Corks were popping out of wine bottles across the globe when revellers celebrated the New Year.
And nobody knew the value of the cork tree (Quercus suber) better than Jujiro Matsuda, the founder of the Mazda Motors dynasty.
The son of a fisherman, Matsuda, started building his wealth in a cork factory near Hiroshima more than a century ago. More precisely, he processed the phellem layer of cork bark, selling the impermeable buoyant wood to timber merchants around the world in one of the earliest examples of value-adding.
But Matsuda was restless and dreamed of building motor cars. So, in 1931, he converted his cork factory into an assembly plant for Matsuda Kabushiki Goisha – or, simply, Mazda which today runs as the Mazda Motor Corporation.
Business colleagues bemoaned Matsuda’s decision to leave a lucrative and expanding cork industry, today worth US $1.47 million in Japan alone. But he followed his dream, never expecting that Mazda’s annual revenue would exceed US $36 billion today.
In August 1945, in the final stages of World War 2, the Toyo Kogyo cork factory sustained heavy damage in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima; just 5 km from the epicentre of the nuclear explosion, the factory was left relatively unscathed., Matsuda then drew on his skills as an inventor, machinist, industrialist and businessman to help rebuild the city.
He died in 1952 and is recognised by a bronze statue in Hijiyama Park in Minami-ku, Hiroshima.
Mazda enthusiasts around the world have been celebrating the arrival this year of the CX-80 that comes with three different powertrain options – six-cylinder petrol and diesel with a mild-hybrid 48V system and the full plug-in hybrid with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The PHEV can run in pure EV mode for up to 65 km thanks to its 17.8 kWh battery pack. With the electric motor and petrol engine working in unison you get an exhilarating driving experience. Even if you can’t plug it in, you can complete the journey provided you have petrol.
Mazda’s PHEV battery can be recharged by plugging into an external power supply such as a household socket, home AC wall box charge, or a public charging station, achieving a full charge in 8.5 hours using a normal household 240V socket or 1.5 hours on an AC charger with a type 2 port (from 20% to 80%).
Mazda claims a spritely 0-100 km/h time of 6.8 seconds.
The stylish cabin furniture includes a wide dashboard and quality materials that reflect the refined minimalist style of the Japanese. Nappa leather upholstery with copper accents also adds an air of sophistication. Likewise, the CX-80’s focus on usability shines. The extra-wide centre console, instant connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and thoughtful touches like second-row climate controls and USB-C charging ports give high-tech joy to all on board.
The same applies to comfort. With a spacious interior that accommodates up to seven passengers, the CX-80 is well suited to family trips or longer journeys. The choice of a six-seat configuration with captain’s chairs adds an extra layer of comfort, and the third row is easily accessible, thanks to a handy one-touch folding mechanism.
Even with the third row of seating upright, the CX-80 offers a generous 258 litres of space, expanding to 687 litres with the third row folded flat. Whether seating seven or fewer, this practicality ensures plenty of room for camping gear or luggage for a family getaway. The CX-80’s hands-free tailgate and low-loading lip make life easier, especially when both hands are full.
As with its large SUV siblings in the Mazda range, the CX-80 was developed to minimise road and wind noise, which means quiet driving is another virtue. And if the brand looks familiar, that’s because the front half is essentially the same as the CX-60, Mazda’s European range-topper for the last couple of years, which has opened the brand up to new customers while introducing Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid.
The CX-80 is a stretched CX-60, with a longer wheelbase, a third row of seats and a new rear end. It’s around 25 cm longer and 3 cm taller, while Mazda has also tweaked the suspension for more comfort.
The brand joins the CX-90, effectively replacing the now-discontinued CX-8 and CX-9 along with the equally new CX-70 five-seater. And while it’s very much a stretched version of the five-seat CX-60 mid-sized SUV, there are key differences. It adds seven-seat capacity on account of its lengthened wheelbase, without drastically changing the way it drives or behaves on the road. It’s listed at less than $55,000 before on-roads, which makes it $5000 more affordable than the smaller CX-60 at base level.
Other hi-tech safety features include radar cruise control, advanced AEB, lane keep assist with emergency lane keep, blind spot monitor, safe exit warning, traffic sign recognition and front and rear cross traffic alert.
Mazda reckons it’s on the mark with the CX-80, forecasting the brand’s sales target of 650 a month, which is more than the CX-60 at 550.
All round, the Mazda CX-80 is a corker – for style, comfort, economy and performance.
