liberating the extra interior space over the CX-60 involved stretching the wheelbase 250mm but the extra length has produced a broad turning circle of 11.6m, while the underbody bellys-out relatively easily on steep driveways and uneven surfaces, for example.

Therefore, the open road is where the CX-80 makes the most sense, where its fuel economy and comfort shines through, with plenty of space for all to come along and enjoy.

While we didn’t take the 2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT for a more traditional off-road adventure, this time we did throw a more seasonal all-terrain challenge its way and a trip to the Victorian snowfields.

It’s a job that is highly likely to happen in any SUV’s lifetime – isn’t that why so many families buy these freedom machines? And some owners would head to the white caps multiple times each winter so it’s worth exploring how well the Mazda copes with the unique challenges.

For a start, the heated seats in the front and second rows are a blessing when it’s below zero outside, while the driver will be delighted at the powerful heated steering wheel – especially after fitting snow chains in the blizzard we encountered.

All CX-80’s are all-wheel drive which is preferable for obvious reasons when the road becomes wet and icy, but the PHEV version has a notable advantage.

Maintaining traction (or to put it another way – avoiding wheel slip and spin) is all about gentle progressive inputs through the steering, braking and acceleration and the Mazda’s electrified drivetrain is particularly good at gentle application of torque at low speeds.

On one particular occasion, a diesel-powered CX-80 support car became stuck in an unexpectedly deep drift and freeing it from the snowy grasp required lots of revs and a little manual labour from some friendly hikers.

However, the PHEV got itself out of trouble thanks to the ability to apply small amounts of torque with a sensitively calibrated accelerator. The traction-control system also seems happier and more adept at sharing torque around all four wheels when dealing with electric only.

Of course, snow chains would have levelled the playing field and could handle more troublesome frozen conditions but it’s interesting to see how, where the road freezes over, outright power is definitely not the way to go.

For the most impressive selection of materials and classy shades, the Azami grade is the one to go for, but it comes at a price. But in 2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT trim, the big SUV is very well appointed with high-quality materials and supple leather creating a good sense of luxury and a premium feel without spending the extra $5200.

The third row is usable if not the most palatial, while the second row is absolutely massive and the long doors open to almost 90-degrees making access a breeze.

In the front row, the Mazda’s ergonomics are well considered, storage options are numerous and generous, while visibility is boosted by the elevated driving position and tall glazing.

With all seven seats in place, the CX-80 has a tiny 258-litre boot, but clever seat stowage expands the available volume to a respectable 566 litres. Although, that’s still about 120L smaller than the non-PHEV versions thanks to the presence of the bigger battery.

With all rows folded away, the plug-in can swallow nearly 2000L of stuff.

If you’re concerned about the strangely stiff ride direction Mazda was heading in with the CX-60 and CX-90, the CX-80 will provide some relief as it strikes the best balance of comfort and dynamics yet found in the Large Product Group.

The 2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT offers a generous amount of kit for the cash and it’s a great showcase of value and practicality. And if you’re interested in the PHEV version for outright efficiency and the ability to drive an impressive distance on electric power alone, it will not disappoint here either.

However, there are a few edges to the plug-in drivetrain that could have benefited from a little more refinement or development, and it feels as though the PHEV was rushed out the door faster than its six-cylinder siblings.

The turbo petrol and diesel CX-80s are easily the driver’s pick while saving a good chunk of cash in the asking price, and it would take a lot of avoided trips to the pump in the plug-in to win back a difference of more than $11,000.

2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV GT at a glance:
Price: $82,250 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 141kW/261Nm (electric motor: 129kW/270Nm)
Combined output: 241kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Battery: 17.8kWh lithium-ion
Range: 65km
Energy consumption: NA
Fuel: 2.7L/100km
CO2: 64g/km
Safety rating: 5-star ANCAP 2024

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