20 Jul 2018
By
Seeing a gap in its line-up, Mazda decided to launch its CX-8 large SUV in June 2018 equipped with seven seats and no petrol powertrains.
Powered by a familiar 2.2-litre SkyActiv-D turbo-diesel engine that is shared with the CX-5 mid-size SUV and Mazda6 passenger car of the time, the CX-8 featured 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque.
Three different grades were available at launch, starting with the front-drive Sport, moving up to an all-wheel-drive Sport and topping out with the all-paw Asaki.
Standard gear included automatic headlights and wipers, tri-zone climate control, G-Vectoring control and a 7.0-inch MZD infotainment system with satellite navigation, digital radio and Bluetooth connectivity.
Safety equipment was also bolstered by forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warning at no cost.
