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According to Carscoops, the visual similarities between the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90 in Mazda’s SUV lineup are a result of intense internal debates within the Japanese automaker.
One of the engineers revealed that Mazda struggled with the difficult decision of whether each model should have its own distinct “personality” or if the SUV range should have a unified design. Ultimately, Mazda chose the latter, resulting in the current cohesive look across its SUV range.
Of the four models mentioned, the Mazda CX-60 is the base SUV offering, featuring a 5-seat configuration. It is sold in Japan, Europe, Australia, and select markets outside of the US. The recently launched Mazda CX-80 is larger and targets the same markets as the CX-60, but with the addition of a third row, increasing its seating capacity to seven.
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The Mazda CX-90 is a 7-seat SUV sold in North America, while the “downsized” Mazda CX-70, also a 7-seater, is offered in the same region without the third row.
Speaking to Car Sales, Kohei Shibata, who headed the development program for the CX-60 and CX-80 at Mazda, revealed that discussions were held regarding a coupe-style variant for the 5-seat CX-60 and CX-70. “The coupe style was something we debated quite vigorously. I personally wanted Mazda to have an SUV with a coupe style. It would stand out on the road,” shared Shibata-san.
He acknowledged that such a design would compromise interior space and narrow the target audience. Mazda believes that the sleek, coupe-like roofline is not worth sacrificing sales over, and thus, a coupe version of the CX-60 and CX-70 is unlikely to materialize in the foreseeable future.
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Internal debates at Mazda also revolved around the wheelbase lengths of these “sibling” SUVs. While the CX-60 has a shorter wheelbase than the CX-80, there were suggestions that the CX-70 should have a different wheelbase length compared to the CX-90.
However, Mazda North America emphasized that the CX-70 and CX-90 should share the same 3,120 mm wheelbase, and this decision was ultimately implemented for both SUVs. Interestingly, all four SUVs mentioned, the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90, are currently sold in Australia, despite their visual and dimensional similarities.
Alastair Doak, Marketing Director of Mazda Australia, asserted that dealerships can effectively communicate the differences between the models to prospective customers, despite their unified design.
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