Mazda’s diesel-only seven-seat CX-8 SUV updated for the 2020 model year
Driving the Mazda CX-8 SUV this week, Mazda’s fourth SUV fitting between the mid-size CX-5 and larger CX-9. The seven-seat CX-8 arrived in a market hungry for SUV’s. While much of the SUV market has shown a marked preference for petrol power the Mazda CX-8 comes only in 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel yet has been a real success. This contrasts with the CX-9 seven-seater that comes only in 2.5-litre turbo-petrol. Like the CX-9 the CX-8 comes in front drive and all-wheel-drive – the front–drive Sport $43,410, another $4,000 in all-wheel-drive form and in the high-grade all-wheel-drive only Asaki, $62,590. All models six-speed automatic. It sits on the same wheelbase as the CX-9 with less overhang front and rear, with the same width as the smaller CX-5. I tested the all-wheel-drive CX-8 Sport at $47,410 to my way of thinking the best specified of the three available models , the top line Asaki a little too expensive despite an extensive feature list. Mazda have however just added features to all models – Apple car play and Android auto now standard, so too tyre pressure monitoring and some new dynamics technology which noticeably improves handling and stability. The twin-turbo diesel’s excellent torque give the CX8 a really relaxed performance with good economy and I managed 7.9L/100 with a mix of driving. There’s a few styling changes for the new model year including new grey metallic finish to the Sport models 17-inch alloy wheels.
I’m David Berthon
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