Mazda CX-80 PHEV (2025) Review: The Ultimate 7-Seater Hybrid SUV?
In an earlier video, we drove the Mazda MX5. And in today’s video, we are driving the complete opposite side of the spectrum with the Mazda CX80, which is the SUV flagship model of the whole Mazda lineup. My name is Peter and today I’m taking you around this car. I’m going to show you the ins and outs, and of course, we’re going to do a whole bunch of driving to see what’s what. Now, obviously, this is a huge vehicle with 5 meters long, 1 m 90 wide, and a third row here in the back, which is why we’re going to the back right away, cuz I’ll show you what kind of consequences that has for the space. Now, it’s a lot of black in here, but you can already see I got the seats of the third row down at the moment, meaning I have a ton of luggage capacity, which is fantastic. Uh there’s alo also a false floor here for your charging cable and so on because this is a plug-in hybrid. Uh and obviously this space is extremely usable. But if so desired, you can pull this up and put this up and then I have that third row available to me. Now I’ll show you the details of the space uh back there in a minute. Uh but you can see the difference here because now only this is left for luggage space which is not that much but with one seat up one seat down you can see the difference in space really nicely. So it’s very versatile as far as that goes and that brings me to a nice question. Do you guys think vehicles like this are still justifiable or should we all go smaller and more compact? Because obviously as soon as you start to drive this in a city it becomes a bit of a disaster in terms of parking and putting it away. Uh but obviously the other side of the spectrum is that this is a fantastic car for traveling in, for driving long distance with your family and overall having a pleasant time on the go. Let me know in the comments. I’m curious what you guys think. Of course, like always, a little tour through the cockpit of this Mazda CX80. And it is a very nice cockpit, I can already tell you. Albeit with a few details that I’m not too sure about. Chief among which is the color scheme in here. We have this light interior, which is fine with me in general, but this wood here is the wrong choice. It’s also in the middle here, and it doesn’t really match this light interior cuz the wood looks yellow and not in a nice way. I think if you have a darker interior, this wood would already work a lot better. Uh, but in this combination, it’s not nice. Uh, the other thing that I’m not too sure about is the chrome, like here on the door and around the steering wheel. And here in the middle, there’s some too. Uh, not really my taste. Uh, I have to say, but that’s mostly personal preference. I would have picked a different interior style, but overall the cabin is very very nice. Uh the first thing that you notice is there’s no piano black whatsoever. It’s possible, huh? It’s possible. And the second thing you notice is that it is all buttons. There’s not a single touchy swipy service in here. So, that makes me very happy as well. Starting here on the left, we have window and mirror controls the way you want them to be. So, that’s excellent. Big big side mirrors. So, that’s nice, too. I mean, it’s a big vehicle, uh, and you want to have that sort of chunky feel of like, oh, I’m dealing with a large vehicle, and the mirrors certainly help with that. So, that is great. Then there’s a row of two rows of buttons actually, uh, one for the seat memory and one for your, uh, audio warnings off, traction control, parking, and opening your fuel cap. And so, that’s all here on the left side of the steering wheel, which is electrically adjustable. Now, I do know that you don’t adjust your steering wheel that often, but it is nice in a vehicle this size and in this class, you want this luxury. It’s nice. It’s It’s a nice little bonus. It’s a little bit like an electric boot. Of course, you can open it yourself uh no problem, but in this class of car, you want this kind of extra luxury. So, that’s great. The steering wheel is a circle, which is excellent. No hexagon shapes, no triangles, no cut off squares. Absolutely not necessary. Mazda says a circle is the way to go and I agree. This is the shape you want your steering wheel to be. All buttons, like I said, two clusters on the right for your cruise control and so on and your lane keeping and on the left for your media and your systems. So, that is just the way you want it to be. It’s a quite large steering wheel, but it’s easy to reach all the buttons with your thumbs. So, that’s good. Behind the steering wheel, we have two flippers to change gear that you probably never do. Uh, but they’re nice and small, modest flippers so they don’t get in the way when you don’t uh, use them. And two stocks for your lights and your indicators and your wipers on the right side. Very simple, very traditional. Excellent. Through the steering wheel, I have a very nice and clear display in my case with the power meter, speedo, and with my uh, fuel and average