There are a few cars from Japan that represent the joy of driving. I am not talking about sports cars because we all know there are plenty of those from the land of the rising sun.
But before going down this path for this article, I must acknowledge the greatness of the Honda Civic Type R, Nissan GT-R, Mazda MX-5, Toyota Supra and GR86. Even the Lexus LC and its glorious V8 deserves to be mentioned. Among many others of course.
Not acknowledging them would be tantamount to blasphemy.
I am instead talking about SUVs. When was the last time anyone spoke about SUVs from Japan that were fun to drive? There are many that are built well, have space age technology with immaculate craftsmanship and generally do what SUV’s do really well.
But a Japanese SUV that is fun to drive? That can only be a Mazda.
In Malaysia, Mazda is represented by Bermaz Auto. And over the years Bermaz has done a stellar job with the brand.
Not only are Mazda’s better received now than ever before, but even the aftersales service is brilliant. I am not just talking about this from a general perspective, but as an owner of a Mazda SUV.
I have been driving a Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo for the past three years, and I love it. Sure, it is not as big as a Honda CR-V and neither is it as cheap as some of models from China with their abundance of tech, but it is oh-so-nice to drive.
Who can argue against 220 horsepower under your right foot with all-wheel-drive ensuring maximum grip at all times.
Mazda’s now popular G-Vector Control makes the CX-5 feel like a hot-hatch. If it had 70 horsepower more, stiffer suspension and better brakes, it could give a Volkswagen Golf R a tough time in the right hands.
But I am not here to gloat about the CX-5, I am here to talk about Bermaz Auto’s latest model, the CX-60.
What is the CX-60 and why should you pay attention to it?
The Mazda CX-60 can be defined as a mid-size crossover SUV. It sits five people and their luggage comfortably and was first introduced to the world back in 2022.
I will explain why it took Bermaz so long to introduce the CX-60 to the Malaysian market later in the article.
One of the things that makes the CX-60 a big deal is its platform.
The CX-60 is the first Mazda to be built on the company’s new ‘Large Product Group’ platform.
This marks a significant departure from Mazda’s previous front-wheel-drive platforms and is designed to create a more premium and engaging driving experience.
The latter is partially achieved through a longitudinal engine with a rear-wheel-drive layout. The platform can also support all-wheel-drive systems.
The longitudinal engine layout also helps to balance the car as it is mounted north to south rather than east to west in the chassis. This allows for a more balanced weight distribution between the front axles.
The new platform was also designed to accommodate a new range of engines, both regular internal combustion engines as well as plug-in hybrids.
One of the highlights of the new line of engines is a 3.3-litre, turbocharged, straight-six engine that is available in petrol and diesel variants. This has yet to be confirmed for the Malaysian market, but a preview has already been done.
Other engines include a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine with a motor and battery as well as a mild-hybrid engine that is mated to a 48-volt system. The latter is said to assist the aforementioned straight-six engine to provide improved efficiency and smoother power delivery.
The other key highlight of the new platform is that it continues Mazda’s signature driving character which the brand has become synonymous with. For those who have never driven a Mazda, it is one of the nicest handling cars you can ever drive. That is why those that have bought a Mazda, rarely sway from the brand.
The new CX-60 continues this through many features such as improved bodyshell rigidity so that the driver can feel what the car is doing without delay. Explaining what Mazda has done needs an article by itself, so I really recommend driving a new Mazda to have a feel for yourself.
Even the suspension (double wishbone front and multi-link link at the rear) has been fine tuned to stabilise the posture of the car when on the move.
And new to the Mazda lineup in Malaysia is something called Kinematic Posture Control (KPC).
This system was introduced by Mazda back in 2022 with the MX-5 and it works to counteract the forces of gravity and physics using intelligent software and sensors to give the driver better control.
It works with the CX-60’s suspension and braking system by gently apply the brakes to the inner rear wheel when the system senses high G-forces in a corner.
Mazda says this helps to pull the car down and stabilise it in corners by suppressing body roll. It is also intelligent enough to increase brake force in the event the driver accelerates through a corner.
The result? Unmatched confidence in corners particularly long sweeping ones that tend to offset the balance of a car.
So, what took Bermaz so long to introduce the CX-60 to Malaysia?
During a recent drive to Ipoh, Tan Sri Dato Sri Ben Yeoh, the Executive Chairman of Bermaz Auto Berhad explained that the company decided to delay the introduction of the CX-60 to allow Mazda to iron out any issues it could potentially have had with the first-generation model.
