MAZDA CX-80 TECH DRIVE IS HERE

Mazda CX-80 Tech Drive is here

This new series of Tech Drive swaps mud for snow and shows you how the Mazda CX-80 can tackle the slippery stuff in winter.

As parts of country Australia transform into a mid-year white winter wonderland, Australia’s snow-capped mountains begin calling.

Snow is a natural playground for Mazda’s SUV range, especially the all-wheel drive (AWD) CX-80. With comfort for up to seven people, a range of i-Activsense safety technologies and enough luggage space for a blizzard of ski gear and puffer coats, the CX-80 is the ideal family snow-mobile.

Its three engine options – either a turbo six-cylinder petrol or diesel with 48-volt M Hybrid Boost technology, or a highly efficient four-cylinder petrol with e-Skyactiv plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power – make Australia’s steep alpine roads suddenly feel level, especially with the CX-80’s i-Activ AWD system and Mazda’s Intelligent Drive Select, or Mi-Drive.

Choose OFF-ROAD mode in Mi-Drive and the CX-80 cleverly controls drive to each of its four wheels, maximising traction on snowy or icy surfaces.

Hill Descent Control helps the CX-80 carefully negotiate steep snow-covered slopes, and Hill launch Assist makes setting off up steep roads a breeze.

If you’re keen to see how you and your family can tackle the snow in seven-seat comfort, then join our host, professional racing driver Karl Reindler, in the high country as he shows you how to enjoy the CX-80 in the snow.

Read Transcript

Do you need a 4WD in the snow? https://youtu.be/e4PAXrBy9is

Welcome to Mazda Tech Drive. This time featuring the Mazda CX-80. My name's Karl Reindler, and on this occasion, we're heading to the snow. There's so much to talk about, and I'm freezing out here. So, let's get stuck into it.

So, a lot of people ask, do you really need a four-wheel drive when you're headed to the snow? While the extra ground clearance and low range capability of a ute like this Mazda BT-50 do come in handy when the going gets tough, the reality is you're more than capable of heading to the snow in a passenger vehicle or SUV like the Mazda CX-80 that we have here today. This particular one has all-wheel drive as well as off-road mode, which makes it the perfect candidate for taking your family to your favourite mountain.

There's also heaps of space and seats for up to seven. So the whole family can travel in comfort. Most of the time the power from the engine is only applied to the rear wheels, but in certain circumstances, such as on slippery conditions like snow and ice, the power will be sent to all four wheels to maintain traction.

The off-road mode is selectable through Mazda's intelligent drive system, or my drive for short. And this stops the drive wheels from spinning in slippery conditions such as what we have here today.

It will also optimise power delivery and throttle response to better adapt to the conditions you're driving in. Another feature that comes in handy is hill descent control. This is really helpful when you need to maintain a constant speed down a steep descent or snowy road. It means you can really focus on your driving. As you can see, the CX-80 is having no trouble in getting me safely to my destination. I feel confident. I feel in control. I can even go off-road. The only real limitation is tyres and ground clearance. And on the subject of tyres, there is one essential piece of equipment that you may be required to carry by law before visiting the snow.

Thanks for joining us on this Mazda tech drive. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below. Stay safe, enjoy the snow, and we'll see you on the next tech drive.

Also in this series:

Preparing for a snow trip

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