2025 Mazda CX-60 G25 (four-cylinder) review: Australian first drive

The 2025 Mazda CX-60 G25 range makes an already packed line-up even busier.

Three new naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol G25 variants in the CX-60 range join the existing range of five turbocharged mild-hybrid six-cylinder petrol, five turbocharged mild-hybrid six-cylinder diesel, and five plug-in hybrid naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol variants already on sale.

While that complexity is a lot for buyers to pick through, Mazda says there was a strong demand from customers for a familiar, reliable engine. Hence, the G25 models eschew the hybridisation that has so far been a major selling point of the CX-60 range.

The new CX-60 G25 rear-wheel-drive also brings the price of the CX-60 down. Each of the three variants available, Pure, Evolve, and Touring, wears a $6000 cheaper price tag than its six-cylinder all-wheel-drive petrol equivalent.

In fact, Mazda predicts the new G25 range will account for the biggest slice of CX-60 sales, accounting for 34 per cent of CX-60 sales, while the six-cylinder petrol takes second-place with 29 per cent.

At the introductory drive of the new CX-60 G25 range, Mazda Australia put Drive behind the wheel, in gruelling peak-hour traffic and on demanding hilly roads, in an attempt to prove this newest addition to the range has nothing to hide.

Before I get into the on-road story, first up, the all-important price.

The entry-level CX-60 G25 Pure starts from $44,240, one step up, the G25 Evolve is $49,240, and the mid-grade G25 Touring is $52,240, all before on-road costs.

As an introductory offer, Mazda will launch the G25 Pure with a $47,990 drive-away pricing deal in all states except Western Australia, where the intro price will be $48,990 drive-away.

There’s no change in equipment or amenities, with each variant mirroring the specifications of the existing range.

All three are equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch infotainment display, eight-speaker audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 360-degree cameras, LED headlights, a leather steering wheel, and a comprehensive list of driver assist tech.

The Pure comes with cloth seats, the Evolve gets faux leather, and the Touring comes with genuine leather.

The Evolve also gains a bigger 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen (up from 7.0-inch), more advanced adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, a power tailgate, and a wireless phone charger.

The Touring adds powered front seats, exterior mirror and driver’s seat memory, and front seat heating. Mazda stops the G25 offering at the mid-spec Touring trim level, with the higher-spec GT and Azami grades reserved for the six-cylinder diesel and petrol, or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Equipment aside, the CX-60 G25 features the same eight-speed automatic with a multi-plate clutch pack as other models, but it's rear-wheel-drive only, not all-wheel drive.

Full details of the price and specifications of the CX-60 range can be found here.

Externally, the only real giveaways are the front vent guards, which are matte black, not chrome, on the four-cylinder model, and lack the ‘PHEV’ or ‘In-line 6’ script found on other models. The exhaust finishers also switch from chrome to black on the G25.

Under the bonnet, the CX-60 G25 range is powered by a version of the naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine shared with cars like the CX-30, CX-5, and Mazda 3.

In this application, it's been turned from transverse to longitudinal to suit the CX-60’s rear-wheel-drive architecture. It's the first time the 2.5-litre engine has been used in a rear-drive vehicle.

Power and torque are rated at 138kW and 250Nm respectively, and on paper that’s a significant step down from the 209kW/450Nm mild-hybrid assisted 3.3-litre turbo petrol six-cylinder in the G40e range.

On the road, that gulf is mostly well hidden, but it can reveal itself in certain situations. The first Australian drive of the CX-60 G25 was only short, but it took in some of the worst situations the car will deal with day to day.

In crawling peak-hour traffic, the four-cylinder CX-60 felt fine. No car needs huge power to inch through bumper-to-bumper traffic, and without needing to call on outright performance, the G25 almost feels as good as the G40e.

There are some subtle differences. If you get a clear run off the lights, the G25 is obviously slower, and yet it never seemed to feel left behind by other traffic.

The free-revving four-pot is happy to spin up quickly, and acceleration still feels brisk, if not outright rapid.

The eight-speed automatic is the same as that used on every other CX-60 model, but without any form of hybrid assistance, it exhibited less of the shunting and clunkiness that early CX-60s were prone to.

Mazda has worked on transmission refinement since the car was first released, as a result, the whole experience is smoother.

There are still a few clunky shifts, and if you switch from hard acceleration to coasting, or lift off the accelerator at the wrong time, the transmission can experience a shift-shock that shudders its way into the cabin.

But for the most part, the driving experience is smooth and Mazda has worked hard on keeping noise and vibration out of the cabin, so the four-cylinder feels almost as relaxed as the six-cylinder versions.

The biggest letdown comes when you throw hills into the mix. The 250Nm of torque and relatively heavy body see the CX-60 quickly lose its head of steam uphill, and the transmission goes desperately hunting for successively lower ratios to compensate.

With more torque on tap and electrical assistance to help it power through, the six-cylinder petrol and diesel models win hands down here. By the same measure, the CX-60 G25 won’t be an ideal tow vehicle, but with an 1800kg maximum braked towing capacity, compared to 2500kg for the G40e, that’s probably an acceptable compromise.

