Mazda SUV flood to be led by CX-60

Australian Mazda buyers will be offered unprecedented choice when a new-generation family of SUVs start arriving here in the second half of 2022.

The Japanese manufacturer today confirmed production of all-new SUV models badged CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90, based on its new large architecture and part of what it calls the Large Product Group.

Mazda Australia has in turn confirmed the CX-60 will be here by late 2022 and the other three models are also under consideration. None of them have as yet been shown publicly.

With the four models designed for different geographic regions, Australia’s chance to take all of them is understood to be unique in the Mazda world.

carsales understands the chance are good all four models will come here as the brand looks to widen and deepen its product line-up and push upmarket.

The styling direction has been hinted at by the first ‘0’ SUV model to come to Australia, the compact CX-30 that sits between the older CX-3 and CX-5 SUVs.

“We are excited to confirm all four SUVs in the large product group are available to Mazda Australia,” said a Mazda spokesperson.

“We are currently working through whether they make sense for our market and offer a strong business case for adding them to our existing line-up.

“That work has already been done for CX-60 so we can confirm you will see that in Australia before the end of 2022.”

The roll-out of the four new models is expected to be completed by late 2023 and will mean the pensioning off of the CX-9, the former carsales car of the year.

However, the existing CX-8 will continue on for the foreseeable future.

The longer-term future of the hugely popular CX-5 is also unknown, although a significant update has just been announced. The future plan for the ageing CX-3 small SUV’s is also yet to be revealed.

The Mazda6 passenger car is expected to be soon phased out, leaving the Mazda2 mini, Mazda3 small car, MX-5 sports car and BT-50 ute as the only non-SUVs in the line-up.

Mazda has also confirmed the existence of the smaller CX-50 SUV, a member of the Small Product Group, which will be built in a new plant in the USA shared with Toyota. It will be sold only in North America.

The CX-60 and CX-80 are two- and three-row SUVs and both are primarily aimed at markets with narrower roads and smaller parking lots such Europe and Japan.

The CX-70 and CX-90 are wide-body two- and three row SUVs primarily aimed at markets with more space such as North America.

The European market, where electrification is already in full-swing, will primarily see the CX-60 and CX-80 introduced as plug-in hybrid models with straight-four gasoline engines combined with a motor drive.

The new-generation straight-six SKYACTIV-X petrol engine and SKYACTIV-D diesel engine will also be introduced in combination with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.

In North America, Mazda will introduce both turbocharged straight-six petrol-engined and plug-in hybrid versions of the CX-70 and CX-90 to “meet customer requirements and respond to environmental regulations”.

Due to the enduring popularity of diesel engines in Japan, a straight-six SKYACTIV-D diesel model with a 48V mild-hybrid system and plug-in hybrid models will be introduced to the line-up.

All that means Mazda Australia will have massive choice for its future SUV line-up when you consider the new models will join not only the CX-5, but the CX-30, CX-3 and the electrified low-volume MX-30.