consumption meters. Very simple and very calming. Um, some displays have like loads of shiny graphics and lots of information and colors everywhere. This is a very calm display, which is actually quite nice. Uh, you can change the color a little bit with the driving mode. So, if I go to sports, for example, then everything is going to turn red and aggressive. Uh, so that’s a nice touch. Uh, but for example, if I press my cruise control button, then the way it morphs into the cruise control display is very calming. It’s not some kind of flashy animation or anything happening. Uh, it’s just a simple transition from one to the other, which is great. Now, together with the display here, I have a head-up display. So, that’s nice, too. I’ve said that in previous videos, too. I really like to combine the information of the head-up display with the information that I get on my driver’s display and make the two work in conjunction with each other, uh, to make sure I have the information that I want where I want it. So, that’s very nice. And when you set this up in the way that you like it to be, it is a very pleasant experience to constantly just look ahead on the road where you obviously want your eyes to be, have the information that you want, but still glance down for additional information. And only when you need more information, then you can go to the central screen. The central screen itself is huge, which is great, but it’s not one of those iPad slabs uh computer monitors slapped on the dashboard. It’s still nicely integrated, so that’s good, too. And it is the Mazda system that we are familiar with by now. Uh so I can operate it with the uh wheel here in the middle. And for example, if I go to navigation and want to scroll to a new destination, then I have to uh use the carousel here for example in order to select my letters. Now I’ve said it in previous Maza videos too. On the one hand it is a little bit dated because there’s better ways to do it than you know this way. Uh on the other hand, when you’re uh driving, it is actually quite nice to operate this with your fingertips sort of on the fly. So, it’s a bit of give and take. Uh I do think uh there are still steps to be made. Uh but overall, it is quite a nice system to work with. Uh it’s nothing special. It’s nothing crazy. It’s all very text based. Uh so, you know, you have to read what you’re doing. But because the system is fairly simple, it is also easy to navigate while driving with your fingertips, like I said. And this scroll wheel underneath we have a bit of fabric on the dash. Uh looks kind of nice. Uh I wonder how long this stays clean though. Uh I mean if you have stains on this, I wonder how easy it is to clean. Uh but okay. Underneath we have manual ventilation. Again, it is simply impossible. Other car makers just do it like this. It’s so much better. Uh and we have a whole row of buttons for the KMA unit. So on the left and right side, I have up and down for the temperature. And then I have all my buttons for steering wheel heating, seat heating, seat cooling, windows, and so on for both sides of the car. Absolutely excellent. This is how you want your KMA unit to be. There’s even a little screen in the middle to sort of show your status and what you’re changing. Uh but that’s not even strictly necessary because you can use the big screen for that. But this is how you want it to be. Uh other car makers, pay attention. Just copy this. It’s just so much better for everybody. It’s just easier. So that makes me very happy. Then we have the center console which is quite a uh big boy unit with that yellowish wood that I don’t like. We have a charging pad here where I have currently have my sunglasses and a 12vt outlet there as well. We have two cup holders that you can cover off with a little flap. The drive selector, the MI drive uh over there uh next to the drive selector uh reverse, park, neutral, and drive. Next to that is a button to charge the battery on the go. So, if you don’t want to plug in, but you realize you’re entering environment zone or you’re a residential area and you see that your battery is a bit low, press the button and the battery will charge from the engine. So, that’s a nice option to have. Nothing crazy in the menu, 15 settings and so on. No, just one button. Just simple. Uh, we also have a hill descent button and a camera button. And then the controls for your infotainment system over here. Physical volume button by the way as well. Very nice. Then the central armrest opens in a split design and there’s some USBs in there too for additional charging. So that’s your cockpit. Uh these seats are heated and cooled and obviously 19-way adjustable lumbar and everything. And actually I fit in them quite easily because there’s not too much uh side support. Uh obviously this is not a sport vehicle. Uh so you’re not going to be taking any corners uh full speed. So, not necessary either, but it does mean that I fit in the seats very comfortably. And it’s yeah, because it’s so adjustable, you can find a nice driving position, which