Mazda CX-8

Overview

Mazda is one of the most successful and prominent marques to come out of Japan. Despite being smaller than some of the other major carmakers from the Land of the Rising Sun, Mazda has repeatedly been putting out some fantastic cars in recent years. And an excellent example of this is headed straight for Malaysia - the new CX-8. The Mazda CX-8 is the ‘most-likely’ result of procreation between the larger but more expensive CX-9, and the smaller but less spacious CX-5. While it looks like a carbon copy of the flagship CX-9, the new CX-8 is, in fact, based on the same (albeit a stretched) platform of the current-gen CX-5.

Interior & Features

One of the best aspects of the new Mazda CX-8 is its beautiful interior. It’s not only spacious and ergonomically astute, but its design and the high quality of materials play out really well. Add to that solid build and faultless fit-and-finish, and you’ve got an almost perfect cabin. The seats in all three rows are very nice, and the first two rows offer plenty of room. Having said that, the final row is cramped for even average-sized people, plus it doesn’t get any air vents. Also, while the styling and quality are generally spotless, it’s not all great. The small-ish infotainment head unit kind of looks old now and it isn’t very high-res, either.

Top trims of the Mazda CX-8 can be had with automatic LED headlights, LED foglights, 19-inch alloy rims, proximity key with push-button start, full-leather upholstery, power-operated front seats with heating and cooling function, tri-zone climate control, electronic handbrake with auto hold, head-up display, selectable drive modes, power tailgate, a 7-inch touch-multimedia head unit with navigation, and a Bose audio system.

Exterior

Employing their well-received Kodo design language, the new Mazda CX-8 is bound to turn heads. It’s certainly one of the better-looking cars in its segment, and maybe even in a few segments higher. Depending upon the angle you choose to look at the CX-8 from, it could either remind you of the CX-9, or the CX-5. The front of the new CX-8 gets a long and muscular bonnet, sleek headlamps, chrome-laden front grille, and a chiselled bumper. Side-on, the most apparent bits to grab your attention would be the dashing alloy wheels, large wheel arches, rear doors, gap between the front and rear wheels, and the sloping roof.

At the rear, the CX-8 features a pair of elegant taillights, a slender chrome strip between them, a chunky bumper, and dual chrome-tipped exhaust pipes. The Mazda CX-8 is bigger than the CX-5 that it’s based on - measuring 4,900 mm X 1,840 mm X 1,730 mm in its length, width, and height. It shares its 2,930 mm wheelbase with the CX-9, but because of its shorter overall length, the boot capacity behind the third row is just a mediocre 209 litres.

Ride & Handling

The Mazda CX-8’s comfy ride quality and good road manners come down to its well-tuned suspension - MacPherson struts up front, multi-link independent at the back. While the CX-8 isn’t as nimble as the smaller CX-5, it handles its 1.8-tonne mass pretty gracefully. The body roll is well contained, and the suspension does a great job of ironing out road imperfections without creating any fuss. And in typical Mazda fashion, the steering wheel feels well weighted and is remarkably precise as well. However, rear visibility is quite limited, especially with a full house.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Under that sweeping bonnet of this Mazda CX-8 is a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder SKYACTIV diesel engine. This turbocharged oil-burner is quite refined and generates a healthy 188 hp at 4,500 rpm and 450 Nm of max torque at 2,000 rpm. Meanwhile, transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed automatic gearbox - with torque being vectored to all four corners via an AWD system. And despite its potent engine, the CX-8 isn’t desperately thirsty either, averaging up to 15 kmpl.

Braking & Safety

The CX-8’s all-around disc brakes do a pretty tidy job of halting this large, family crossover. This Mazda also scores a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and benefits from six airbags, plus various electronic nannies such as ABS, EBD, EBA, HSA, ESC, TCS, BSM, LDW, etc.

Verdict

With the new CX-8, Mazda has yet another well-sorted and rounded package for buyers in the segment. At the end of the day, the CX-8’s list of pros easily outshines its few cons.