Mazda has flown two pre-production examples of its new CX-60 luxury midsize SUV to Australia for “a series of comprehensive on-road assessments that will last for up to six months.”
Originally earmarked for Australian release in late 2022, the commencement of potentially half a year of local Australian testing all but confirms the CX-60 will now be launched locally in early 2023.
One of the CX-60s in Australia appears to be the highest-spec vehicle from the global menu
Mazda says that the evaluation will focus on light- and heavy-duty vehicle use, with the program having particular interest in towing, quality, fuel economy and performance stress-testing in the hot Australian climate.
The testing begins in September as the mercury begins to climb on the Australian continent and will traverse the hottest months of the year over summer.
Chasing Cars reported in May that the Australian CX-60 range would include both four-cylinder and new inline six-cylinder engines, with the line-up including a plug-in hybrid powertrain tested earlier this year.
The second car, finished in soul red, appears to have a GT SP-esque exterior mixed with a luxury-spec interior
Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said it was all about ensuring the car would deliver as expected in Australian conditions.
“Our engineering team will consistently push the cars to their extremes, and these strenuous evaluations are a vital step in our absolute commitment to customer experience and continuous brand improvement,” Bhindi said.
Insights from the Australian testing program will be fed back to Mazda’s Hiroshima, Japan headquarters to inform the development of Mazda’s forthcoming vehicles.
Featuring leather, wood and textual elements, the cabin takes the CX-60 into luxury territory
“This rigorous and informative testing program is the ideal opportunity for our market to contribute to the future success of this landmark model from the very beginning,” said Mazda Australia director of marketing Alastair Doak.
The five-seat, midsize CX-60 is the first model in an onslaught of new Mazda SUVs to be revealed.
Mazda will release a range of luxury SUVs to compete with BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the coming years.
The CX-60 is expected to be released in Australia in early 2023
Two are narrower in body width – being the CX-60 and seven-seat CX-80 – while two are wider, being focussed on the American market: the five-seat CX-70 and three-row CX-90.
Once Mazda introduces the CX-60 locally next year, it’s understood the brand will concentrate on bringing the CX-70 and CX-90 models to Australia.
