Mazda CX-80 long-term test: report 2
If you're in the market for a plush and practical SUV, should you consider the Mazda CX-80? We're living with one to find out...
The car Mazda CX-80 2.5 e-Skyactiv PHEV AWD Homura Run by Steve Huntingford, editor
Why it's here To see if Mazda's flagship SUV is worth a place on the shortlist of anyone looking for a frugal yet upmarket seven-seater
Needs to Combine comfort and refinement with a classy and family-friendly interior, and good real-world efficiency
Mileage 1408 List price £53,230 Best price £53,230 Price as tested £56,080 Test economy 92.8mpg Official economy 176.6mpg
21 August 2025 – Are the old ways the best ways?
When I was young, I used to pride myself on my ability to parallel park in spaces that were barely any longer than my car – and back then, I certainly didn’t have sensors or a camera to help me. But take away those driver aids now, and I know I’d need to have a lot more room to spare.
In fact, it’s amazing how quickly in general we come to rely on anything new that makes our lives easier. And I was reminded of this recently when the rather old-school interior design of my Mazda CX-80 led to me accidentally running the car's 12-volt battery flat.
You see, the last few cars that I’ve ‘owned’ have all forgone a traditional gear selector, replacing it with a switch that returns to centre after being flicked backwards to select Drive or forwards for Reverse. As a result, there was no need to select Park whenever I arrived at journey’s end; I’d just turn off the engine or electric motor, and the car did the rest for me.
By contrast, the CX-80 has an old-school lever that you slide between notches. And when I forgot to move this to the Park position one night, the electrics didn’t completely shut down, and I had a dead car by the following morning. Cue a phone call to the breakdown recovery service, and a bit of embarrassment on my part when I realised what I’d done (or rather not done).
Still, in other respects I’m very glad that Mazda has kept things fairly traditional inside the CX-80. This is a car where most functions are controlled via buttons and dials that are far easier to use while driving than the touchscreens and haptic panels that are all the rage these days.
What’s more, it’s not like I’m missing out on anything; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring are standard, as is an Alexa-based voice control system, while the list of luxury kit includes everything from three-zone climate control to a powerful 12-Speaker Bose surround sound stereo. Oh, and yes, I have parking sensors and a 360-degree camera, although admittedly the latter was a cost option.
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