is key because it’s a large car, so you want to be able to be in control of your vehicle. And this is certainly the case. You can see I have more than plenty of headroom uh available. That’s because we have a full panoramic roof. Uh adding to obviously a lot of light in here, which is not strictly necessary with this light interior, but if you have a darker trim, then that is certainly a welcome feature. And overall, it is a pleasant place to be. I like it. I have a good view over the car. I mean, you sit higher up, obviously, because it’s a big SUV. Uh but you feel inside the car. You don’t feel that you’re sitting on top of the car. So, that’s very nice. Uh and yeah, with this the cockpit, like I said, it’s a very calming cockpit. There’s no nothing screaming at you. No, no information is flashing at you. Everything is in a very calm and controlled way. So, it’s quite nice. And with this with this analog approach of the buttons, it also feels relaxing, you know, where everything is digital and you’re scrolling on your phone all day. It’s nice to press some physical buttons while you’re driving. So, it’s it’s a very nonstressful experience to be in this environment. So, that’s nice. Last but not least, uh we have a a few controls for the roof up here. And we have a sunglass case. That’s actually a nice touch cuz I prefer to have permanent sunglasses in the car. Uh cuz I almost always drive with sunglasses on uh apart from when I’m recording video. So those are not the sunglasses I wear daily in sort of out and about. But they’re dedicated car sunglasses. So it’s nice to have this little bit of extra storage for that. Overall, apart from some color choices and some material choices here and there, I think it’s a very nice place to be. Not really much to critique here. Uh, and overall a good cockpit. Obviously, we got to talk about prices and versions for this CX80. And luckily, Mazda has kept it relatively simple for this one. As we saw with the Mazda 3, for example, there were so many lines and options and things to choose from that got a little bit complicated. Uh, but this is quite simple. Only five versions. Uh, all with the EKY Active Plug-in Hybrid 327 8-speed all-wheel drive. So that’s always the same, but depending on which version you get, you get more or less toys. We start with the exclusive line for €63,000 here in the Netherlands. So that is, you know, quite okay for a car this size. Uh then we go up to the Hura, the Homura Plus, the Takumi, and we are in the Takumi Plus version, which is the top of the tree for €74,000 here in the Netherlands. Uh, so that’s not too bad considering the amount of toys you get, the amount of space you get, and all the other things that this car offers. Uh, but yeah, like I said, you can start with €63,000 already for this car in its base form. Obviously, a bit of driving in this CX80, which we are currently doing on the highway, of course, being the natural habitat of this car. Driving this car in and around cities is of course uh perfectly fine and with especially with the EV mode engaged. It’s very pleasant to leave your house fully electric, drive those short bits to tennis practice fully electric. It’s it is very compelling. Uh but in and around town you are of course uh faced with the reality of a 5 m long car. Especially here in the Netherlands where everything is small and tight to begin with. It is hard to park this car. It’s hard to maneuver it in in an underground structure. That is the reality of the size of the vehicle. Here on the highway, that is of course a lot less of an issue because you have a lot more breathing space. And here the size and the weight of the vehicle actually works in its favor. This car is uh 2.1 ton to begin with. Add me, my family, and some luggage for a weekend. And it’s a 2 and a half ton vehicle. And that is a lot of weight, but it does help with the the planted feeling that this car gives you. It’s I wouldn’t say it sticks to the road or anything, but it feels very confident and very stable with that weight even at speed. We were in Germany last week for a family outing and you drive a bit faster there and it’s it’s a car that you can confidently do 160 70 80 on the highway with. So, that is very nice and that weight and that size certainly helps with that. What also helps is the powertrain. Uh 300 plus horsepower in this version, all-wheel drive. So that that’s something you really want in this category, a car. Uh all that weight needs to be propelled forward and also needs to be controlled. So the four-wheel drive system is nice, especially when the circumstances get a bit more tricky. Uh obviously today, not an issue. Bright and sunny day, but even when it’s just simply raining, you do want that control. I really like it personally to have that extra bit of security from a four-wheel drive system. Now, by no means this is some kind of corner uh car, sports vehicle or anything. Uh that is absolutely out of the question. It’s way too big, way too tall, way too heavy for that. This is a car for cruising and at cruising