Mazda Philippines is studying to bring in the CX-60 compact SUV; this was revealed by Steven Tan, President and CEO of Bermaz Auto Philippines, the distributor of the Japanese automotive brand, at a roundtable discussion.
Tan’s comments are echoed by Hidetoshi Kudo, Mazda Managing Executive Officer in charge of Global Marketing and Brand Enhancement. The CX-60 is the first product riding on the brand’s Large Product Group. It joins the current Small Product Group and the upcoming Skyactiv Scalable EV Architecture as part ofThough Tan isn’t ready to share specifics on the CX-60, he did confirm that it will not replace the company’s current best-seller, the CX-5. With that, it’s safe to assume that the CX-60 will occupy a higher price point—perhaps overlapping with the three-row CX-8 and CX-9 SUVs.
According to Kudo-san, the decision to fit a relatively large displacement inline-6 is down to improving the CX-60’s drivability. Yet, the rear- or all-wheel drive SUV does have improved fuel efficiency because of the design. This right-sized approach enables the engine to take in a higher volume of air for a more complete combustion. The engines also feature a wider lean-burn range for lower fuel use. They’re also lightweight—matching the current family of 4-cylinder Skyactiv engines.