{"id":5129,"date":"2025-11-11T03:36:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T03:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/?p=5129"},"modified":"2025-11-11T03:36:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T03:36:05","slug":"c1111016_cheeky-musical-comedian-roasts-judges-unforgettable-audition-britain-got-talent_part2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/?p=5129","title":{"rendered":"C1111016_CHEEKY musical comedian ROASTS Judges! Unforgettable Audition Britain Got Talent_part2"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/ext\/embed.html?id=1118722363700689452\" height=\"445\" width=\"345\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" ><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CX-80 long-term review: 4000 frustrating miles in Mazda&#8217;s 7-seater<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plug-in hybrid large SUV had plenty to prove while it was here, but did it succeed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.cdn.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/gallery_slide\/public\/images\/car-reviews\/long-term-review\/legacy\/mazda-cx80-kc-lt-2025-front-cornering.jpg?itok=PtmOunxX\" alt=\"Mazda CX80 KC LT 2025 front cornering\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.cdn.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/square_43x43\/public\/kris_culmer_0.jpg?itok=9g1nXah-\" alt=\"Kris Culmer\" title=\"Kris Culmer\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/users\/kris-culmer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kris Culmer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">6 November 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Share<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?app_id=236580861022118&amp;sdk=joey&amp;u=https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\/long-term-reviews\/cx-80-long-term-review-4000-frustrating-miles-mazdas-7&amp;display=popup&amp;ref=plugin&amp;src=share_button\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\/long-term-reviews\/cx-80-long-term-review-4000-frustrating-miles-mazdas-7&amp;count=horizontal&amp;via=autocar&amp;text=CX-80%20long-term%20review:%204000%20frustrating%20miles%20in%20Mazda%27s%207-seater&amp;counturl=https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\/long-term-reviews\/cx-80-long-term-review-4000-frustrating-miles-mazdas-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=CX-80%20long-term%20review:%204000%20frustrating%20miles%20in%20Mazda%27s%207-seater&amp;body=https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\/long-term-reviews\/cx-80-long-term-review-4000-frustrating-miles-mazdas-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The kids have a new slang term, and it\u2019s a rare one I approve of, because the dictionary defines it as an \u201cadjective used approvingly to describe someone who projects a lack of concern about how others feel about their actions or opinions; or to describe a thing perceived as both bold and commendable, especially if it challenges or flouts convention in some way\u201d \u2013 and I\u2019m very fond of such people and things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if anyone or anything in the car industry is \u2018based\u2019, it\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mazda<\/a>. Who else but the Hiroshima firm would persevere with affordable&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-sports-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sports cars<\/a>; resist turbocharging its smaller petrol engines in the name of driver involvement; invent spark-compression ignition as an alternative; enter the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-electric-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EV era<\/a>&nbsp;with a cork-lined, rear-hinged-doored, short-range hatchback; respond to slow sales of said EV by reviving the rotary engine to serve as a range-extending generator; or design an all-new diesel straight six a decade after Dieselgate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mazda\u2019s people are mad lads, and I love them for it. Few mavericks evade convention forever, though, and lately we have seen Mazda launch loads of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-suvs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SUVs<\/a>, develop a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-hybrid-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PHEV powertrain<\/a>&nbsp;and even rebody a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/chinese-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chinese brand\u2019s<\/a>&nbsp;EV for European sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On occasion, I wondered whether Mazda was conforming wholeheartedly or with a slight reluctance or resignation. I got the latter impression when driving the early&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-60\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CX-60 PHEV<\/a>&nbsp;that we had on our fleet in 2023: frankly, it felt unfinished, with&nbsp;its powertrain often shunting and&nbsp;its suspension always clattering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-76.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5131\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the big question here concerns how much Mazda improved things&nbsp;before launching this stretched, seven-seat version of that car, this here<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;CX-80<\/a>. Its engineers certainly aren\u2019t incorrigible: they accepted the negative feedback from us and customers seriously and revised the CX-60.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Latest Reviews<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-77.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5132\" title=\"Toyota Hilix electric review 01\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/toyota\/hilux-electric\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/toyota\/hilux-electric\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Toyota Hilux Electric<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/toyota\/hilux-electric\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Toyota Hilux Electric<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-78.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5133\" title=\"Hyundai Ioniq 6 N review 2025 01\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/hyundai\/ioniq-6-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/hyundai\/ioniq-6-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hyundai Ioniq 6 N<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/hyundai\/ioniq-6-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hyundai Ioniq 6 N<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-79.