Mazda CX-8 Touring 2020 Review

Designed to appeal to a more urban audience than the front- and all-wheel-drive CX-9 models, the petrol CX-8 Touring tested here blurs the already hazy line between what constitutes an SUV and a people-mover.

Priced from $46,590 before on-road costs, the Mazda CX-8 Touring is one of two models in the seven-seat family SUV line-up to add a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and front-wheel drive in 2020. The other is the $39,910 Mazda CX-8 Sport.

Before this update, there were three 2.2-litre turbo-diesel CX-8 models, with the $43,910 front-wheel-drive Mazda CX-8 Sport the cheapest way into the badge.

That model has now been ditched, but overall the Mazda CX-8 range has expanded to eight models.

One thing remains the same through all of this; they all use a six-speed automatic transmission no matter what engine powers how many wheels.

Crudely speaking, the Mazda CX-8 is an extended CX-5. It sits close to the wider-bodied turbo-petrol-powered Mazda CX-9 in the Mazda line-up, the two of them overlapping on price in various places along the way.

The petrol-engined Mazda CX-8 Touring is the second cheapest model in the range. Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and foglamps, keyless entry, leather seat trim, powered and heated front seats, tri-zone climate control, new-for-2020 8.0-inch colour semi-touch screen (it doesn’t respond to touch when the vehicle is moving), satellite navigation, six-speaker audio with digital radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

What’s missing? Well, a powered tailgate and a security blind for the luggage area would be handy in a family car such as this.

Speaking of what’s missing, among other things the cheaper Mazda CX-8 Sport doesn’t get are leather, powered front seats, and the helpful one-touch walk-in switch for row three. But it retains the key ingredients so don’t discount it if the CX-8 is of interest

Apart from in-house competition, the 2020 Mazda CX-8 has plenty of external rivals. They include the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Pathfinder, new Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger, which is also soon due for generational change.

Mazda protects the CX-8 with a five-year unlimited warranty. The Mazda CX-8 also comes with a short 10,000km/12 month service schedule, which means on average mileage you’ll be seeing your Mazda dealer about roughly once every nine months.

The price for the basic maintenance schedule over five years or 50,000km is $1737.

The 2020 Mazda CX-8 Touring is a five-star ANCAP performer, based on testing of the diesel model in 2018.

It comes standard with a long list of driver-assist systems starting with autonomous emergency braking that operates at both low and high speed, and for 2020 adds night-time pedestrian detection. The AEB system also ties in with the CX-8’s active cruise control.

Other driver assistance system features include blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert and intelligent speed assist. The latter reads roadside speed signs to help the driver avoid exceeding the posted limit.

The Mazda CX-8 Touring also features a head-up display, six airbags including curtains that stretch to row three, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and tyre pressure monitoring in addition to a temporary spare tyre on a steel wheel.

The Mazda CX-8 Touring measures up at 4900mm long, 1840mm wide, 1720mm high and has a 2930mm wheelbase. Inside, the seats are laid out in a 2-3-2 fashion.

Row three seats fold into the floor, while row two split-folds, flips and then slides forward at the pull of a lever to allow a walk-in to row three. The second-row seats can also fold flat. In effect, the Touring can be set up as anything from a two to seven-seater.

Luggage capacity is rated at a maximum 242 litres with all three seat rows in place, including a handy under-floor storage bin.

Boot space expands to 775 litres when row three is folded out of the way. Fold row two flat and it increases all the way to a truly commodious 1727 litres.

Mazda’s familiar all-aluminium Skyactiv-G (for gasoline) 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine resides under the bonnet. No turbo here.

Employing a high 13.0:1 compression ratio along with direct injection, chain-driven twin overhead cams and 16 valves with variable valve timing, the engine produces 140kW at 6000rpm and 252Nm at 4000rpm, all on 91 RON unleaded fuel.

In other words, this engine is a revver, not a lugger.

The Mazda CX-8 weighs in at 1782kg, but on test still managed to get close to its claimed 8.1L/100km fuel use average. A stop-start function is standard and may well contribute to this achievement.

The Mazda CX-8 uses MacPherson strut suspension up front, a multilink set-up at the rear, electric-assist steering and a combination of ventilated (front) and solid (rear) disc brakes.

Braked towing capacity is 1800kg – think a small fibreglass boat or a modest camper trailer.

Aiding the chassis is a feature Mazda tags G-Vectoring Control Plus. It uses subtle torque adjustments and selective braking of individual wheels in corners to help with handling stability.

Despite its SUV label, the front-wheel-drive 2020 Mazda CX-8 Touring is really a people-mover with extra ground clearance.

Being a bit higher makes it easier for people who might not be as agile as they once were to get in and out. It also means sitting that bit higher with a better view out the Touring’s big windows.

Rear doors that open all the way to 90 degrees are another practical feature. Settle into the supportive second-row bench seat and you’ll discover plenty of head, knee and leg space for two passengers. It does get tighter between the elbows if three are aboard.

Mazda isn’t renowned for looking after second-row passengers all that well, but the Mazda CX-8 is generous. There are door and seat-back pockets, adjustable air-con vents, a fold-down centre armrest with a double cupholder and bin, and reading lights.

The second-row seat bases slide fore-aft, which helps accommodate third-row passengers. Access to row three is not too convoluted, but this is really a space for children. They get storage bins and cupholders, lap-sash seatbelts and headrests.

The Mazda CX-8’s front seats are comfortable and well-presented. The CX-8 doesn’t have the simple dashboard elegance of the latest Mazda3 and CX-30, but all controls are logical and legible. There is plenty of storage and seat size, and adjustability is good.

Perceived quality of materials, and fit and finish is high throughout the cabin.

The driving? This is a typical modern-day Mazda. Handling and steering are top notch – with just a hint of wheelspin and steering pull on tight and bumpy corners.

Low-speed steering is very light and perfect for tight spots. An 11.6-metre turning circle is decent for a bus this size.

The ride has that terse edge that’s a signature of the Mazda brand these days. It’s not uncomfortable, aiming for tighter body control rather than ride suppleness.

As a result, the Mazda CX-8 doesn’t feel top-heavy or rolly-polly (that’s a technical term!).

Mazda’s Skyactiv-G petrol engine and six-speed auto are a well-known combo.

That said, The Mazda CX-8 Touring asks a fair amount of the unboosted four-cylinder engine to haul this seven-seater, especially loaded up.

Plenty of revs are required at times, especially when you need to scoot quickly away from an intersection, pass a vehicle or climb a hill. That’s when the engine noise gets intrusive.

At least the four-cylinder engine is free-spinning and stays smooth.

Modern-day turbos such as the turbo-diesel Mazda CX-8 have better pulling power at low revs, but they also can have a little lag at initial throttle applications.

Turbocharged engines also are that little more complex, meaning potentially more things could break.

The six-speed automatic transmission works pretty hard in the background – and sometimes obviously – to keep the Mazda CX-8 Touring’s engine in its sweet spot.

However, I still found myself often changing up and down via the steering wheel’s manual gear change paddles to extract that little more engine acceleration or braking.

The petrol-engined, front-wheel-drive Mazda CX-8 Touring is a well-executed example of the modern people-mover masquerading as an SUV.

If you’re considering one of these big seven-seat wagons, the Mazda CX-8 Touring deserves to be on the shopping list.

Don’t hesitate to check out the cheaper Mazda CX-8 Sport as well. It’s essentially the same quality as the Touring and is only missing a couple of bells and whistles. It might be all you need.

How much does the 2020 Mazda CX-8 Touring cost?
Price: $46,590 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 140kW/252Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 187g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)