Mazda CX-80 long-term test: report 4
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 3218 List price £53,230 Best price £53,230 Price as tested £56,080 Test economy 49.8mpg Official economy 176.6mpg
2 October 2025 – Economy drive
“It will be interesting to see what fuel economy I get on longer drives,” I said in my first report on the Mazda CX-80. And, sure enough, its efficiency has varied wildly, depending on the type of journey I’m making.
In my first month or so with this big, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, I was almost exclusively doing short hops in stop-start city traffic, so I could spend virtually all of the time running on electric power. And consequently I averaged a whopping 199.9mpg – 23.3mpg better than the official figure.
However, I then went through a period where I not only had to travel much farther afield, but also found myself unable to use the free chargers near the What Car? office, because others beat me to them. The result: my economy plunged to just 31.4mpg.
More recently, though, I’ve been able to charge more regularly again. And so, despite still having to do a couple of long motorway runs, my average has climbed back up towards the 50mpg mark (49.8mpg, to be precise).
For context, the diesel version of the CX-80 averaged 47.6mpg when we tested it. Add in the higher price of diesel and the fact that my PHEV attracts a 13% rate of benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax versus the diesel’s 35%, and going down the PHEV route has definitely saved me money.
I also appreciate being able to drive my daughter to school without worrying about what’s coming out of my car’s exhaust as I pass other pupils and parents. But, perhaps surprisingly, my car isn’t as refined as the diesel overall.
True, mine is very quiet when it’s running on electric power. However, once the battery is flat and I’m relying on its engine, I have to work it hard to make decent progress, and it can
sound rather uncouth.
The diesel, on the other hand, offers loads of low-down muscle and a pleasant, muted growl when you accelerate. What’s more, while the diesel CX-80’s engine and automatic gearbox feel like they’re working in harmony, all too often in my car there’s a long pause while the gearbox works out what to do.
In short, which CX-80 will suit you best really does depend on how you’re going to use it.
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