The All-New Mazda CX-8 Has Been Unveiled in Malaysia - No Official Price Yet But Bookings Are Open

The 2019 All-New Mazda CX-8 Crossover / SUV people carrier has been officially unveiled over at Mazda's Kulim Plant yesterday. The All-New Mazda CX-8 is locally assembled (CKD) at the Inokom, Kulim Plant and will eventually join the CX-5 which is assembled there for the regional export market. The new Mazda CX-8 is right now officially open for booking BUT, the official pricing will be announced at a later date as the first roll out of the CKD cars have only started with government approval for prices still not finalised as yet.

The 2019 Mazda CX-8 is a crossover people carrier which sits between the CX-5 and CX-9 in terms of its size and range. It offers a 3-Row seating configuration for up to 7 people inside it. This is a new option for Mazda buyers who have growing families or those that want to enjoy outings with friends and do not want to sacrifice fuel efficiency, space, safety and driving performance. In other words, these are for those that want a multi-purpose vehicle for everything. Which is what MPV stands for in many ways. It's just that this looks like a stretched CX-5 rather than a minivan (so this means that it is quite good looking and you don't look like a soccer mom or dad). 

The Mazda CX-8 also features Mazda’s KODO design language.  The aim was to deliver timeless beauty and a premium feel in a package that will continue to excite owners and enhance their driving experience for years to come. 

The MAZDA CX-8 will be locally-assembled as CKD at the Inokom Assembly plant located at Kulim, Kedah. The new CX-8 is in many ways similar to the CX-5 CKD variant as it is assembled in a dedicated section of the plant, managed by Mazda Malaysia, to ensure that the quality of vehicles is on par with that of Mazda vehicles manufactured in Japan. Recent investment efforts that have been made includes the revamp of an automated body line and the introduction of a state-of-the-art premium paint facility. 

As for price prediction. It should come in under RM200,000 (A RM180K prediction on our part) especially for the 2.5L normally aspirated petrol with the 2.2L turbodiesel with all-wheel drive prices higher up. 4 variants - Three 2wd normally aspirated 2.5L petrol and one AWD 2.2L turbodiesel variants for the moment.

Product brief is after the official equipment sheets below (click to zoom or pinch to zoom if you are on a smart device)

The 2019 Mazda CX-8 Product Brief:

Exterior
 the Mazda CX-8 fits seamlessly into Mazda’s existing line-up, with a powerful road presence, with strong horizontal lines characterising the front face. The width of the front face is emphasized by the low position and sharp design of the headlamps and the spread of the signature wings. The front grille also adopts a new design that features horizontal silver bars. Piano black garnishes and chrome-plated mouldings enhance this expression, adding a touch of refinement and elegance to the overall form.

The MAZDA CX-8 will come in 6 different colours choices; Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, Snowflake White Pearl, Deep Crystal Blue, Sonic Silver and Jet Black.

Powertrain & Variants

The All-New Mazda CX-8 comes in 3 types of seat layouts, from that a total of four variants with two engine variants - the 2.5L normally aspirated petrol with 2 wheel drive and the 2.2L turbodiesel with all-wheel drive. There is no 2.5L petrol turbo at the moment.

All variants are paired to the SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6-Speed Automatic transmission with Manual Shift mode, along with Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC) which enhances the driving stability for a more spirited drive.

The base SKYACTIV-G 2.5L 2WD variant will come with a 7-seater configuration across 3 benches (2-3-2). Next the 6-seater configuration with Captain Seats at the 2nd row (2-2-2), also powered by a SKYACTIV-G 2.5L in 2WD and comes with a walk-through feature that allows occupants to move between the 2nd and 3rd Row seats for added convenience. 

Lastly, is the 6-Seater configuration which features a Centre Console at the 2nd Row, which comes in 2 powertrain choices; the SKYACTIV-G 2.5L Naturally Aspirated Engine in 2WD and the 2.2L SKYACTIV-D Engine in AWD.  . 

The Interior 

Based on the human-centered design philosophy that stands as the foundation of Mazda’s car development, a concerted effort was made to create a cabin environment that provides occupants in all three rows with a refined, comfortable ride. Development of the cabin space was aimed at fully utilising the available space and create an environment that allows each occupant to sit comfortably, adopt a natural posture and enjoy the drive. The goal was a design that would allow a person of any size to find an ideal driving position in the front row, offer roomy comfort even for large adults in the second row, and still accommodate occupants up to 170cm tall in the third row. 

In line with Mazda’s human-centered design approach, ergonomics dictated the height of the third-row seat cushion and a space was created beneath the second-row seats to accommodate occupants’ feet. As a result, occupants can find a natural and comfortable seating position in the third row.

Third row offers a natural seating posture

Furthermore, the rear doors on the CX-8 open up to 80º for added convenience when loading or unloading large items, or even attaching, detaching or adjusting a child seat. To make it easier to enter and exit from the third row, the door is made wide to increase the amount of space available when opened. 

Cabin Ingress and Egress

As a three-row SUV for the family, one goal for the CX-8 was to realize a quiet cabin environment that enables occupants in all three rows to enjoy stress-free conversation without raising their voices. A number of measures were implemented to ensure reduction of road noise, wind noise and enhanced noise insulation for the cabin. Vibration-dampening material in the rear fender panels suppress vibration that would otherwise become a source of noise in the third row. A reduction in the gap between the roof moulding and roof spoiler were implemented to reduce wind noise. And sound-absorbing material were applied at the base of the D-Pillars to help reduce the amount of noise at the third row. 

Trim
As for interior design, efforts were concentrated on creating a comfortable space for all occupants within the cosy cabin. In terms of seat trims, the top 2 variants with 6-seater configuration will come in Black Leather seats, while the others will come in Black Fabric.  Standard equipment on the vehicle includes Triple-Zone Climate Control with adjustable rear air-conditioning vents, and Power Adjustable Seats on the Driver Side.

Equipment

Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® come as standard and is accessible via the MAZDA CONNECT Infotainment display.  With the increase in popularity of smartphones from Apple and Android, customers can now experience more seamless connectivity – by accessing integrated apps such as Waze®/Google® Maps, Spotify®, and other phone functions. These infotainment technologies can help occupants use smartphone applications in a safer manner while keeping the driver’s hand and eyes away from their smartphone.

MAZDA CONNECT Infotainment System (shown with Apple Carplay® and Android Auto® feature)


Safety Equipment

In terms of standard safety, all variants come equipped with 6 SRS Airbags, ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist and Traction Control System. Emergency Stop Signal, Hill Launch Assist and Impact Absorbing Bonnet which is designed to mitigate shock to the head in the event the vehicle collides with a pedestrian are also standard across all variants.

In terms of advanced safety technologies, the 2019 All-New Mazda CX-8 except for the 7-Seater variant comes equipped with a host of Mazda’s flagship i-ACTIVSENSE advanced safety technologies features which includes, but not limited to the following; Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Smart City Brake Support (SCBS).

All new Mazda vehicles registered from January 1, 2019 onwards will come with 5-Years Manufacturer Warranty + 5-Years Free Maintenance (except Mazda BT-50) according to manufacturer’s standards inclusive of labour, parts and lubricants. Both Manufacturer Warranty and Free Maintenance have a coverage period of five years and a mileage limit of 100,000km, whichever comes first.