By Karl Peskett.
So, you need a seven seat SUV but don’t want something as big as a CX-9? Well, how does a stretched version of the CX-5 sound? That’s exactly what the new Mazda CX-8 is.
The CX-5 is universally lauded for its beautiful build and excellent drive. So adding a couple more seats to its boot increases its practicality, but chews up any available boot space. Which is why the CX-8 takes the same platform, lengthens it (to the same wheelbase as a CX-9) and adds a decent sized boot.
More importantly, the CX-8’s interior has the same beautiful soft-touch plastics, the same attention to detail, the same layout in fact. So it’s both familiar to look at and easy on the eye.
The Mazda Connect infotainment system has been left unchanged and that’s no bad thing. With its iDrive-like controller and easy to navigate menus, it’s a cinch for anyone new to the system. Digital radio comes standard, as does Bluetooth phone and streaming, sat-nav, and USB connectivity.
The CX-8’s seats do feel a little strange, though. Not that they’re uncomfortable, it’s just the seat material’s striped grain is a bit weird to the touch. It’s used in the seat base and backs, and the sides are trimmed in a fairly cheap cloth which misses the mark considering the rest of the interior’s presentation. Gotta save money somewhere…
To solve this issue you can jump to the Asaki trim level which brings full leather and heated seats, but that is a whopping $19,000 more than the Sport trim tested here. Is that worth the extra money? Not really. In fact, the Sport trim level is so well stocked with gear, you have to wonder if it’s even worth paying the extra even for the all-wheel-drive version.
The safety suite has everything: Plenty of airbags, lane keep assist, autonomous braking (and forward collision warning), blind spot monitoring, speed sign reader, radar-based cruise control, and seat-belt pretensioners. There’s also a very handy head up display which tells you speed, the speed limit, how your lane departure is going and the distance to the car in front. It also tells you whether you’re following too closely or not.
This is all well and good, but really the question on everyone’s lips is whether it’s worth paying extra over the CX-5 for those third-row seats. Sure, it’s handy having them – and there’s even 209 litres of space when the third row is in place – but you can always make more room available by dropping them down, which gives you a larger luggage compartment. With the third row stowed away, the luggage space is a massive 742 litres.
But if you’re thinking that you can put adults back there, you may want to think again. My six-foot frame struggled to get in and out, and the headroom is lacking for anyone other than young teenagers. Legroom is also compromised unless you slide the second row right forward, but doing that simply compromises legroom in the second row. Think of this more as a five seat SUV with two occasional chairs and it makes a lot of sense.
Under the bonnet is only one choice of engine – a 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel engine, which gives you 140kW and 450Nm of torque. Couple that with an automatic that has different shift points to the CX-5 and you’ll find the drivetrain is an excellent pairing to this car.
We also used just 7.4-litres/100km for the week we had the vehicle. Not bad at all for a seven seat SUV.
The steering has a good weighting, it turns in a little less sharp than its little brother, but it has enough dynamic enthusiasm to make it enjoyable to drive. It’s not light, though – at 1840kg, you can’t throw it around, but on winding open country roads it feels stable and composed.
The ride on the Sport’s smaller 17-inch wheels is excellent, far better than the Asaki’s 19-inch hoops and its noise suppression is very good indeed. Overall, it’s a pleasant thing to drive.
You’ll get the impression from our review that it’s good, but not brilliant. And that’s because Mazda makes the excellent CX-9. But since that only comes in petrol and it’s a bit larger, we can see why the gap has been filled by the cheaper CX-8.
For young families, it’s a smart, well built and nice-to-drive alternative to a Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. And now that Mazda offers a five year warranty, more competitive as well. For anyone wanting an SUV with seven seat capability and a diesel motor, it’s definitely worth looking at.
