It may seem surprising, but Mazda has yet to offer a three-row SUV in Japan. While the company does build the massive CX-9 there, it has only been made available in countries outside the Land of the Rising Sun. Now, Hiroshima is plugging up that gap in its lineup with the new Mazda CX-8, which will go on sale in its home market before the end of the year.
Mazda has released a sole teaser photo of the interior, showing a fairly sumptuous cabin (as is the case with the company’s SUVs these days) and all three rows of seats. Unlike the CX-9, the CX-8 will be offered in a six-seater configuration, with a dedicated centre console in the middle of the second row housing an armrest and cupholders. A seven-seater option will also be made available.
Measuring 4,900 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,730 mm tall, the CX-8 is actually closer in size to the CX-9 than the five-seater CX-5. Compared to its larger sibling, it’s only 175 mm shorter, 125 mm narrower and 17 mm lower; it also shares the CX-9’s 2,930 mm wheelbase. By comparison, the CX-5 is a whopping 350 mm shorter and 40 mm lower, and has a 230 mm shorter wheelbase.
Power will come from a 2.2 litre SkyActiv-D turbodiesel engine matched to a six-speed SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission. Output figures have yet to have been released, but expect them to match the 172 PS and 420 Nm that the same engine in the CX-5 produces.
“Our latest offering, the CX-8 is a new crossover SUV for people who appreciate quality and need a car that seats more than five,” said Mazda president and CEO Masamichi Kogai. “It has the looks, performance and high-end feel customers expect from a Mazda, and even adults can sit comfortably in the third row.
“Mazda aims to create a strong emotional connection with customers, and we will achieve this by continually advancing our lineup to offer all customers our unique combination of driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance.”
Could the Mazda CX-8 be offered in Malaysia to take on the new seven-seater Honda CR-V?
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How can this car be compared with CRV? Clearly its far more premium than the CRV.
I also think, that the Mazdas are more premium than the Hondas. But the new CR-V is quite a step forward.
If it is priced 250k what’s the use? That is also excluded Bermaz’s whim of price increase 3 times a year for whatever reason.
Diesel in Japan boom because of Mazda
Classy interior.
Mazda is losing their minds trying to fill every niche considering the relative size of the carmaker. Financial problems will come to them.
Mazda already promised a 7-seater «for the rest of the world» at the introduction of the CX-9. So the CX-8 will be sold in the countries, where the CX-9 is not available.
I don’t think, that Mazda does a risky business and focuses on the market demands. The CX-8 has a potential in countries, where the CX-9 is too big.
In Thailand, we only have 3 7-seater SUV’s which are not based on a pickup truck: the Nissan X-Trail, the Chevrolet Captiva and the new CR-V. The Captiva is a quite old design and the X-Trail is small. The new CR-V is bigger than the CX-5, but will be smaller than the CX-8.
Hoping, the CX-8 will come to Thailand (built in Malaysia), because the CX-9 is crazy expensive…!
CX5 is one of the smallest mid size SUV. RAV4 is one of the largest in this segment
The Mazda Cx-8 is a JDM, only to cater the market in Japan. This is mainly because the new Cx-9 is not available in Japan eventhough it is being built in Hiroshima.