Mazda CX-60 SUV Lands in the Philippines – Malaysia Soon?

The Mazda CX-60 SUV has made its ASEAN debut this week, with the Philippines being the first regional market to get the taste of this premium midsize SUV. For the Filipino market, folks at Bermaz Auto Philippines have brought in two variants of the CX-60, namely the petrol and diesel variants, both choices primed with a mild-hybrid (MHEV) setup and an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

2023 Mazda CX-60 SUV

Fully-imported (CBU) from Japan, the diesel-powered CX-60 employs a 3.3-litre 6-cyl turbocharged e-Skyactiv-D mill that works in tandem with a 48-volt MHEV system. Altogether, the total system output figures read at 251 HP and 550 NM, granting CX-60 diesel with 0 to 100 KM/H sprint time of 7.3 seconds.

Meanwhile, the peppier petrol-powered CX-60 adopts a 3.3-litre 6-cyl turbocharged e-Skyactiv-G engine instead. This is also laced with the same MHEV system as found in the diesel variant, delivering a total system output of 280 HP and 450 NM. This, in turn, grants the petrol variant a quicker 0-100 KM/H sprint time of only 6.9 seconds – 0.4 seconds faster than its diesel twin.

Underneath, the CX-60 underpins Mazda’s latest Large Vehicle Platform that enables this SUV with enough room to fit the i-Activ all-wheel drive (AWD) system. Elsewhere, the CX-60 also sports a front double wishbone assembly, whilst the rear axle gets a multi-link suspension setup.

Visually, the Filipino-bound CX-60 looks pretty much the same as its European counterpart, featuring Mazda’s signature Kodo design look that masquerades in an SUV form. There's a sizable gloss black front grille flanked by the uniquely styled LED headlights. The CX-60’s tailgate also gets LED lights, while there are quad exhaust tips sitting at the lower part of the rear bumper, giving this stylish SUV a more sporty edge.

From the side, you can see the CX-60 sporting a front fender-mounted emblem that denotes the engine's cylinder count (‘inline 6’), as well as the typical squared and boxy SUV silhouette. Apart from that, the CX-60 rides on lightweight 20-inch aluminium alloy wheels that sport a striking double five-spoke design.

The Mazda CX-60 cabin features the"Jinba Ittai"  driver-centric layout

On board, the CX-60 is primed with a very up-market cabin design, featuring a slew of premium materials. You’ll get a trio of screens, the main one being the 12.3-inch central infotainment display offering both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Drivers, on the other hand, get two displays – a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a smaller 10.4-inch head-up display (HUD).

The front seats come standard with ventilation function, as indicated by the perforated leather upholstery that they're wrapped in. Elsewhere, the CX-60 still comes with physical dials and controls for its infotainment display that's positioned in the central console near the gear lever.

Adding some needed practicality to this stylish SUV's package is its large 570-litre boot space, thus seeing it stand as the largest available in any current Mazda models.

As for safety, the Filipino-spec CX-60 gets a full swing of Mazda i-Activsense ADAS suite. Standard ADAS features include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) with Lane-Keep Assist (LKA), Rear and Front Cross-Traffic Alert (FCTA & RCTA), and many more.

For the Philippines, the CX-60 retails from PHP 2.79 million (RM230,336) for the petrol variant, while the oil-burning and sportier CX-60 Turbo-D Sport variant commands a higher PHP 2.89 million (RM238,592) figure.

With the CX-60 already making its ASEAN debut, it begs the question of when will this luxury SUV make its Malaysian debut. For now, the CX-60 is currently available in few right-hand drive (RHD) markets, notably the UK and Mazda's home market Japan.

What are your thoughts on the Mazda CX-60? Keen to see Bermaz Auto add this luxury SUV into its local line-up? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments down below…