Dhe flagship from Mazda and the brand’s first plug-in hybrid: In the new CX-60, the manufacturer wants to know and is also modernizing its infotainment. After the driving report from the editors in October, we have now extensively tested the electronics of the young Japanese.
The first detail is surprising: Like some Subaru vehicles, the CX-60 also comes with camera-based biometric face recognition. She looks the driver in the eye. The device only works when the vehicle is stationary. You enter your height, take off any sunglasses you may be wearing, look left and right several times, and then the system automatically adjusts the seat and steering wheel as well as the head-up display and the exterior mirrors based on the recognized eye level and the specified height.
Furthermore, from now on more than 250 settings made in the vehicle, including those for the audio system and air conditioning, will be saved and switched over if there is a change of driver. All of this may please as a convenience feature. However, we did not want to get used to the calculated seating position, and not everyone will appreciate the constant observation. The “Driver Personalization System” is part of the standard equipment of the two higher-quality model variants.
More space means a gain in clarity
What Mazda has done really well is the redesigned cockpit landscape. The otherwise rather small on-board monitor now grows to a diagonal of 12.3 inches. The navigation map shows more details. As always, more space is a gain in clarity, and the menus, which are now better displayed, also benefit from the ample size. For once, the system is not operated with the finger on the display, but solely with the controller, a rotary control that you can also press, it is located in front of the center armrest. Surrounding keys lead directly to the submenus. The air conditioning is also operated with physical buttons. The Mazda menu system is clearly structured and easy to use. In the plug-in version, there is also a very differentiated charging plan for the battery.
Stately appearance: New Mazda CX-60 from the tribe of SUVs
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Image: manufacturer
A second display, also with a diagonal of 12.3 inches, is located in front of the steering wheel and is the instrument display for the driver. It displays a replica analogue speedometer and the status of the electronic helpers as well as the current flow, but it can only be customized to a very limited extent. The head-up display is part of the standard equipment, only the cheapest model variant Primeline has to do without it. The special feature of the large and easy-to-read display is that vehicles approaching from behind in the blind spot are shown with a discreet symbol, a very nice detail.
Hands-free equipment, connectivity services via the Mazda app on the smartphone, navigation and support for Apple Carplay and Android Auto are also standard equipment. Interestingly, Apple Navigation driving instructions are even shown in the head-up display. The voice control for entering navigation destinations or for starting phone calls works great, but is a circumstance bug when entering a destination. We could not check the quality of the real-time traffic data due to the lack of online services. The subscription costs 90 euros a year and also includes online POI searches and the display of fuel prices.
An exciting detail is the built-in warning of danger spots with speed cameras, which, however, does not work in Germany.