Mazda CX-60 Evolve D50e (2023-2026)

An amazing car that will only improve – I purchased a Mazda CX-5, 2.2 litre twin turbo diesel Touring Active with 17 inch wheels, a bit over a year ago (see my previous review 2023). In summary it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. Fun to drive, powerful and fit for purpose living in the bush. On long trips with two people and a good load regularly got 6.2 litres/100kms. Really impressed by the superb built quality of Mazdas.

However I wanted a slightly bigger car for the long trips from our farm in NSW to Melbourne over 500kms away. Again I wanted a diesel, it had to be serviced locally and it had to have smaller rims and not the fashionable 20 and 21 inch rims that are less comfortable and not suitable for rural use on our Australian roads.

The new Mazda CX-60 seemed ideal. I had a short test drive and confirmed the size was what we wanted. However I was uneasy about the early negative reviews upon its launch that focussed on the suspension and automatic transmission. Mazda reacted quickly to the negative feedback and retuned the suspension and reprogrammed the transmission in late 2023. Of interest the day I picked up the car, Mazda issued another recall to refine the automatic transmission again. While most of the reviews of the CX-60 are before the changes, a couple have reported that the transmission issues were fixed by the reprogramming, and the suspension issues have almost been solved but the ride is still firm compared to a Mercedes, BMW or Audi. On the other hand all reviews were very impressed by the built quality, superb straight six 3.3 litre mild hybrid petrol and diesel engines, space, luxury and importantly excellent value compared to similar vehicles like BMW X3 and Audi Q5 that use 3.0 litre 6 cylinder engines.

End result I traded my CX-5 for a new CX-60 Evolve diesel in early September 2024 - this is the only model with 18 inch wheels. The more expensive models all have 20 inch wheels which I did not want. I was nervous that I may have made a mistake and should have kept the CX5! My initial impressions after a couple of weeks ownership confirm I made the right choice. The CX-60 is superb and fit for purpose. I didn’t drive a CX-60 before the transmission and suspension changes but the suspension and transmission seems fine to me. Most of the reviews compare the CX-60 to mid size SUVs like BMWs, AUDIs and MERCEDES costing more than twice as much for a 6 cylinder mild hybrid turbo diesel. A bit unfair. On the other hand I believe the CX-60 more than competes. For the most part the specs on these comparable SUVs are identical to the CX-60. Mazda are built in Japan with superb built quality as good as above from my observation.

The transmission is actually superb most of the time except at slow speeds in urban areas where it is not as smooth as expected. The regenerative braking and the mild hybrid in coast mode work perfectly. The paddle shifts are great. Importantly when you use them, they stay in the chosen gear a long time unless you hold the right hand paddle for a couple of seconds and the car goes back to D. The off road, sport and normal settings all work as expected.

The suspension is firm but reasonable. This means it handles extremely well - almost like an MX5. The manufacturer recommended tyre pressure of 36psi all around for two persons and normal loads is too firm and is designed for smooth freeways and autobahns, not the average rural Australian road! The first thing the dealer told me was to drop the pressure a little. You can set it to 30psi for a soft ride but below that the low pressure warning system is activated. Somewhere between 30-36psi will be a sweet spot for most drivers depending on their use. With a lower tyre pressure and the 18inch rims the car is comfortable for touring.

There is lots of surprising technology as standard on the “base” model. The cabin is great with lots of soft surfaces. Of course all the safety technology for heads up radar cruise control works great. In fact it is one of the best parts of the modern Mazda. Having a mild hybrid (MHEV) 3.3 litre turbo diesel with sport, normal and off road settings is a real plus. The car has very good power and excellent torque. Interestingly if you set the car on 100kph cruise control and go around a sharp bend the car will automatically slow down a little. Also you can set a small adjustment on the digital speedometer to correct for the usual speedo reading 2-3kph under the actual or GPS speed, when using cruise control. Overall the cruise control is superb especially when changing speed zones. The car has a power tail gate, 360 degree cameras, front and rear parking sensors and a 150w 240 volt power point. Four USB-C outlets. It has tyre pressure sensors with a display. The LED headlights dip automatically. Heated side mirrors and LED lights all around, and much more.

The CX-60 feels a solid heavy car. Almost two tonnes. However it handles very well, feels well planted on the road and is fun to drive. It cruises effortlessly and is comfortable. Has an amazing claimed fuel economy of less than 5 litres/100kms due to the MHEV. It feels large inside. As different from many mid size SUVs, it is predominantly rear wheel drive and only sends power to the front wheels when needed. It is better to drive than SUVs that are predominantly front wheel drive and send power to the rear wheels when needed. This improves the feel and enjoyment of the car when driving. Driving it reminds me of a 6 cylinder turbo diesel BMW X5 or similar.

Just drove over 1200kms with two people and a full load from over the Victorian border to Melbourne and return. Five days driving around suburban Melbourne. The each way drive included a couple of hundred kilometres of hilly and sometimes mountainous terrain each way. The car performed beautifully and returned 5.9 litres/100kms from the bush to Melbourne and 5.8litres/100kms on return. My previous Mazda CX-5 twin turbo regularly gave 6.2 litres/100kms. I am sure without the heavy load I might have got under 5 litres/100kms?

The CX-60 3.3 diesel is a bigger car than the CX-5. A large mid size SUV. Feels well planted on the road and cruises effortlessly. It is a pleasure to drive especially on a long country drive. It is also fun to drive. When needed the power is amazing. Cruising in the car was wonderful. Only negative, is around suburban Melbourne the transmission is not as smooth as my CX-5. Not serious but not as smooth as I expected. I think Mazda has some more refinement to do in future models.

But overall, an amazing car and excellent value for money. I would buy again in a heartbeat.