2026 Mazda CX-80 review

In Australia, Mazda has, count ‘em, seven SUVs. That’s more than in any other market.

Of these, four use a new rear-/all-wheel drive platform and new inline six-cylinder engines.

The Mazda CX-80 is intended to be one of the higher-volume vehicles on what’s called the Large Architecture.

It’s effectively a stretched version of the CX-60 with three rows of seating, and takes the place of the old CX-8 and CX-9; the wider CX-90, also featuring three rows of seating, is a more expensive, lower-volume play.

Stylistically, the CX-80 looks more like a CX-8 replacement. It may have the long bonnet of the other Large Architecture SUVs, but its extended length combined with the same width as the CX-60 gives it the same somewhat awkward, skinny sausage proportions of the old CX-8.

While it may look like a CX-8, it couldn’t be any more different mechanically. It’s aiming further upmarket than that defunct SUV, but is still Mazda’s most direct rival to top sellers like the Kia Sorento, Toyota Kluger and
Hyundai Santa Fe.

Should it be on your shortlist?

How much does the Mazda CX-80 cost?

The CX-80 has one of Mazda’s widest lineups. You can choose between petrol (G40e), diesel (D40e) or plug-in hybrid (P50e) powertrains, and Pure, Touring, GT and Azami trim levels.

All trim levels bar the Pure can be had with each of the three powertrains. See? Plenty of variety here.

For context, within the broader Mazda SUV lineup, the CX-80 G40e GT is priced similarly to the entry-level CX-90 G50e Touring, which is $68,800 before on-roads.

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

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What is the Mazda CX-80 like on the inside?

We’ve been in enough CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 models now that they’re collectively very familiar to us, but if you haven’t been in any of them let’s get you up to speed.

You sit in comfortable seats and look out at a dashboard that’s simple and generally elegant.

The GT upgrades to a larger 12.3-inch infotainment screen that actually includes touch functionality, at least for smartphone mirroring. It’s joined by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster which, while attractive, lacks a map view.

The heavily grained trim across the front of the dash is perhaps a bit retro but it’s very soft to the touch, as is the top of the dash and doors. We just wish all of the centre console sides were, as the top of these, where you may rest your knee, is hard.

Oh, and be careful getting into the car. Like the other Mazda SUVs on this platform, the air vents on either side of the dashboard stick out and you’ll strike your knee on them at least once.

The interior’s sea of black is broken up tastefully by bronze stitching, and not so tastefully by trim on the centre console intended to simulate metal. A panoramic sunroof bathes the cabin in natural light, and is much nicer than the single-pane unit in the old CX-9.

Yes, everything I love and hate about the CX-60, CX-70 and CX-90 is present and accounted for. The difference in width between the latter two and the CX-80 also isn’t perceptible up front.

The second row is spacious, with plenty of headroom and legroom. Amenities include climate controls, air vents, seatback map pockets, a pair of USB-C outlets, and a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders. The outboard seats are also heated.

Step into the third row and it isn’t exactly Hyundai Palisade palatial. At 180cm tall, my head was brushing the roof, while toe room between the shorter part of the 60:40 second-row bench was completely lacking.

If you’re carrying teens or adults back here, then, you’ll definitely need to slide the second row forward slightly. Kids, however, should be fine. Note the larger CX-90 also has limited toe room back here.

There’s a pair of USB-C outlets back here, plus cupholders and air vents.

Open the tailgate – which features hands-free power operation in the GT – and you’ll find 169L of space behind the third row, measured to the cargo cover.

This expands to 258L if you include the under-floor storage, helped by the absence of a spare wheel. Instead, there’s only a tyre repair kit.

Drop the 50:50 split/fold third row and you have 566L of space, growing to 1971L with the 60:40 split/fold second row dropped.

There’s a 12V outlet back here plus a 220V/150W power outlet.

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

The CX-80’s petrol engine stands out in a segment dominated by turbocharged petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines.

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

How does the Mazda CX-80 drive?

You might think that given all of Mazda’s new SUVs look basically the same, ride the same platform, use the same transmission, and feature the same family of powertrains, that they would all drive identically.

Coming directly out of a CX-70, however, the CX-80 is both frustratingly and refreshingly different at the same time.

But first, let’s talk about how the CX-80 compares to rivals not found in Mazda showrooms. As a mass-market crossover SUV on a rear/all-wheel drive platform, the CX-80 is already unusual; rivals like the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, for example, use front/all-wheel drive underpinnings.

This helps give the CX-80 a more balanced, athletic feel, further supported by a firmer ride than is typical in this segment.

You feel and hear bumps and ruts, but the ride never feels brittle. Mazda has also come some way from its first CX-60s, with their stiff ride but poor body control.

The steering isn’t as light as say a Kluger, and in a tight carpark it can prove a little bit of a handful. Or, rather, two hands full.

Parking is aided by a surround-view camera with superb resolution, but for those of you who still rely more on mirrors you may find it frustrating you can only dip one mirror at a time – the CX-80 doesn’t automatically dip both when you put it in reverse.

The CX-80 also stands out from its mass-market rivals with its inline six-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain, something that sounds more BMW than Mazda.

A turbocharged six-cylinder in a segment dominated by hybrid and turbo fours sure sounds exciting, but while it’s decently quick there’s a bit of a lag off the line, whether because of the turbo or the transmission.

