New Models

2020 Mazda CX-8 pricing and specs

Mazda has added five new variants to its in-betweener seven-seat SUV, including a new petrol option and a starting list-price now below $40k.

Mike Costello

17:4024 February 2020

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Mazda has performed a minor about-face, adding two versions of its CX-8 seven-seat SUV powered by a petrol engine option - for the first time since the nameplate arrived in June 2018.

The company has also greatly expanded the range from three specification variants, to eight. Where it once previously offered base Sport and luxury Asaki grades, it now also offers Touring and GT spec levels between these bookends to make the spec ‘walk’ more palatable.

It's the second update for the CX-8 since launch, but this one is more substantive than the previous one last March.

Pictured: All images used are of the Asaki (supplied)

The petrol engine in question is the company’s familiar 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder making 140kW and 252Nm. The engine is only available with front-wheel drive (FWD) and a six-speed automatic (6AT).

“The new Skyactiv-G variant is quiet and fuel efficient, and will better suit those families that clock up most of their driving in and around the suburbs,” said Mazda Australia’s marketing director Alastair Doak.

We would also add that sales of diesel SUVs across the entire new vehicle market declined by 15 per cent in 2019, whereas SUV sales as a whole only dipped by 2.4 per cent. Given the CX-8 is an urban-focused family crossover, the decision to offer petrol as an option is in line with market trends.

Nevertheless, most CX-8 modes are still powered by the familiar 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel with FWD or AWD and a 6AT, making the same 140kW but a far greater 450Nm torque output. This engine also slashes fuel use by 25 per cent to 6.0L/100km.

The brand new entry Sport petrol means Mazda has been able to get the list price below $40,000 for the first time - to $39,910 before on-road costs, to be specific.

That means it lines up between the Maxx Sport and Touring grades of the smaller CX-5 five-seater, albeit with all-wheel drive (AWD). It also undercuts the cheapest version of the larger CX-9 seven-seater by $6000. The CX-9 uses a version of the 2.5 petrol uprated with turbocharging to 170kW/420Nm.

The base CX-8 Sport petrol matches up against smaller seven-seater such as the Honda CR-V VTi-L ($38,990), and undercuts the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace Comfortline by $580.

What else has changed? The entire lineup gets a revised version of the Smart City Brake Support AEB system with night-time pedestrian protection, plus a larger 8.0-inch central infotainment display in place of the tired old 7.0-inch unit, with “enlarged icons and text to offer better readability”.

For Touring and above, third row functionality is improved by a one touch ‘walk-in’ switch added to the left and right seat cushion sides on the second row. The seats fold down with a single touch. The third row also gets two 2.5A USB power points in the GT and Asaki, and both grades also add a sunroof.

Engineers have apparently further revised NVH quality for this update, adding more damping material to the roof “to reduce noise penetrating the cabin on rainy days”. A new key fob and nameplate badging also feature.

Mazda's SUV range is now one of the market's more substantial. It has the CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, expanded CX-8 range, and the CX-9 flagship.