ROD HENSHAW was at the first Canberra peep of the new, luxurious Mazda CX-60. “Even someone of my deficient, mechanically-challenged disposition can’t help being blown away by the sheer style and finish,” he writes…

THEY snuck it into town and snuck it out again a day later. Not that Mazda didn’t want anyone to see it. Quite the contrary.

The soon-to-be released Mazda CX-60 Azami (top-of-the-range model, of course) is on a whirlwind tour of Mazda dealers along the eastern seaboard ahead of its full release, probably in May. In other words, a “sneak preview”.

Phillip Mazda, on Melrose Drive, was the chosen venue for the ACT viewing, attended by personnel from sister dealership Belconnen Mazda, invited and prospective customers and a sprinkling of other brand dealers who naturally wanted to have a sticky beak.

There was no iconic Mazda Zoom Zoom sound effect involved here. The “show off” vehicle is transported everywhere on the back of a truck. Nobody – and that means absolutely nobody – gets to drive it. Not even into the showroom – it’s pushed in and positioned for the brief one-day display. Very carefully. No “let’s take it for a spin around the block” happening here. No, sir!

Personally, I’m more a tyre kicker than a motoring reviewer, but even someone of my deficient, mechanically-challenged disposition can’t help being blown away by the sheer style and finish, not to mention the choice of CX-60 models, soon to hit the Australian market.

Up close and personal, you don’t need to pore through the glossy brochures to realise immediately it is one hell of a beast.

Phillip Mazda joint sales manager Michael Rolfe sums it up more eloquently.

“The essential Mazda elements of design, performance and technology have still been incorporated, but have been elevated to a new level of luxury and sophistication,” he says.

Mazda has covered all consumer and demographic bases with its three CX-60 models, ranging from the 3.31L petrol turbo Evolve, through to the sporty GT and right up to the luxurious Azami.

All three models are hybrid, with the Evolve and the GT available with petrol turbo, 3.31L diesel turbo or the 2.5L PHEV (Mazda’s first plug-In hybrid).

Doubtless the Evolve and the GT will prove to be as popular as the earlier CX models, but for pure salivation purposes the Azami is really in a class of its own, without detracting too much from the quality and available options offered by its other two siblings.

“The mid-sized SUV market is a popular one for growing families and Mazda has offered another attractive option on top of the ground-breaking CX-5,” Michael Rolfe says.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal tastes and requirements ranging from whether you want to hog it to yourself – or share it with the family.

On all three models, Mazda invites you to “build your CX-60” and there’s a lot of leeway to do so. Those choices are too numerous to list here, but again, personal preferences are the name of the game and, needless to say, the size of your wallet.

But to single out a few notable features, Mazda has gone out of its way to place a heavy focus on safety with its Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), which includes vehicle exit warning. That’s standard in the Evolve and the GT models, with a new generation 360-degree view monitor with see-through view, a particular attraction in the luxurious Azami.

Michael Rolfe reckons those driver aids will prove to be as attractive as they will be practical.

“The driver assistance systems of see-through view and the 360-degree monitor with an extended field at low speeds and vehicle exit warning for rear approaching road users, will be very well received.”

For those who understand such technicalities, myself excluded, I’ll defer to Mazda’s specs to fill you in on the three sexy engine thingys.

• 2.5L PLUG-IN HYBRID (PHEV) featuring a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder Skyactiv-G engine, mated to a 129-kW electric motor, for an impressive 241 kW and 500 Nm of torque.
• 3.3L MILD HYBRID TURBO PETROL – high-powered turbocharged petrol, delivering 209 kW and 450 Nm of torque.
• 3.3L MILD HYBRID TURBO DIESEL – Mazda’s first e-Skyactiv-D turbo diesel, producing 187 kW and a substantial 550 Nm of torque.

Did someone mention prices? It’s a wide range covering a multitude of options, but for the Evolve 3.31L petrol turbo you’re looking at $63,744 through to the mouth-watering Azami 2.5L PHEV coming in at $92,004. For the sporty GT, the starting price is $71,904.

My conclusion is based purely on my love of comfortable driving and a gratuitous passion for good looks and can be summed up in three words: I want one.

For sales enquiries, call 6208 4444.