speed, this is an amazing vehicle to travel in. Right now, we’re doing 100 and it’s quiet in here. The engine is all but off. Uh you don’t hear it at all. No vibrations, no nothing. And it’s just such a pleasant vehicle to cover distance in. So that as far as that goes, it is very very nice, especially with all the space you got in the back. Uh, put your kids, your ski holiday, anything else in there really. Uh, and when you do get to the destination, uh, like we did last week, and we have to move a bunch of people around, then I also have that option with that extra third row. So, currently I’m sitting in the second row of the Mazda CX80, and we have the captain chair layout, meaning I have two individual chairs with a fixed armrest in the middle. So, we’ll get to that in a second. Uh, first of all, I’m 183 and about 90 kilos and I can easily move back here. There’s a lot of space. Obviously, it’s a large vehicle. Uh, but sitting behind myself, I have about this much space left for my knees. The seats are soft, so even if I was taller, no issues there. And I also have plenty of extra headroom left. So, I’d say anybody up to 190 maybe can sit here in relative ease. All the basics are covered as well. So, I have a seat pocket. I have controls for the window. I have a sun shade extra here. Uh I have all the things that I want in the armrest cup holders, a split opening, uh drawer down there, and I have all the controls in the middle for my KLMa. So I can not only change the temperature, but also the fan speed, and the direction is changeable manually. Then these captain chairs are heated and ventilated. So there’s a lot of luxury back here, both for kids and adults my size. This fixed armrest with captain chair configuration is something you can debate about because obviously you lose the full functionality of a potential middle seat here. Uh for me personally, if I realistically look at how I use the car with my two boys, um the times per year that somebody is actually sitting in this middle seat is basically reduced to a birthday party or the occasional drive with a friend somewhere. Uh so you know you can debate if the functionality is limited with this middle armrest because the times that I actually use it are so limited uh that I would probably go for this option. Especially considering you still have a third row to use as well. So if you have to take that friend or if there’s some kind of birthday situation, those you can use. But yeah, my boards are eight and 11. So plenty of space for them here. But also for somebody my size, there’s so much space back here. no issues whatsoever. Looking through the car, the windows are large, so there’s a lot of light coming in, also obviously from the panoramic roof. Uh, and the contact with the front of the car is really easy to make as well, despite the length of the vehicle. Uh, if you comes to sort of sitting in the passenger seat and handing things to the kids, then the length of the vehicle comes into play even more and it becomes a bit cumbersome because it’s, you know, it’s physically far away. Uh, but if your kids can manage themselves back here, then all is well. It’s really nice and there is really nothing uh to complain about back here apart from the colors like the wood that I already mentioned in the front. Uh so all around very nice and also the view out from here is just so nice. The seats are not massive or anything so I can easily look around the seats. A lot of information coming to the front and overall it’s a very pleasant feeling back here. So the only thing I can really complain about back here is the ISOIX situation. Looks fine at first glance. Nicely covered, no peanuts rolling in there. But this is loose. So this will fly away immediately and you’ll never see it again. And then you have an open uh hole back there, which is not nice. So this is uh not a good solution. Mazda, this is not necessary and needs to be done better. Currently sitting in the third row of the CX80. And obviously uh this is where you start to get some limitations in terms of the size and the dimension of the vehicle. I don’t fit back here at all because I’m touching the roof with my head. And it is just it’s cramped back here. Let’s be honest. Uh you can see by the angle of my legs that my legs are far from the bench. I’m basically sitting on the floor. Uh and there’s not a lot of space in general, but if I turn the camera around, you can see that there is some space for my knees. So that’s fine. And I actually fit my feet under the seat as well, albeit without any kind of other space to move them towards. Uh so, you know, there is some space back here. And technically speaking, I do fit back here with my 183. Uh, but that is not really for any kind of long journey. You do have some creature comforts here with cup holders and uh even a USB for charging. So, it’s not bad here uh at all and kids will probably be fine back here if they’re not too tall. Uh, and you still have a good view through the whole vehicle. And as you can see behind me, obviously the luggage space will