2025 Mazda CX-80 plug-in hybrid review: A true replacement for the CX-8 and CX-9?

Another day, another large SUV from Mazda. In fact, Australia is the only market to get the CX-60, CX-70, CX-90 and this CX-80, probably because they’re all so similar they can’t help but step on the other’s toes.

So, a quick recap. The CX-60 is a bigger, more premium CX-5. The CX-90 is the the brand’s massive three-row flagship. Then the CX-70 is the five-seat version of the CX-90, and the CX-80 is about the same size as a CX-60, but it has three rows of seats.

Easy, right?

Anyway, the CX-80 is the latest to arrive, bringing with it two big six-cylinder engine options, as well as a clever plug-in hybrid powertrain that should see you spend much of your working week using nothing but electricity.  

So, is it a smarter choice than an all-electric SUV? Let’s dive deeper.

2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV: Price and equipment

Plug-in power in the CX-80 is available in the Touring ($75,000), GT ($82,000), and the flagship Azami ($87,200) trim levels – none of which are particularly cheap. But, I guess in keeping with Mazda’s move upmarket, they do throw a whole bunch of kit at each trim level.

The Touring gets a 10.25-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a second 12.3-inch screen for the driver, leather seats that are heated up front, sunshades, an auto-opening boot and wireless device charging. There’s also three-zone climate control and LED lighting.

The GT scores 20-inch alloys, adaptive headlights, electric adjustment for the steering wheel, heated second-row window seats, a hands-free auto boot, a panoramic sunroof and 12-speaker Bose stereo.

Finally, the Azami nabs Nappa leather seats that are now ventilated up front, and some extra styling and safety kit.

The safety kit across the board is pretty strong, too. The CX-80 hasn’t been ANCAP crash tested, but it also doesn’t appear to be missing any key safety stuff, with things like AEB, active cruise, lane-keeping assist, front and rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree monitor all appearing across the range.

It’s a potent and punchy plug-in powertrain, too, with the CX-80 pairing a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor for a total 241kW and 500Nm. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic and AWD.

Also on board is a 17.8kWh battery (charged via 7.4kW AC charging, with 20-80 percent taking 90mins) which should deliver an all EV driving range of up to 65kms.  For the record, my commute is around eight kilometres, so I would theoretically last four days without having to plug in.

Owning a PHEV isn’t quite like owning an EV – there’s still a big and complicated petrol engine to look after – and so the CX-80’s service intervals are much like an ICE vehicle. That starts with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and a trip to the service centre every 15,000kms or 12 months. Mazda’s capped-price servicing will see you pay a total $2676 for your services over the first five years.

As a family mover, the CX-80 is a big boat, stretching 4990mm in length, 1890mm in width and 1710mm in height, and there is ample space in the backseat, and in the third row.

In fact, I would call the third row ‘adult-sized’, given the wide-opening rear doors complete with handy step make climbing in fairly easy, and once in, the space on offer was generous enough for my 175cm frame.

At the boot, there’s 258 litres of room with all three rows in place, 566 litres in five-seat mode, and a massive 1971 litres with the two rear rows folded.

2025 Mazda CX-80 PHEV: What we think

In a way, the CX-80 is what the CX-60 should have always been, and what it will soon be.

The latter copped some heat upon arrival for a ride that was too firm and a gearbox that wasn’t smooth enough, forcing Mazda into making hardware updates for existing owners, before announcing an updated model that will arrive in the first half of next year with a new suspension, gearbox and steering tune.

The CX-80, then, is a preview of the new CX-60, and the signs are greatly improved, with the three-row SUV proving far more liveable.

There is still a harsh edge to the ride over bigger bumps or road imperfections, but the overall experience is largely smooth, comfortable and compliant.

It does feel as though Mazda is still trying to inject a little too much sportiness into the CX-80’s drive experience — which would normally be commendable if this wasn’t a family-focused seven-seat SUV unlikely to leave the city — and there are other models in the CX family that feel a little more comfortable. But that’s also not a deal-breaker, with the CX-80 feeling easy enough to live with.

The only other quirk is what occasionally feels like a subtle hesitation in the transmission, almost as though it wants to shift down, but then doesn’t, putting a little shudder through the cabin.

Unfortunately, by the time we climbed into CX-80 PHEV, someone had drained the battery entirely, so it’s going to be difficult to report on what it feels like when both power sources arrive in unison. But I can say that, should you find yourself fin a similar boat, the 2.5 turbo-petrol alone is definitely enough to keep the CX-80 moving.

2025 Mazda CX-80: Verdict

Definitely a big step forward for Mazda, both in relation to the first CX-60, and on their “Mazda Premium” journey. The PHEV options here aren’t cheap, though, so whether or not it can capture every CX-8 and CX-9 customer and convince them to join this more expensive adventure remains to be seen.

Score: 3.5/5

2025 Mazda CX-80 price and specifications

Price: From $75,000
Basics: PHEV, 7 seats, 5 doors, SUV, AWD
Range: 65kms (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 17.8kWh
Battery warranty: Eight-years/160,000kms
Motor: 241kW/500Nm (total PHEV system)
AC charging: 7.2kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: N/A
0-100km/h: TBA