2018 Mazda CX-8 pricing revealed

Pricing for the hotly-anticipated Mazda CX-8 has been revealed, ahead of the seven-seater's arrival in dealerships next month.

The SUV will be offered in three trim variants: Sport front-wheel drive, Sport all-wheel drive and Asaki all-wheel drive. Regardless of trim, power will come from a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, producing 140kW and 450Nm.

In base Sport FWD guise, the CX-8 will cost $42,490 before on-roads, jumping to $46,490 for the Sport AWD, and running to $61,490 in Asaki AWD trim.

That makes the car $2400 less expensive than the comparable CX-9 Sport, while the range-topping CX-8 Asaki AWD undercuts its CX-9 Azami AWD bigger brother by $3300. Although they're both seven-seaters, the CX-8 is based on the smaller CX-5 platform, and is therefore narrower and shorter overall than the CX-9 – though their wheelbases are the same.

At this point, final CX-8 specifications haven't been announced by Mazda's local division, but a leaked dealer document from earlier this year provides a strong indication as to what we can expect from the range.

UPDATE, 29/06/18: Full pricing and specs have now been revealed. Read here.

The document suggested the Sport will likely feature 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, power mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and roof rails. Behind the wheel, there's a 7.0-inch touchscreen and cloth seats.

When it comes to safety, expect to see adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. It misses out on adaptive headlights, though.

Making the jump to the range-topper is expected to bring a power tailgate, smart keyless entry and 19-inch alloy wheels over the standard 17-inch units. Heated front and rear seats – power-adjustable up front – along with a Bose audio system, surround-view camera and front parking sensors are also likely to feature.

Finally, expect to see wooden trim on the dashboard. Metallic paint will be a $300 option across the range. Stay tuned for a full pricing and specifications breakdown in the lead-up to the CX-8's July launch.

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