Mazda CX-60 review: Engine and handling let down posh diesel SUV

I call it semi-posh. Mazda wants it to be even more of a premium buy. And you’d see why if you could join me indulging myself in the deep comfort of a tastefully laid-out cabin.

But I have to draw a line of criticism under the latest version I’ve tested.

It may come as a surprise to find that I largely blame its newly-developed 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesel engine for that.

Normally, I’d be delighted to tell you there is still a fair bit of life left in the diesel car. Maybe there is.

If recent new breakthrough claims are to be believed, engines can be transformed to consume far less fuel and emit much lower harmful gases. But I’m not so sure this CX-60 is among the best exponents of this art thus far.

It didn’t help that the ride quality of the suspension system, presumably tuned to cater for the larger engine, was really poor at times.

I made allowances for it on bad, twisty-road driving, saying it was a big car for the long, loping journeys on motorways and better national roads.

But that wasn’t to be the case as much as I anticipated either, as I drove north on the best of roads and under near-perfect driving conditions.

The minute I started it up, I knew something wasn’t quite as it should have been.

There was a fair old clatter. You can get that sometimes from a diesel and then it softens. The 3.3-litre did quieten, but it never got into the purr-mode I expected when it warmed up.

The damping system on my particular model was poor. The car was sloppy in its handling generally and a long way from what I remembered of driving a CX-60 some time back.

I know Mazda, like many others, has a big base of buyers in the US who like their suspensions soft and easy-going. But even allowing for that, I was struck by the lack of engagement to find a connection with the power and poise you’d expect from a chassis to cope with a big, powerful engine.

Neither was there major compensation for such shortcomings by way of fuel conservation, even with a mild-hybrid system attached that lets the engine deactivate so it can coast on electric power for short distances.

I know too, that having a big engine means it has ample torque to drive in higher gears, thereby reducing revs per minute (RPM) and saving fuel.

Obviously, some of that is offset by the fact that with this engine, you still have to feed six cylinders, rather than four. It’s a balancing act.

I got just under six litres/100km, which is the sort of figure you’d get from a 4cyl BMW X3 diesel. Other rivals with four cylinders include the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC.

I know Mazda has its own vision and philosophy: it’s what keeps it trying to plough an individual furrow in the face of global competition. And I respect, indeed applaud it for that.

In the course of developing this latest engine, it has done innovative things to the likes of the piston heads and created – wait for it – a Distribution-Controlled Partially Premixed Compression Ignition system (DCPCI). Essentially, the engine can burn fuel at lower temperatures without producing more noxious gases.

But there is no dodging the bullet on the elements of the car I had on test.

I look forward to its next big SUV, the XC-80, which will be the largest it has had on sale in Europe. It’s a bit bigger than the XC-60 and has seven seats. And the 3.3-litre diesel will power it too. They are not for turning on this.

It takes real conviction to push on fighting for buyers of premium SUVs with this (there is also a PHEV version).

But there are many positives and I am not losing sight of them.

I’ve briefly mentioned the cabin. Even by Mazda’s standards, the interior was superior. Big seats were comfortable, strong and stylish at the same time.

Instrumentation and graphics (wide touchscreen is central) were simple and clear and – well done – there were a number of physical short-cut buttons.

There is far more boot room than you’d think because there is under-floor storage. With the rear seats folded there���s a vast 1,726 litres at your disposal.

Among the safety tech is an infrared camera that monitors your face to see if you are distracted or tired – or looking down at a phone while driving. If it detects your eyes straying from the road for even a tiny-tot time, it emits an audible alert.

Safety, comfort and technology abound. There is strong evidence in furnishings, design and decor of what it wants to do – move further upmarket and challenge the big guys.

But for all that, I still have to say No I wouldn’t buy this diesel version.

Factfile

Homura spec, 3.3-litre 6cyl in-line mild-hybrid diesel, 254hp, 8spd automatic, all-wheel-drive.

Wide span of safety, driver assists and passenger comfort equipment; 20ins alloys, front-seat ventilation, leather seating, BOSE sound system 12-speaker, driver monitor with personal identification, driving position memory recognition (by face) with automatic driving position guide.

CX-60 diesel range from €63,640 (200hp). Model on test, including a panoramic roof: €72,090 (254hp).