Mazda CX-80 Plug-in Hybrid Review

It's been a long time since Mazda offered a three-row SUV here in Singapore. And if this car is any indication, the firm is keen to muscle its way back into the hearts of the large and well-heeled families here.

Look through the specification sheet and you'll note that it comes with plenty that will please those looking for space and luxury. To start with, this CX-80 sports a 3,120mm-long wheelbase (just 77mm short of that of the LWB Land Rover Range Rover), so space in its cabin is practically guaranteed. And then there's also the fact that it comes packed with premium features including a Nappa leather cabin, ventilated seats at the front, and a Bose 12-speaker premium sound system.

And to top this all off, it's also the first time Mazda has offered a car here with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. So, could this be your new family hauler?

The Mazda CX-80 comes with plenty of premium features including ventilated seats upholstered in Nappa leather

Plugged-in and ready

If you have easy access to a charger, you'll find the CX-80 quite an accomplished vehicle. With its 17.8kWh battery charged up, the SUV makes easy work of its 2,267kg and for the most part delivers smooth and quiet progress.

The CX-80's 120kW electric motor generates only a quiet whine, and should you need a more urgent turn of speed, the car's engine will assist with minimum fuss, with its starter motor only noticeable if you have the radio turned off.

Set into its default drive mode (which sees the car getting only occasional assistance from its combustion motor) and you should be able to cover more than 50km before draining that high voltage battery flat.

The car's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster makes it easy to keep track of the remaining charge and available range

Capable, with or without electricity

Once this battery is dead, however, responsiveness and overall refinement does dip. Push the CX-80 in this state and its 2.5-litre four-cylinder remains muted but its strained vocals do become more apparent. Expect the Mazda CX-80 to return a fuel economy of 10.2km/L, which is only a respectable performance after you account for the car's large size and considerable weight.

Owners can take solace in the fact that ride quality here is excellent. The Mazda CX-80 remains unperturbed by all manner of road imperfections save for the harshest of speed bumps. And should a few more curvy roads appear, the car's well-weighted steering wheel should also delight.

These 20-inch black aluminium wheels come as standard with the CX-80

Those in the second row should also find more than enough space, and seven should be able to sit comfortably in the CX-80 once this row is pushed forward. Folding down the second-row seats to allow access into the third row is an easy one button affair that also does not require too much strength.

And for the driver, there's a tall and commanding seating position alongside plenty of outward visibility. There are also physical controls to adjust the settings for critical items including the air-conditioning, ventilated seats, drive mode and speaker volume, as well as to throw up the 360-degree camera display feed onto the car's 12.3-inch infotainment display, which means you won't have to take your eyes off the road once you're familiar with where all these switches are located.

Folding down the second row is an easy one-button affair, and erecting the seats in the third row is just as easy with the straps provided

And quite the looker as well

This cabin also looks and feels premium and comes decked with plenty of cushioned surfaces.

But where this CX-80 really impresses is on the outside. It's practically indistinguishable from the CX-60, sure, but I'm sure many will find that that's no bad thing, given that it offers plenty of that critical road presence most SUV buyers are looking for.

The Mazda CX-80 will ensure that your growing family will be transported in high comfort

Should you get one?

Thinking of getting one for your growing family? At what is expected to be a price that is close to $376,000, this CX-80 doesn't come cheap. 

If you don't have convenient access to a charging point (bearing in mind that this CX-80 will take a total of two hours and 20 minutes of charging just for a day's worth of battery capacity), take note that hybrid-only alternatives such as the Hyundai Santa Fe come in at $267,999, or that the Kia Sorento Hybrid can be had from $253,999 (as of 8 January 2025, all prices inclusive of COE).

These options may not match the Mazda CX-80 for sheer size, but will still transport seven in reasonable comfort, and returned better fuel economy figures when we tested them compared to this CX-80's performance when its battery was flat.

But if access to a charging point is no issue for you, this CX-80 currently stands out as being the sole non-luxury large seven-seater plug-in hybrid SUV available here. If ferrying seven is not necessary, there's a new plug-in hybrid variant of the Defender 110, or the Lexus RX450h+ to think about, although both these alternatives do come with larger price tags still.

Seen this way, the Mazda CX-80 marks itself out as quite the convincing prospect for the large family that wants space and comfort aplenty.

Looking for a plug-in hybrid SUV? There's also these articles to catch up on:

The Jaecoo J7 comes with handsome styling and a generous equipment list

The Mercedes-Benz GLC300e comes with an impressive cabin and quiet drivetrain

The Land Rover Range Rover plug-in hybrid, meanwhile, makes every journey effortless