Should you buy one?

Yes, if you’re looking for a spacious seven-seat SUV, the CX-80 is certainly worth a look. It’s a welcome addition to this class, bringing impressive – and surprising – levels of spaciousness with a well-packaged interior that will work well for families. It also feels suitably premium inside, without the upscale price of its prestigious German and Swedish rivals.

It’s a stylish, desirable and well-finished SUV too, and though it’s not as radical inside or out as a new Hyundai Santa Fe, for example, we can see its more traditional focus inside and out winning over buyers. It’s only the plug-in hybrid model that we struggle to recommend because of its unrefined nature, but the diesel is worth a look. 

What we like

Though the CX-80 might be a large car, it puts its dimensions to good use and is one of the roomiest seven-seat SUVs in its class. We like its user-friendly interior and upmarket feel, and it feels a step forward compared to the smaller CX-60, not least because of the improved ride quality. Its diesel engine is particularly economical and worth considering if you still clock up plenty of miles. 

What we don’t like

The CX-80’s weak link is its hybrid powertrain. It’s not very refined and not particularly efficient and lets down this SUV. Some rivals also have larger boots, though we think few will have too many complaints about this Mazda’s versatility.