Mazda CX-80 Pure G40e 2024 Review

The 2024 Mazda CX-80 seven-seat SUV confirms a change of direction for the Japanese brand’s premium push with its Large Product Group (LPG) SUV foursome.

The line-up is opened by the entry-level Pure trim priced from $54,950 plus on-roads – almost $5000 less than the 2023 starting price of the shorter five-seat CX-60 it’s based on, however the CX-60 has recently adopted a drive-away starting price that undercuts the CX-80 once on-roads are taken into account.

So the message is clear; Mazda stretched its fan base too far with its upmarket pricing push and is now on a course correction.

So where the CX-60 originally lined up against the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and the like, the CX-80 is a rival for the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger and looks much more comfortable as a result.

The CX-80 also addresses Mazda’s equally controversial decision – this time a global one – to axe its popular CX-8 and CX-9 seven-seaters.

While it starts up to $12,000 more expensive than either of its forebearers, the CX-80 is at least a more accessible seven-seat solution than its wide-bodied LPG stablemate, the CX-90, that’s priced from $74,450 plus on-roads.

Because it’s a budget-based offering, the Pure is only available with the 209kW/450Nm ‘G40e’ 3.3-litre straight six turbo-petrol mild hybrid engine.

It eschews the more expensive 187kW/550Nm ‘D50e’ 3.3-litre turbo-diesel mild hybrid and 241kW/500Nm P50e 2.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid offered in the better equipped and higher-priced Touring, GT and Azami grades.

But it does get the same eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-biased all-wheel drive system as its dearer siblings.

While the Pure is back in the realms of affordability, CX-80 pricing stretches all the way up to $87,200 for the Azami P50e PHEV. The price gap from petrol to diesel across the range is only $2000, but the PHEV demands a further $11,050.

Standard equipment highlights on the Pure includes 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and push button start, cloth seat trim, tri-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, a head-up display, eight-speaker audio system, wired and wireless smartphone mirroring, embedded sat-nav and DAB digital radio.

There are two USB-C outlets up-front, two in row two and two more in row three.

Features added beyond the Pure include powered seats and tailgate, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, leather trimmed and heated seats, a wireless phone charger, 12-speaker Bose audio and a panoramic sunroof.

The CX-80 yet to be tested by ANCAP, however the Pure ships with autonomous emergency braking for pedestrian, cyclists, turning across, reversing and rear crossing traffic, lane keeping and blind spot monitoring, curtain airbags extend to row three and plenty more.

Happily, only a few safety features are added above CX-80 Pure. They include LED headlights, low-speed high-traffic assist for the adaptive cruise control and a see-through view for the 360-degree camera.

All CX-80s come with the Mazda Connect smartphone app but forsake a spare wheel. Forced to choose, I’d rather have the spare. Metallic paint is a $995 option.

A five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty covers the entire CX-80 range.

Service intervals are 12 months/15,000 and the servicing price average over the first five services comes out at $693.80. That is not cheap.

The petrol engine is significantly more expensive over the first five visits because it needs a spark plug change at the fourth dealer visit.

The best thing about the 2024 Mazda CX-80 is it is recognisably a Mazda.

To understand what that means, we have to travel back to July 2023 and the Australian launch of the CX-60. The first LPG model rode harshly, steered heavily and in the PHEV in particular, had an uncouth transmission stutter under load.

It was a car that had come out of the oven too soon. After 20 years of consistent mainstream Mazda excellence, the CX-60 was a letdown that didn’t justify its premium price.

But to drive the Mazda CX-80 is to be somewhat reassured. Suspension revisions have made the ride more comfortable without sacrificing body control and – in the Pure on 18-inch wheels – the steering is lighter and direct.

That transmission, which employs a wet clutch rather than torque converter in search of a more direct shift, also seems improved if not fixed.

And Mazda has generally done an excellent job of hushing the cabin – not always one of its strengths.

For someone stepping in from a CX-8 or CX-9, the CX-80 Pure will be a reassuringly familiar experience. It feels attuned to its role as a family hauler.

And so does the CX-80’s 2-3-2 seat interior because this thing is huge inside. That’s not really a surprise when you consider it rides on a 3120mm wheelbase – 250mm longer than CX-60.

All that extra length is generated beyond the B-pillar. A spin-off benefit is it helps give the CX-80 a better exterior proportion than the nose-heavy CX-60.

There is ample room for 180cm passengers to sit behind equally an equally tall driver and front passenger. Slide row two forward a tad and a 180cm passenger will also fit in row three for a knees-up short-ish trip. Kids will regard it as positively generous, if a little short on window space

Those long rear doors also open wide and a folding kerb-side seat that gets well out of the way help makes access to the third row relatively simple.

Amenities are generous in both rows. Map pockets, door pockets and cupholders join the aforementioned climate controls in row two with USB-C ports throughout. Third row passengers also get adjustable air vents.

With all the rows in use, Mazda claims there’s still room for a pram or golf clubs in the boot. Space expands from 258 litres to as much as 566 litres with row three folded and 1971 litres with row two folded.

The 2024 Mazda CX-80 Pure is on the bottom rung when it comes to Mazda’s concept of premium.

Where models higher in the range get a soft touch dashpad, the Pure makes do with hard plastic. There’s also more matte black visible in the cockpit and less bling.

The older, smaller infotainment screen is non-touch when the car is moving, which necessitates control from the dial on the centre console. Until the CX-60 came along, Mazda evangelised non-touch and eyes on the road. Oh well.

The instrument panel comprises old-fashioned analogue dials rather than more swish digital set-up, but again, no real drama.

Storage upfront is pretty nondescript. The lidded centre bin is shallow, there are only a couple of cupholders in the centre console and the doorbins are reasonable rather than generous.

While mostly pretty quiet, the cabin does cop some tyre noise over coarse bitumen and the multi-link rear suspension thumps obviously on rougher surfaces. The switch from normal to sport mode seems to be a placebo.

Speaking of switches, there really ought to be a shortcut for silencing the lane keeping and driver monitoring annoyances on the fly, as drilling into the infotainment system is laborious as well as distracting.

The gear selector would also have to be one of the fiddliest and notchiest in any new vehicle. Just shifting from drive to reverse or park – and vice-versa – can be an intensely frustrating experience.

Manual shifting is via feel-free flappy paddles.

The PHEV was always the CX-60 with the most annoying transmission shortcomings and a sampling of that powertrain in the CX-80 at the launch established its low-speed abruptness and shift shock remains an issue.

Even if it’s lacking a bit of action lower in the rev range and will probably never threaten its 8.4L/100km fuel consumption claim, the petrol engine in the Pure is no downgrade from the coarse and expensive PHEV.

The diesel is actually the best of the bunch, but you’ll have to pay at least $63,950 (plus ORCs) for the Touring D50e for the privilege. You also cop a 500kg braked towing downgrade from 2500kg to 2000kg.

Mazda spent 20 years building up immense credibility via a succession of impressive vehicles. One underdone, over-priced new model has done substantial damage to that credibility.

So the CX-80 is redemptive. Better to drive and – especially in the case of the Pure – better priced, it puts Mazda back in the conversation for a substantial audience it had spurned.

But let’s not get carried away here. The CX-80 is by no means the class-leader. Its rivals are excellent, and the competition is cut-throat. Mazda still has work to do.

2024 Mazda CX-80 at a glance:
Price: $54,950 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol mild hybrid
Output: 209kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 197g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Unrated