Sunday Star-Times

Mazda now has a seven-seat diesel SUV

- DAVID LINKLATER

There’s a new member of the Mazda SUV family in New Zealand: the CX-8.

As the name suggests, it fits in between the CX-5 and CX-9. It’s essentiall­y a Japanese domestic market version of the latter, with a narrower body but the same sevenseat layout.

The other key difference between the current CX-9 and new CX8 is that while the former is petrol only, the latter is available solely with Mazda’s new 140kW/450Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (also offered in the upgraded CX-5 and Mazda6).

Compared with the previous incarnatio­n of the engine, the new version has a technology called Rapid Multi-Stage Combustion that has helped push power and torque up by 11kW/30Nm while also reducing fuel consumptio­n.

The Combined figure for all CX-8 models is 6.0 litres per 100km. Tow rating is 2000kg.

The CX-8 is also the first Mazda to have Intelligen­t Speed Assistance (ISA), which is linked to the radar cruise control, navigation and Traffic Sign Recognitio­n (TSR) systems; it provides additional speed warnings based on real-time informatio­n.

The CX-8 is available in GSX and Limited specificat­ions. The entry model also brings the choice of 2WD or AWD, while the top Limited is AWD only. Prices range from $53,495 to $62,495.

 ??  ?? The new CX-8 is a (slightly) smaller sibling to the CX-9.
The new CX-8 is a (slightly) smaller sibling to the CX-9.

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