Somebody once said, ”There’s no replacement for displacement.”

Or was it, ”There ain’t no substitute for cubic capacity.”

It was probably someone like Henry Ford, Fangio or Karl Benz, but basically means the bigger the engine, the better the car which, in those days, was probably true. And if you enjoy the sound of a 6, 8 or 12-cylinder engine, this will still apply. There’s simply nothing better.

However, technology has moved on and big engines are now a rarity. Most of you reading this will have a car which is under 2.0 litres and it’ll probably be powered by petrol. A decent proportion of you will be in a car with a 3-cylinder engine or even electric, of course.

This is why the car you see here seems to fly in the face of the current trend for minimalism. It’s the Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv D MHEV. A bit of a mouthful to say, admittedly, and features a brand new 3.3 litre, six-cylinder in-line diesel engine which is mated to a 48v mild-hybrid system.

Perhaps it’s worth noting from the offset that the car you see here recently won the ‘Large SUV of the Year’ title at the News UK Motor Awards. The judges said of the car: “the Mazda CX-60 really does everything for everybody. Practical, stylish, packed with all the tech and luxuries we love as standard, and powered by the cleanest and most efficient diesel engine in the world. Anyone who tows anything or travels big miles every week to earn a crust needs a CX-60 in their life. It’s as simple as that.”

Praise indeed, and it’s also worth adding that the CX-60 was named ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Large SUV’ in the 2023 Diesel Car Magazine Awards. 

I’m not surprised because, despite the size of the engine and the fact that you need to head for the hose with a black tube at the filling station, this chunky CX-60 is surprisingly economical, good to drive, very comfortable and (as the judges mentioned) very well-equipped. While you can go for a smaller engine by choosing the plug-in hybrid CX-60 which features a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the six-cylinder version is offered in either rear wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The power output takes into account the extra weight and drag created by the all-wheel drive system, so rather than a 197bhp output found in the rear wheel drive CX-60, Mazda gives the all-wheel drive version a beefier output of 251bhp. 

And in typical six-cylinder fashion, it sounds really good. If you’ve been in a BMW with a six-cylinder power plant, you’ll know what I mean. Power goes via an 8-speed automatic gearbox which shifts smoothly and there are three model grades - Exclusive-Line, Homura and Takumi. Exclusive-Line is only available as rear-wheel drive, while the other two are both AWD.

In terms of economy, Mazda reckon the 197bhp engine returns an average fuel consumption of 56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of only 129g/km in rear-wheel drive Exclusive-Line guise, while the AWD 251bhp models return 53.3mpg with CO2 emissions from 137g/km. Bearing in mind the size of the power unit under the bonnet, these are impressive figures.

Out on the road, the CX-60 is relaxing to drive and is plainly set-up by Mazda to offer a sporty-ish ride. Okay, this means the ride is a tad choppy on uneven roads, but the upside is that you really can push on with confidence. The all-wheel drive helps too. The 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 136mph will be enough for most owners, with plenty of urge to overtake. Thanks to a mountain of torque, anyone who needs to tow a horsebox or a boat, will love the effortless way in which the power arrives, although there’s a 2.5-tonne towing limit.  

Prices for the Mazda CX-60 start at £45,310 (the plug-in hybrid and 3.3 litre diesel both cost roughly the same), while the AWD 3.3 litre model kicks off at £47,955. If you’d like a few extra luxuries, add around £3k and opt for Homura trim (I would) because it just makes the car feel a bit more special and the 20-inch alloys look great. You get a DAB radio, leather trim, heated front and outer rear seats, powered front seats with ventilation, a heated steering wheel and a powered tailgate. The 12.3-inch infotainment screen and head-up display work well and, thankfully, there are plenty of buttons to prod. The rotary dial allows you to punch in directions and the sat nav is excellent.

The car also comes with face recognition and knows it’s you when you climb into the driver’s seat, adjusting everything accordingly, quite handy if you have several drivers using the car. There’s also loads of room and three adults will be comfortable in the back.

In one respect the Mazda CX-60 3.3 litre feels and looks a tad old fashioned, but I’m saying that in a positive way, because it offers the SUV buyer something very different and, in my book, it’s a handsome-looking thing and extremely distinctive. It’s also a premium product with outstanding build quality and a decent reliability record. It appears that Mazda is plainly hoping to attract BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar buyers to make the switch to its brand.

To be honest, I wouldn’t blame them for making the switch because this car shows that when the diesel engine is done correctly, it still has a place in the modern automotive world.

Words: Graham Courtney
Pictures: Mazda