You might recall from our CX-80 launch story that Mazda characterises its CX-60/80/90 family as 1 car line, 2 powertrains and 3 specifications: SP, Homura and Takami.
MAZDA CX-60 SP: Engine 3.3-litre petrol inline-6 with 48-volt mild hybrid system Power 209kW/450Nm Gearbox 8-speed automatic, AWD Consumption 7.9l/100km Price $69,990.
If you’re up on your Mazda product knowledge, that might also have irked a little, because of course there’s an outlier in the CX-60 range: the entry-level Touring PHEV.
Well, don’t be irked. What we couldn’t tell you in that story (embargoes and all that) is that the Touring is on its way out, to be replaced by a new model for 2025: the CX-60 SP, on sale from January. Yep, that fits.
And that tidies things up nicely, but it’s also a sign of the times. The Touring PHEV was launched last year at $78,990 to take advantage of the Government’s Clean Car Discount for plug-in cars, which disappeared at the end of 2023.
While PHEV is still a crucial part of CX-60 and CX-80, there’s less need for an entry-level plug-in, especially now it's liable for road user charges. Meanwhile, the CX-60’s “other” engine, a smooth 3.3-litre straight-six mild-hybrid, has been a bit of a hit, accounting for over half of sales in its first year. Did we mention 70% of CX-60 buyers are male?
So meet the CX-60 SP, powered exclusively by the straight-six engine and creating a new entry point for the model at $69,990; it's a much better bridge from the smaller CX-5, which currently tops out at $67,890 for the Takami version.
In very broad terms, the SP is a Homura with a bit less content. But Mazda NZ is adamant it’s not supposed to be a cheapie in spirit: the blacked-out look and six-pot engine make it one for the “enthusiast intender”, says the company.
It’s still got full leather with power seat adjustment and heating, power tailgate and 360-degree camera, for example.
So what are you missing for that $12k saving compared to Homura? Adaptive LED lights, Bose audio, power steering wheel adjustment, heating for the wheel and rear seats, panoramic glass roof and See-Through View for the camera system.
The CX-80 launch was an opportunity for a drive in the CX-60 SP, which is really the same as a refresher drive in the Homura because the two are mechanically identical. And hey, we’ll take it, because the CX-60 really does live up to those enthusiast aspirations.
Petrol sixes are a rarity these days, so any such thing would be appealing. But Mazda’s is a real beauty: smooth and ultra-refined when you need to be, flexible thanks to that hybrid assist, and yet able to serve up plenty of revs and a delightfully growly soundtrack when you’re in the mood.
Mazda has said it before but we’ll share it again: while the six seems extravagant on paper, it’s pretty efficient considering the performance you’re getting. At 7.9l/100km it’s more thrifty than the 4-cylinder CX-5, for example; the biggest threat to the mild hybrid’s economy is that you’ll want to drive it hard more often.
The CX-60 handles, too. Mazda’s strong on attention-to-dynamic-detail, and the SP steers and corners with a precision that belies its size and weight. It’s so pleasing to drive, you start thinking it’s a plus to be in an SUV on a winding road, because you’re better able to see the ebb and flow of the tarmac ahead.
Through an enthusiast lens, there are few downsides to the SP. The 8-speed automatic, which has a complicated arrangement of clutches but no torque converter, is generally very smooth, but can deliver the odd clunky change at middling throttle. The Homura-derived suspension is firmer than the outgoing Touring of course, but that’s in keeping with the shift in character for Mazda’s entry-point CX-60.
So, a 1-2-3 refresher. The CX-60 is the only one of the Mazda’s new-gen SUV that’s available with all three grades (SP, Homura and Takami); the CX-80 is SP and Homura and now the largest Mazda offering with PHEV power, because the CX-90 comes only as a Takami, powered by an even more powerful 254kW/500Nm version of that lovely six.
Fun fact: Mazda NZ claims the CX-60 SP is now the cheapest 6-cylinder new vehicle you can buy here, in any market segment. And having thought about it a lot, we can’t disagree. Times really have changed.