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5138\" title=\" P6A1936 1600x1067 e125f67b 0fda 44af 8430 19a0966d861d\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mitsubishi\/lancer-evolution-vi-1999-2002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mitsubishi\/lancer-evolution-vi-1999-2002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Used Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 1999-2001 review<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>10<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mitsubishi\/lancer-evolution-vi-1999-2002\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Used Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 1999-2001 review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-80.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5134\" title=\"MG IM6 review 2025 0001\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mg-motor\/im-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mg-motor\/im-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MG IM6<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mg-motor\/im-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MG IM6<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-79.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5136\" title=\"Honda Super N review 2025 0001\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/honda\/super-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/honda\/super-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Honda Super-N<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/honda\/super-n\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Honda Super-N<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View all car reviews<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read our review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Car review<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-81.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5135\" title=\"Mazda CX 80 review 2024 01 cornering\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mazda CX-80<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mazda&#8217;s new flagship \u2013&nbsp;a seven-seat SUV \u2013&nbsp;arrives to challenge the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mazda\/cx-80\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read our review<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But launching a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-large-suvs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">large SUV&nbsp;<\/a>is as far from \u2018based\u2019 a car maker can get nowadays. So even if it is objectively better than the CX-60, can the CX-80 really feel like a true Mazda?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, it certainly looks the part in our car\u2019s specification. Mazda\u2019s paints are among the finest in the business, and its interiors have real individuality to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cabin design puts me in mind of the 3 hatchback that I relished running six years ago, with its modest digital instrument display and unintrusive infotainment touchscreen \u2013 which becomes just a regular screen on the move, as the system forces&nbsp;you to use a large, physical control dial instead in the name of safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Actually, this interior is better than my 3\u2019s, because that was all-black, whereas here Takumi trim provides a heartening combination of cream leather upholstery, light-coloured wood inserts and a curious dashboard material that reminds me of the cast when I broke my wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mazda offers variety mainly through five trim levels (Takumi is the middle one) rather than options, unlike most other manufacturers, so there\u2019s only one \u2018pack\u2019 to tell you about here: the Convenience and Driver Assistance Pack, at \u00a31950.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-84.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5140\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And frankly I\u2019d avoid it, because it comprises mostly ADAS features, and one of those is quite enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can order the CX-80 with that new 251bhp 3.3-litre diesel straight six, which many here at Autocar fantasise about, but a diesel is virtually irrelevant now \u2013 in contrast to the 323bhp PHEV version that we\u2019ve chosen instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With its 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (yes, still naturally aspirated!), chunky 17.8kWh battery and electric motor combining for 177mpg, 35g\/km of CO2 and 38 miles of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/advice-electric-cars\/longest-range-electric-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">electric range<\/a>, it\u2019s liable for benefit-in-kind tax of just 13%, as opposed to 37%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The slight issue here is that I can\u2019t charge at home \u2013 really only when there\u2019s a charger free at the office or when I visit my EV-owning parents. But this is a pretty common position for a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/advice-company-cars\/best-company-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">company car<\/a>&nbsp;user to be in, such are the tax rules, so it will be informative to discover how well and how efficiently this PHEV operates when a charge is a weekly treat rather than a daily meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-85.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5139\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also need to consider whether the CX-80 will appeal to such user-choosers when similar models are offered by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/mercedes-benz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mercedes<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/bmw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BMW<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/volvo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Volvo<\/a>&nbsp;and more. Can a Mazda really cut it in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-luxury-suvs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">premium large SUV<\/a>&nbsp;market?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update 2&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With summer fast fading away, my mate and I were determined not to waste a sunny Saturday and so decided to get on our bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Slight issue: as online forums soon revealed, I was just one of many cyclists unfortunate enough to experience a jammed through-axle, so I was unable to remove my bike\u2019s front wheel. (Honestly, the creator of this particular one should be banned from designing things.) So this ride might have been over before it had even begun, or at least needed moving to a dull urban route starting at home, as the only boot that had ever accepted such a frame with both wheels attached was a monster truck called&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/toyota\/long-term-reviews\/toyota-land-cruiser-2023-long-term-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Land Cruiser.