SPY PICS: 2024 Mazda CX-80 spotted for the first time

The all-new 2024 Mazda CX-80 has been spotted testing in Europe ahead of its global debut later this year, bearing a striking and unsurprising resemblance to the smaller Mazda CX-60.

Already confirmed for the Australian market in 2024, following the axing of the CX-9 by the end of this year and the launch of the new CX-90 flagship SUV in August, the all-new CX-80 is effectively a longer seven-seat version of the five-seat CX-60 mid-size SUV, in a similar dynamic to the current CX-5 and CX-8 relationship.

Similarly, next month’s new ‘wide-body’ CX-90 is effectively a stretched seven-seat version of the upcoming CX-70 five-seat large SUV, which is yet to be revealed or confirmed for Australia.

The CX-80’s design similarity with the CX-60 is reflected in its exterior styling, given it looks almost identical to its smaller sibling save for the extended wheelbase and the longer, more bulbous rear-end needed to accommodate the third row of seating.

The stretched wheelbase also frees up room for long rear doors, while outward third-row visibility will be improved by a redesigned D-pillar and extended side windows.

From all other angles – besides the side profile or rear three-quarter view – the CX-80 could well be mistaken for the CX-60 and that trend is more than likely to be replicated both inside the cabin and under the bonnet, with the two SUVs likely to share cabin designs and powertrains.

All of Mazda Australia’s transverse-engined, all-wheel drive ‘Large Product Group’ models will feature the same 3.3-litre straight-six turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines, plus the 2.5-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid system that briefly held the title as the most powerful Mazda production powertrain to date.

All three power units have different tunes and outputs depending on the model they’re applied to, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the CX-80 ends up packing a few more kiloWatts and or Newton-metres than its little sibling to counteract its increased size and weight – especially at full capacity.

Such a move would also help bridge the 45kW gap between the petrol CX-60 and CX-90 variants in Australia, where meaning Mazda will offer three large SUVs including the price-leading CX-8 once the CX-80 arrives.

Odds are the CX-80’s pricing will split that of the CX-60 and CX-90 too, solidifying it as the direct replacement for the venerable and imminently retiring Mazda CX-9.

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