Following the launch of the CX-60 last year in Europe and the recently unveiled CX-90 in the United States, Mazda will double down on its rear-wheel-drive SUV offerings later in 2023. We've already learned the CX-70 will be unveiled in the following months as a two-row version of the CX-90 in North America. In addition, the company's boss in Europe has now told Automotive News Europe the CX-80 is on track for a release late this year.
When asked by ANE whether the CX-80 is slated to premiere this year, Martijn ten Brink said: "Yes, we will see it by year-end." He refrained from going into details about the model, but it'll essentially be a larger, three-row version of the CX-60. In other words, expect something along the lines of a European version of the new CX-90 but with a narrower body. The newcomer won't be sold exclusively on the Old Continent as Mazda intends to also launch the vehicle at home in Japan and other markets as well.
The seven-seat CX-80 should stretch beyond the 4,740 millimeters (186.6 inches) length of the CX-60. To accommodate a third row, the wheelbase will be longer than 2,870 mm (113 in). It too will ride on Mazda's new RWD-based platform with inline-six gasoline and diesel engines as well as a plug-in hybrid powertrain. In some markets, the CX-60 is also sold with four-cylinder engines but it remains to be seen whether the bigger SUV will get four-pot power.
During the same interview with ANE, Martijn ten Brink confirmed the CX-3 is being discontinued in Europe. You can't order the subcompact crossover anymore, but limited stock remains available. The top brass for the European region expects the CX-5 to remain the best-selling model in 2023, helped by a new mild-hybrid gasoline version.
Martijn ten Brink didn't rule out the possibility of installing the range-extending rotary engine in other models beyond the MX-30. He explained the 3 and CX-30 use the same platform and can therefore accommodate the unconventional plug-in hybrid setup.
By the end of the decade, Mazda estimates 40 to 70 percent of annual sales will be represented by electric models. That’s an ambitious goal considering the MX-30 is currently its only EV.
