It seems Mazda is no longer in the mood to compete with regular mainstream brands and from this year the Japanese carmaker will unleash a full range of premium models based around a new rear-wheel drive architecture.
The first of these contenders, the Mazda CX-60, is set to be revealed on 8 March and to give us a taste of what to expect, the UK division has released a brief video previewing the new SUV contender.
Although not much information was released in the post, it has confirmed that the CX-60 will be available as a plug-in hybrid, in which an electric motor pairs with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine for a system output of over 223kW.
The new rear-wheel drive platform will eventually spawn four SUV products, namely CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90, and all of them are currently under consideration for South African introduction.
The CX-60, which comes with two-row seating, and the larger three-row CX-80 will both come with a ‘normal’ body width that’s suitable for markets such as Europe. The CX-70 (two-row) and CX-90 (three-row) will have a wider body that’s more suited to markets such as the US where buyers want a larger product with ‘big presence’.
The powertrains will also differ depending on the region in question.
In Europe, for instance, the Mazda SUVs will primarily use plug-in hybrid powertrains that pair with four-cylinder petrol engines. Some markets will also get the option of turbocharged straight-six petrol and diesel engines paired with 48V mild hybrid technology.
Mazda is also said to be working on a sports sedan based around the new RWD architecture. This will effectively replace the Mazda6, albeit with a more upmarket positioning than before.
Further into the future, Mazda is planning a full line-up of fully electric models, and these will be launched on a dedicated EV platform from 2025 onwards.