Mazda CX-60 named Best Large SUV in the Diesel&EcoCar Magazine Diesel Top 50
UK, 01/10/2024
- Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv D places in third place in Diesel Top 50 and named Best Large SUV.
- In-line six-cylinder 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv D features 48-volt mild-hybrid system and two power outputs.
- Mazda wins the first-ever Editor’s Award for Innovation from Diesel&EcoCar Magazine.
The Mazda CX-60 has starred in the 2024 Diesel&EcoCar Magazine Diesel Top 50, coming third overall in the ranking and being named Best Large SUV. In addition, Mazda took the first-ever Editor’s Award for innovation with the 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder e-Skyactiv D MHEV that features in the CX-60 and the forthcoming three-row Mazda CX-80.
Commenting on the Mazda CX-60’s win, Diesel&EcoCar Editor, Ian Robertson, said: “Mazda has gone upmarket, and last year’s winner packs a stunning and clean sheet six-cylinder diesel engine. Not only is it smooth, it also has the latest 48-volt mild hybrid technology, helping this large SUV top 55mpg. It’s available with 200ps and rear wheel drive or four-wheel drive and 254ps. Both outputs deliver a muscular driving experience. Mazda’s interiors go from strength to strength, and everything feels sumptuous and built to last, with generous passenger space”.
The winners in the Diesel Top 50 were chosen by the team of writers across Diesel&EcoCar Magazine, while Mazda also won the Editor’s Award for Innovation. Commenting on this recognition, Editor, Ian Robertson, said: “in a market where diesel power is shrinking, Mazda should be congratulated for persevering with technology that it believes is right for the vehicle marketplace, and more importantly, the customer. Mazda’s mild-hybrid e-Skyactiv D diesel technology is the perfect accompaniment to the CX-60 and will also be the perfect fit for the upcoming three-row Mazda CX-80 flagship SUV.
Adding, “cutting edge design means that it is one of the cleanest diesel engines in the world, with innovative advanced combustion technology and the ability to tow a trailer or caravan up to 2.5tonnes. The 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv D engine is the reason why Mazda is the well-deserved winner of the very first Editor’s Award for Innovation.”
Offered in three highly specified model grades: Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi, the imposing strength of the Mazda CX-60’s beautiful and dynamic styling conveys the intelligence and elegance of the latest developments in Kodo design woven into the toughness of the striking front-engine, rear-wheel drive SUV architecture.
Demonstrating Mazda’s commitment to a multi-solution approach to sustainable mobility and the principal of the right solution at the right time, the Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv-D MHEV offers the perfect solution for many private buyers, higher-mileage drivers or anyone who tows regularly. Another example of Mazda’s never stop challenging approach to engine development, the 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel engine features Distribution-Controlled Partially Premixed Compression Ignition (DCPCI) Technology. This highly innovative advanced combustion technology makes the e-Skyactiv D unit one of the cleanest diesel engines in the world, achieving a thermal efficiency of over 40%.
Developed using the ‘right sizing’ concept which optimises displacement to improve both fuel and power efficiency, the 3,283cc longitudinally installed common rail electric direct injection six-cylinder e-Skyactiv D unit is offered with a choice of two power outputs: 200ps and 450Nm with rear-wheel drive and 254ps and 550Nm with Mazda i-Activ AWD (all-wheel drive). Featuring a 48v Mazda M Hybrid Boost system, the 3.3-litre diesel engine combines high output with excellent fuel economy. The combination of DCPCI and Mazda M Hybrid technologies contribute significantly to the CX-60’s frugal fuel consumption and low emissions.
The 200ps output engine is singularly offered in Exclusive-Line trim where it is matched to rear-wheel drive, additionally Exclusive-Line can also be specified with the higher-output 254ps version and here features all-wheel drive. The Homura is offered exclusively with the 254ps AWD drivetrain, as is the range-topping Takumi grade.
As you’d expect from a Mazda, the e-Skyactiv D powered CX-60 delivers an impressive blend of performance and efficiency, alongside the driver focused handling, impressive comfort and high-quality found across the CX-60 range. The 200ps engine returns a WLTP average fuel consumption of 56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of only 129g/km in rear-wheel drive Exclusive-Line guise, while the AWD 254ps Exclusive Line, Homura and Takumi WLTP average fuel consumption is 53.3mpg with CO2 emissions from 137g/km.
Refinement was also a key development goal of the Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv D diesel and the in-line six-cylinder configuration produces less vibration due to its characteristic ‘perfect balance’, for a smooth and quiet engine tone, whilst delivering a clean and engaging sound. The engine’s high torque delivery gives the CX-60 a 2,500kg trailer weight towing capacity, while as a result of its lightweight construction, the engine weighs similar to the 2.2-litre Mazda Skyactiv D four-cylinder diesel engine used in the Mazda CX-5, which helps handling balance.
Commenting on the Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv D’s award success, Mazda Motors UK, Managing Director, Jeremy Thomson, said: “another demonstration of Mazda’s ‘Multi-Solution Approach’, the 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder e-Skyactiv D MHEV is designed to meet the needs of customers who want an efficient, long distance driving car with great towing capacity. So, it’s great that the car has been acknowledged in the 2024 Diesel Top 50, while the PHEV is the biggest selling CX-60 in the UK, the six-cylinder diesel is a fantastic example of Mazda’s long-standing reputation for engine innovation and it will be a superb choice for many retail customers”.