then be severely compromised, but there is still some space back here for storage. So overall, not bad back here at all, but mostly for kids really. So all around, it’s a very pleasant car with a lot of different applications built into it. Uh, but especially well suited for long distance traveling in comfort, I think, in considerable style. It’s it’s a good-looking vehicle. Uh, and it’s just it’s a good place to be as a driver. Uh, I mentioned it in previous Mazda videos as well. The cockpit is calming because there’s no constant screen interaction necessary. There’s no constant distractions uh from anything really and it makes it really pleasant to sit here as a driver and to just enjoy the drive and pay attention to traffic. So, in conclusion, this is a very good proposition from Mazda. I quite like the whole setup of this car and the whole philosophy behind it with buttons, with tactile surfaces, with the screen. It all works really well and it and combined it comes together to produce a very nice travel experience and an all round very practical vehicle. This top-of-the-line model is under €75,000 here in the Netherlands, by the way, which makes it an even more compelling proposition cuz I think if you take €75,000 and you start shopping at Audi or Mercedes maybe or BMW, you get a whole lot less car for your money. As far as that goes, it’s probably more comparable to something Kia offers with maybe the Sorrento or the EV9. That’s actually a good question for you guys in the comments. Let me know if you would consider a uh three row vehicle of this size. Would you only go for like the premium German brands for example, or is this also in the mix? Like cuz I think uh at least worth a test drive in this car if you are considering a sevenseater or six-seater in this case. Uh, but is it is it in the mix at all? Because Mazda, I think, is pushing a bit more towards that premium segment. Let me know. Interesting for me to read. There’s nothing really to fundamentally complain about, but I want to mention two things. Uh, first of all is the brakes. Uh, it does stop. No issues there. Uh, but there’s not as much feel as I would like in the brake pedal. Now, obviously, this kind of size and weight vehicle, I’m not expecting the brake feel of the Mazda MX5 that we drove in a previous video, for example. Uh, but I noticed several times I had to break quite a lot harder than I thought I had to based on the feedback I got from the pedal. Uh, so that could be a bit bit sharper, I think. Uh, the second thing I want to mention is the gearbox. 8-speed automatic. Uh, all is well there, but especially on highway speeds, it is doing too many downshifts that are not really necessary. I noticed on several occasions that like going a little bit uphill for example, suddenly the car is is downshifting for no reason and don’t really understand why. I assume it is sustaining some kind of power band. When you want to go for an overtake, right now we’re barely doing anything on the power meter. I’ll make a little bit of distance. If I fully floor it, it kicks back in like this double stage. Like it does a kickback and then realizes it’s not enough and it does another one. So then it also doesn’t add to the uh overtaking experience so to speak that you have this and then it goes uh experience. It’s not very nice either and also not necessary because there’s plenty of power available with well over 300 horsepower. Besides those two small things though, I think this is an excellent car and a great proposition from Mazda in this segment. And I think all around the craftsmanship, the quality of the interior, uh the the pleasantness of the whole car experience with all that flexibility inside and all that ways of deploying this car on the outside. I think it is a very nice car. So that’s all I got for you in this video. Thanks for watching. Give it a thumbs up if you like it. A sub to the channel is of course always appreciated. And if you want to support the channel, you can find us on Patreon and you get a few extras and some early insights into what we do. And all your support is of course highly appreciated. For now, thank you very much for watching and I’ll catch you guys in the next one.
Our in-depth video review of the all-new Mazda CX-80 Plug-in Hybrid SUV (2025)! As one of the very first to drive and review this exciting new model, we’re bringing you an exclusive look at Mazda’s latest flagship.
The Mazda CX-80 PHEV is designed to offer premium comfort, versatile 7-seater practicality, and impressive efficiency, all wrapped in Mazda’s signature elegant design. But how does it perform in real-world driving, and does it live up to the hype?
In this video, we cover everything you need to know: from its striking exterior and luxurious interior, to its powerful 327hp plug-in hybrid powertrain offering up to 60km of electric range, and its substantial 2500kg towing capacity. We’ll share our honest first impressions on the driving dynamics, technology, and overall ownership experience.
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