SUV fever has also infected the world of flagships, the long luxury models with comfortable seats designed for travelling in comfort. “For the CX-80 we chose a high-wheel architecture to meet market demands but also for greater versatility. Suvs have a more complete use than flagships, suitable also for families, plus, in our case, we can also transport seven people. A remarkable plus”.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Jo Stenuit, Mazda Europe’s head of design since 2018, recounts the genesis of the CX-80, a full-size SUV with premium trim whose design takes its cue from its smaller sibling CX-60. “The kinship is there and it can be seen especially at the front, where the large grille gives it power and authority. The common elements continue up to the B pillar, then, moving towards the rear, the roofline curves more gently than on the CX-60 precisely to increase roominess for those sitting behind”, continues Stenuit who we meet at Mazda’s research and development centre in Frankfurt.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>At 4.9 metres long, 1.89 metres wide and 1.71 metres high, the CX-80 has gained 25 centimetres over the CX-60 and has a wheelbase of 3.1 metres. The boot without the third row of seats is 687 litres which becomes 258 litres in a seven-seat configuration. On the subject of layout, the designers have come up with three different interior configurations: a classic three-seat bench seat in the rear and two other seats in the back, or three pairs of individual seats with a central passageway (six seats in total) in the middle of which a storage console can also be positioned.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>As for the technology chapter, the CX-80 is equipped with all the latest driver assistance systems, while high up in the centre of the dashboard is the floating display to control the infotainment system. Even the instrumentation is digital, while the designers have chosen to keep the physical buttons to control the climate control: ‘Only with the right mix of the two worlds can an adequate level of safety be achieved’: it is a smart decision and increasingly rare in a world where everything is delegated to screens often with questions about safety while driving.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>