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gingerly Ben and I manoeuvred all 29in of the wheel up to the rear of the CX-80. It wasn\u2019t looking good \u2013 but after several attempts at careful twisting, we just about squeezed it in. Huge, in both senses of the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-83.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5141\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, this was after we had dealt with both the third and second rows of seats. With seven people aboard, there\u2019s a mere 258 litres of luggage space (about what you get in a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/hyundai\/i10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hyundai i10<\/a>), growing to 687 in five-seat mode and ultimately 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was actually a very easy process. Each third-row seat has a fabric strap on its back that you pull to release the mechanism, after which it can be pushed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The middle seats (which are split 60:40, somewhat disappointingly) took me a minute to figure out but make total sense: the handle on the shoulders pulls them forward 45deg to allow third-row entry; the handle on the sides folds them flat; and the bar under the base lets them slide backwards and forwards on rails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So happily Ben and I got to enjoy our ride on the Downs Link. If you live nearby, I highly recommend it: one of Dr Beeching\u2019s poor victims, it runs between Guildford (Surrey) and Shoreham-by-Sea (Sussex), and the old Christ\u2019s Hospital and West Grinstead stations are still there, signage and all, affording you the cool experience of riding down between the platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx-80-load-space.jpg?itok=GPLle0R0\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At one point, a smiling driver told us we must have been mad, such was the weather. His car can\u2019t have had the benefit of ventilated seats: we quickly stopped being all hot and bothered with the CX-80 blasting freezing air not just into our faces but onto our backs and bums too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Glorious \u2013 as, I imagine, its seat heating would be in winter (yes, I did try to turn both on at&nbsp;once and, no, it doesn\u2019t let you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was time left in the day for one more hitch, though. While the boot is largely trimmed in the usual black fabric, the upper sides, upper second-row seatbacks, rear door cards and headlining are all covered in light material \u2013 and inevitably we got some dust and dirt on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panicked sponging ensued and all is now back to normal \u2013 but, much as I love a bright interior, you would be wise to choose the black option if you\u2019re going to use your SUV for any actual SUV activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update 3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/best-cars\/best-electric-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">electric car<\/a>&nbsp;is now&nbsp;the default for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/company-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">company car&nbsp;<\/a>drivers, but the next best option in terms of tax liability is a plug-in hybrid \u2013 and it\u2019s a major part of the reason for&nbsp;the ongoing PHEV renaissance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The logic behind the bandings is, of course, rewarding lower CO2 emissions \u2013 but unlike with an EV, the carbon footprint of a PHEV is entirely dependent on how you use it. And if you \u2018can\u2019t make an EV&nbsp;work for you\u2019, it will be because&nbsp;you regularly do long journeys without time to stop and charge or you can\u2019t access charging at home or at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am one such person. So in an effort to lower my fuel bills and keep my conscience clean,&nbsp;I\u2019ve tried plugging my CX-80 PHEV into a street-side&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/advice-electric-cars\/how-charge-electric-car\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">public charger.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx-80-charging.jpg?itok=QPiuCjw0\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five years ago, when I ran an EV, I was outraged to discover that charging facilities in Brighton and&nbsp;Hove, despite it having the Green Party\u2019s only MP and a Green-led council, were minimal and poor. Matters in my area have improved only slightly since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back then there was a janky 7kW charger and a 50kW one that required a physical card; now the latter is a BP Pulse unit that accepts contactless bank card payments (usually\u2026) and the former has been replaced by a Blink unit that is reliable, controlled by a decent phone app and, according&nbsp;to Zap-Map, dispenses energy&nbsp;at 11kW \u2013 three big ticks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The battery of the CX-80 has&nbsp;a capacity of 17.8kWh, so that BP Pulse charger should be able to&nbsp;fill it in just 20 minutes \u2013 except, unlike many premium PHEVs, this one can\u2019t take DC charging, meaning I will have to use the AC slow charger instead. Worse still, that 11kW claim turns out to be wrong: the Blink app states that&nbsp;it actually maxes out at 3.7kW \u2013&nbsp;the same as you would get from&nbsp;a domestic three-pin plug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four and a half hours later, my charging session terminated itself after 15.02kWh of energy had been dispensed, at a cost of \u00a36.88 (\u00a31.38 of which was VAT \u2013 which people who can charge at home or work avoid).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3\" height=\"2\" src=\"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-82.