It also has an oddly artificial engine note and doesn’t sound noticeably better than the diesel. When a petrol engine doesn’t sound noticeably better than a diesel, that’s not a great-sounding engine…

But it’s hard to discuss the CX-80’s dynamics without comparing it to what else is in Mazda showrooms, and no doubt there will be some cross-shopping going on there.

The steering is lighter in the CX-80 than the CX-90, making this easier to manoeuvre around a carpark – though it’s still heavier than most rivals.

While I personally like the heavy feel of the CX-90’s steering, lighter steering seems sensible for something pitched as a family-friendly SUV.

Mark that as an improvement, then, for the newer of Mazda’s two three-row SUVs. Then there’s the ride which, while still firm – again, not exactly ideal for a family-friendly SUV – proves much better resolved than the CX-60 that preceded it.

So what happened to the transmission, then?

All of Mazda’s new SUVs have some frustrating idiosyncrasies with their powertrains. Their transmissions will clunk when slowing down to a halt, they’ll occasionally be completely caught off guard when slowing down and then speeding up, and they simply need to spend a semester at finishing school.

But for some reason the CX-80 I drove was worse than the CX-70 and CX-90 I had during the same month, at least when it came to its automatic transmission.

An automatic in a car like this is like museum lighting – you ideally shouldn’t notice it, and you’ll certainly notice it if it’s not doing its job properly.

The CX-80 isn’t your car if you like an auto that just shifts gears quietly and imperceptibly, as you’re all too aware every time the transmission change gears. It feels unfinished.

Note, it doesn’t stop the CX-80 from feeling decently quick, although you might have expected a turbocharged inline six to feel a bit more sprightly, or to sound better, for that matter. Sadly, none of Mazda’s new petrol six-powered SUVs are particularly sonorous.

Set aside the two-row Mazdas and look at just at the CX-80 versus CX-90, and in my view it’s the latter that is the more desirable option.

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

What do you get?

The CX-80 is offered in four different trim levels.

Mazda CX-80 Pure highlights:

• 18-inch grey metallic alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit
• Automatic LED headlights with LED daytime running lights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Rear intermittent wiper
• Power-folding, heated exterior mirrors
• 10.25-inch infotainment screen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless and wired)
• DAB+ digital raido
• Satellite navigation
• 8-speaker sound system
• Head-up display
• 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen
• Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• Black cloth upholstery
• Paddle shifters
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
• USB outlets for all three rows
• Electric parking brake with auto hold
• Idle stop/start
• Hill descent control

Touring adds:

• Power tailgate
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster (P50e only)
• Leather upholstery
• 10-way power driver’s seat with two-position memory
• 8-way power passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Wireless phone charger

GT adds:

• 20-inch black metallic alloy wheels
• Adaptive LED headlights
• Body-coloured wheel arches and lower cladding
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Panoramic sunroof
• 12.3-inch infotainment screen
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Heated second-row seats
• Heated steering wheel
• 12-speaker Bose sound system
• Personalise system (auto restoration of settings)

Azami adds:

• 20-inch grey metallic, machined alloy wheels
• LED headlights with ‘bright signature’
• Black Nappa leather upholstery
• Ventilated front seats
• Ambient lighting
• Personalise system with Easy Entry & Driving position guide

All CX-80 models come with Mazda Connected Services, which allow you to use the MyMazda app to remotely control the locks and lights. Other features in this suite include:

• Emergency SOS call
• Geofencing capability
• Curfew notification
• Vehicle locator services
• Stolen vehicle assistance
• Vehicle status and health

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

Is the Mazda CX-80 safe?

The Mazda CX-80 has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to the entire CX-80 lineup, including diesel and plug-in hybrid variants.

Standard safety equipment on the CX-80 includes:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Junction assist
  • Pedestrian and cyclist detection
  • Reverse AEB
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Driver attention monitoring
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Front cross-traffic alert
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe exit warning
• Surround-view camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Front and front-side airbags
• Front far-side and knee airbags
• Curtain airbags (front and rear)
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition

The Azami adds:

• Surround-view camera with see-through view
• Cruising & Traffic Support

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

How much does the Mazda CX-80 cost to run?

The CX-80 is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty like the rest of the Mazda Australia lineup.

To see how the Mazda CX-80 lines up against the competition, check out ourcomparison tool.

CarExpert’s Take on the Mazda CX-80

Mazda’s new Large Architecture SUVs are ambitious products for the brand. However, despite the CX-80 ticking the enthusiast boxes – rear-biased all-wheel drive system, inline-six engine – it ultimately isn’t as pleasant to drive as the CX-9 it replaces.

Nor is the interior a quantum leap over the old car either, and new, frustrating design details like knee-bruising air vents are present.

Given the amount of investment in this new family of SUVs, including their new platform and powertrains, that’s disappointing.

Don’t get us wrong – we’re glad Mazda has tried something different with its new family of SUVs, even if the styling is familiar.

Given Mazda has made regular updates to its CX-60 to get it right, it’s quite possible the CX-80 will evolve during its lifetime to become a more cohesive package.

It’s no surprise the ‘zoom-zoom’ brand has made an enthusiast play here. Instead of building yet another front/all-wheel drive, turbocharged four-cylinder crossover SUV, it has done something different.

If you’re an enthusiast, that may help vault the CX-80 over something like a Sorento on your consideration list, though you’ll have to deal with annoying quirks – arguably more likely to bother an enthusiast – like a clunky transmission.

If you don’t care which wheels drive is being sent to or how many cylinders are under the bonnet, though, a Hyundai Santa Fe is a superior option.

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MORE: Explore the Mazda CX-80 showroom