Long-term test: Mazda CX-80 Homura Plus

So charging aside, what else can I say about the CX-80? The 323bhp power output with 500Nm of torque sounds like a lot, but it has a 2,300kg SUV to contend with. The 0-62mph dash is over pretty rapidly, in 6.8 seconds, but Mazda’s famous sporty DNA isn’t evident.

This car costs £56,530 in mid-range Homura Plus trim, with just one option fitted: Melting Copper paint, at £650. The only free colour option is Arctic White, while Mazda’s trademark Soul Red Crystal paint is £900. But that might be a bit much on a car of the CX-80’s bulk, anyway.  

There’s an intriguing no-cost option to have two captain’s chairs in the middle row instead of the bench seat for walk-through access, but we didn’t go for that. What we have got is a panoramic sunroof that lets some extra light into the sombre interior. 

If anything, the cabin feels a little old-fashioned, but don’t knock it. In the first few days with the car, having a bank of physical buttons for the climate controls and a rotary knob for the unfussy infotainment system has been a revelation. Just like the old days when plugging in an electric vehicle was an experience only enjoyed by milkmen.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

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