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5137\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, when I was driving on a flat battery, the CX-80 averaged 32mpg \u2013&nbsp;at which rate \u00a36.88 worth of petrol would take me 35 miles. Right, and its official electric-only range is&nbsp;38 miles, so\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Would you endure&nbsp;the hassle of parking on a random street to charge, walking 20 minutes home, then walking back to the charger four and a half hours later to collect your car, in exchange&nbsp;for a few pennies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me neither. In short, unless you can charge at work on the company account or at home on a cheap overnight energy tariff, a PHEV probably won\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What a shame, given how nice&nbsp;it was \u2013 and how much better for&nbsp;the local environment \u2013 to drive the CX-80 around town in smooth silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final report<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s start this final report with some unfinished business. While describing the troubles I was having running our plug-in hybrid CX-80 without a home charger (no DC rapid-charging capability, glacial public AC chargers), I promised to go into detail about the pleasure of running it in emissions-free near-silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certainly doing so makes me feel less guilty about clogging up urban streets and air with an enormous gas-guzzler, and it also makes for a smoother, more relaxing driving experience \u2013 if also one that\u2019s notably compromised when compared with a legit EV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A total of 173bhp makes the electric motor sound pretty strong, but it has more than two tonnes of SUV to haul around, so about 40mph is the limit \u2013 so long as no steep inclines are involved. And with the battery capacity being a modest 17.8kWh, electric-only range is just 38 miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s fine for urban duties, of course, but alternative plug-in hybrid SUVs can easily do a short motorway commute on electricity alone, leaving the CX-80 feeling conspicuously outdated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx80-kc-lt-2025-front.jpg?itok=X160g23A\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My praise here really is limited to: one, the fact that once I\u2019ve selected EV mode (via a switch on the centre console), the digital power gauge gains a needle representing the point at which the petrol engine will need calling into action; and two, the existence of a button that lets you set a minimum battery charge level for a journey (in increments of 10%, right up to 100%), which the powertrain proved good at obeying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Compromised\u2019 is also the most appropriate word to describe the characteristics of the CX-80\u2019s PHEV powertrain in its standard hybrid mode. The unusually large and naturally aspirated engine, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit, has to rev like mad to generate sufficient torque in faster driving. The accompanying growl quickly becomes wearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not as wearing, though, as the regular shunting as the powertrain shifts between its two power sources \u2013 an unacceptably unrefined sensation for a \u00a350,000 car to be inflicting&nbsp;on its occupants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx80-kc-lt-2025-third-rowpg.jpg?itok=EUEmuqnH\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shortcoming is familiar from the disappointing CX-60 PHEV we ran a few years ago \u2013 as is the ride quality, despite a host of upgrades Mazda has made to the suspension since then. Although it would cruise quite comfortably down motorways, my CX-80 could feel dreadful on battered urban road surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everybody to whom I gave a lift almost immediately remarked on the slamming through potholes and jostling over uneven sections. This is a heavy car on big wheels, yes, but so is the equivalent<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-review\/volvo\/xc90\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;XC90 T8<\/a>, and that is leagues comfier. Maybe the CX-80 is more agile than the Volvo, but what does handling agility really matter to the average buyer of a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/best-cars\/best-7-seat-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seven-seat SUV?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mazda UK\u2019s spreadsheet botherers won\u2019t want to hear this, but the option of a 3.3-litre diesel straight six is the CX-80\u2019s saving grace. This smooth and efficient engine also lightens the load on the suspension by some 100kg, surely making the ride less troublesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly, I reckon I could easily have got better fuel economy out of it as well: my overall return from a tank with an empty battery never exceeded 33mpg, and ad hoc top-ups of a few kWh here and there hardly seemed worth the time&nbsp;and expense in retrospect, even&nbsp;if it did notably boost MPG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx80-kc-lt-2025-me-8.jpg?itok=DzQaOG-A\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The idea of my car without the electrical gubbins really does appeal, because my criticisms of&nbsp;it are exclusive to the powertrain and suspension: otherwise, the&nbsp;CX-80 is a lovely thing. It looks pretty good for a bus and I found&nbsp;the interior endlessly charming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mixture of interesting design and unusual materials, especially when upholstered in the creamy tones we chose, created a calming upmarket ambience. This was furthered by the prevalence of physical switchgear and real digital restraint on the designers\u2019 behalf. (An abundance of pixels can be so taxing on the eyes and the brain.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when I did have cause to use the infotainment, it was much less distracting than usual, because&nbsp;the touchscreen was supplemented by a twisting dial and buttons on&nbsp;the centre console. Even BMW has now abandoned this control scheme, but I reckon it\u2019s still&nbsp;among the best solutions yet tried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/sites\/autocar.co.uk\/files\/styles\/body-image\/public\/mazda-cx-80-rear-static.jpg?itok=PS7X2vM3\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CX-80 was very practical, too \u2013 as you would hope from its bay-busting length and width, not to mention its freakish wheelbase. Friends over 6ft tall had loads of head and leg room in the front, while even the third row was big enough for me to sit in without discomfort (at 5ft 8in). And with all five passenger seats folded down, the boot proved vast enough to swallow two full-size bikes with both wheels attached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back to top<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Overall, though, running the&nbsp;CX-80 was a frustrating experience. I really wanted to like this car, as a long-standing admirer of Mazda\u2019s maverick attitude, and indeed I enjoyed many aspects of it, but&nbsp;the powertrain and suspension simply didn\u2019t make the grade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CX-80 long-term review: 4000 frustrating miles in Mazda&#8217;s 7-seater Plug-in hybrid large SUV had plenty to prove while it was here, but did it succeed? Kris Culmer 6 November 2025 Share The kids have a new slang term, and it\u2019s a rare one I approve of, because the dictionary defines it as an \u201cadjective used [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5142,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129\/revisions\/5142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gottanlent.vansonnguyen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}