Though not exactly known as the second-generation model, the CX-60 that we are getting in Malaysia has been improved over the model launched initially.
Sometimes a new product fresh off the design board and off the factory floor can have teething issues. So, by delaying the launch and to give Mazda some time to improve the product ultimately benefits Malaysian buyers.
An Australian reviewer who had driven the early CX-60 described it as “niggly and nervous” back in 2022. In fact, Mazda Australia tried to solve this issue by updating the CX-60 by using different rear shock absorbers. They also went a step further by making these absorbers available to existing owners as a retrofitted item.
After driving the current model, perhaps Bermaz’s choice to delay the launch was not such a bad idea.
How does the CX-60 feel?
Before jumping into that, let’s begin with the interior of the car. The CX-60 is a big car, and you feel that inside it as well.
When you first get in, you will notice that the front passenger sits quite a distance away from you. There’s also a large centre column in between both of you.
This column houses a rotary dial which you use to navigate through the infotainment menu and above that is the gear selector as well as other controls such as the electronic parking brake and such.
Ahead of you is a conventional Mazda steering wheel which is also found in other Mazda models. It comes with paddle shifters and that is a nice touch as it adds a sporty character to the car.
Aft of the steering wheel lays a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster which is something new for Mazda fans in Malaysia. Before this, digital instrument clusters in Mazda have always been a combination of analogue with some digital readouts, so this is refreshing. It is also not overly complicated like some of the instrument panels you get in Chinese cars.
To the left of that is the infotainment screen that also measures in at 12.3-inches. That’s the central command system for the car and it also comes with wireless Carplay and Android Auto.
However, you must use the rotary dial to navigate through it, and that is a bit of a pity because sometimes touchscreens are just quicker and easier.
Beyond that are soft touch panels as well as loads of leather trimming, of which may divide opinions. The leather is heavily grained, and though I didn’t mind it so much, my co-drivers thought it was too much.
Overall quality on the other hands feels great with no hollow points around the cabin. And I must commend the stitching around the interior as it makes the car feel a lot more expensive than what it actually is.
You also get electronic seats at the front with memory function for the driver.
I also should say that I expected the rear to be bigger than what it is. It can be cramped for taller passengers especially over long-distance road trips.
In this department, there is no beating the Honda CR-V and its acreage. But when it comes to understated elegance, the Mazda is ace.
How does it drive?
The CX-60 is in Malaysia as a single variant called the 2.5 2WD High. As the name suggests, it’s powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated engine making 189hp and 261Nm of torque. All sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission which interestingly does not have a torque converter but uses clutch plates instead.
On the move, the interior of the CX-60 is quiet with the suspension doing a decent job at keeping the occupants comfortable. I would not describe the suspension as plush, you feel what the road is doing underneath the car, but neither is it trashy either. It’s a nice balance of comfort and control.
I also felt like the car needed a tad more power, but that can be put down to the fact that I drive a turbocharged Mazda that makes more power than the one in the CX-60. So perhaps a little management of my expectations is needed.
But! On the highway though, the CX-60 proved to be a great cruiser. At about the 140km/h mark (illegal, I know but bear with me) the CX-60 is at its sweet spot, with the cabin remaining hushed as you can barely hear the world outside.
Should you spend your money on it?
If there is one thing about media drives is that it is a great opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other. Most of the journalists use the opportunity to ask the other what they think of the car, and during the CX-60 drive, almost all the journalists agreed that the CX-60 is priced competitively.
In fact, some of us expected it to be priced around the RM220,000 region, so the fact that Bermaz wants just RM200,510.40 for a Japanese made car is a great deal.
There is no denying that the CX-60 comes with stunning good looks. That elongated bonnet with the cabin placed further back is a classic cruiser design and gives the CX-60 a very powerful stance.
So yes, it is worth every Ringgit, especially if you like cars that drive well. The CX-60 also comes with all the advanced driver assistance systems that you could want in a car, including adaptive cruise control with stop and go function.
So, I recommend test driving one, and when you do, try to look for a long sweeping corner, and have a feel for how the Mazda CX-60 simply tucks into it.
Specifications:
Engine: 2.5-litre, naturally-aspirated, inline-four cylinders
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 189hp @ 6000rpm
Torque: 261Nm @ 3000rpm
Price (as tested): RM200,510.40
We like: Driving dynamics, good looks, high quality interior
We don’t like: Rear seats can be cramped for taller passengers