Despite a lower kerb weight that’s 158kg lighter than six-cylinder petrol models, the payload is also trimmed right back. The four-cylinder CX-60 can only handle 425kg of people and cargo, meaning four adults plus luggage on a weekend away could be enough to push the limits.

Again, the bigger-engine versions might be worth a look here with up to 579kg of payload on the G40e and 538kg on the D50e.

Despite a couple of revisions since first going on sale, the ride of the CX-60 is still very firm. Mazda clearly wanted a sporting feel, and they’ve achieved that to a degree, but the CX-60 can feel twitchy on rough roads, and downright clumsy trying to blot out potholes and surface dips.

It does feel keen, with sharp steering and fluent handling, but anyone seeking those kinds of thrills is surely likely to step up to one of the more powerful models to exploit the handling prowess fully.

Incredibly, despite an overall engine capacity 24 per cent less than the petrol six, and an 8 per cent weight saving, the four-cylinder uses more petrol than the larger-engined model. Official consumption for the 2.5L is rated at 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres compared to the 3.3L’s 7.4L/100km claim.

Based on the drive loop at launch, real-world consumption settled at the mid-9-litre per 100km mark. In stop-start traffic, the trip computer shot to around 12L/100km but balanced out with some steady cruising.

The bigger hip pocket difference is likely to reveal itself when it comes time to service. Like the other models in the range, service intervals are spaced at 12-month or 15,000km intervals, whichever comes first.

Over five years, the CX-60 G25 has forecast servicing costs of $2292. The G40e, meanwhile, would cost $3544 over the same period. A significant advantage to the four-cylinder.

Warranty is the same across the Mazda range, with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.

Beyond the impact of the different engine, the rest of the CX-60 G25 is the same as the existing range, which has its highlights and lowlights.

Interior space in the CX-60 is good. The front seat occupants get a commanding view out, decent cabin space, and firm but supportive seats with a decent shape and good support.

Storage is passable, but Mazda hasn’t unlocked a wealth of hidden compartments.

To my eyes, the entry-level Pure grade feels like a big miss for Mazda. Instead of looking or feeling premium, it feels deliberately stripped back.

There’s a textured black plastic panel that spans the dash and doors, and it looks like an unfinished surface waiting to have a trim finisher glued onto it. On the Evolve and Touring this part of the dash is padded and vinyl-trimmed, and looks properly finished.

It could not have been beyond Mazda’s capabilities to add a strip of fabric to match the seats on the base model. At least all grades get a leather steering wheel and gear selector.

The Touring grade gives an idea of what Mazda truly had in mind for the CX-60, with conservative but tasteful leather trim, colour-offset seat stitching, and seat heating for the front seats, along with electric adjustment.

Infotainment comes fully featured, with satellite navigation, wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AM/FM/DAB+ radio, and Bluetooth on all grades. The four-cylinder versions only come with Mazda’s smaller 10.25-inch infotainment display.

In a jarring back-step for useability, the system can only be accessed via Mazda’s console-mounted rotary controller. The larger 12.3-inch screen of the GT and Azami blend touch and rotary controls for an ideal mix of user-friendliness – an issue Mazda surely could have addressed by now.

Rear seat space is acceptable for growing teens, adults, or rear-facing child seats. Anyone seeking space and thinking a CX-5 won’t be big enough will find their solution in the CX-60. 

That being said, the new CX-5, due in 2026, will step up in size over the current model, but still won’t quite stretch to the dimensions of the CX-60.

To find out what the CX-60 is like as a family car over the long term, Drive’s Tung Nguyen spent a few months getting to know the CX-60 PHEV with an in-depth rundown on interior practicality. You can read that review here.

Boot space also tracks in line with the rest of the range. The four-cylinder CX-60 has 570 litres of cargo capacity behind the rear seats, which can be folded in three sections via a 40:20:40-split rear backrest. With the rear seat folded, there’s 1726L of boot space – the same as every other CX-60 variant.

Helpfully, the CX-60 G25 comes with a space-saver spare wheel. Not as ideal as a full-size spare, especially for anyone regularly travelling rurally, but better than the tyre repair kit found in the PHEV versions.

I’m prepared to admit, I had low expectations for Mazda’s entry-level CX-60 range. On the surface, the addition of an older, less powerful engine that lacks the turbocharging and hybrid assistance of the rest of the range seemed like a backward step.

On the road, though, those concerns started to ease. Of course, the acceleration isn’t as authoritative as the brawnier six-cylinder models, but for a wide range of customers that won't actually matter.

The refinement is up to scratch, the power is acceptable in most situations, and Mazda hasn’t pared back equipment. Buyers get a more affordable way into the CX-60 range, along with the space and versatility it offers over something like the smaller CX-5.

For all the benefits of the CX-60’s packaging over the CX-5, the lack of updates to areas like suspension and infotainment leaves Mazda’s premium medium SUV feeling a bit out of touch with its intentions as a user-friendly family SUV.

Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.

Read more about Kez Casey