Mazda Thailand has officially launched the CX-8, with four variants of the three-row SUV being made available to customers there. The range starts off with the 2.5 S that is priced at 1.599 million baht, and is followed by the 2.5 SP at 1.699 million baht, the XDL at 1.899 million baht as well as the range-topping XDL Exclusive at 2.069 million baht. The XDL Exclusive is the only one available with six-seat configuration (including two second-row captain chairs). Meanwhile, the rest of the range for the Thailand market are all seven-seaters.
In terms of engines, the 2.5 S and 2.5 SP are powered by a SkyActiv-G 2.5 litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with 194 PS at 6,000 rpm and 258 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Both XDL variants feature a SkyActiv-D 2.2 litre turbodiesel powerplant instead, which provides 190 PS at 4,500 rpm and 450 Nm at 2,000 rpm. All CX-8 variants in Thailand get a SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission as standard, with all-wheel drive being reserved to the XDL Exclusive – front-wheel drive is the default for the rest. Other shared features include G-Vectoring Control (GVC) and Mazda’s i-Stop idling technology.
As for available equipment, 19-inch wheels are fitted to all four variants, with other exterior items being automatic projector LED headlamps, daytime running lights (LED-type for all except for the 2.5 S that gets bulb-type ones), LED signature taillights (except the 2.5 S), keyless entry and front LED fog lamps (only for the XDL Exclusive).
On the inside, the list of standard equipment for all variants include powered front seats (eight-way driver’s side with memory and six-way passenger), Deep Red Nappa leather upholstery, a windshield-projected head-up display, a 4.6-inch multi-info instrument cluster display, triple-zone climate control with second- and third-row vents, keyless start and a seven-inch Mazda Connect system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.
The Thailand-spec variants do get a few more goodies, such as a 10-speaker Bose sound system on the XDL Exclusive, with others having a standard six-speaker system – Malaysian cars use this setup. The standard features such as Nappa leather and powered front passenger seat are also available only on selected variants in Malaysia.
In the safety department, Thailand-spec CX-8s come with six airbags, Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring (ABSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) DSC, traction control, hill assist, ABS, EBD and brake assist. Other features such as a 360-degree view monitor, Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), Smart Brake Support (SBS) and Advanced Smart City Brake Support (Advanced SCBS) are found on all variants save for the base 2.5 S. The XDL Exclusive is the most equipped of the bunch, as it adds on Smart City Brake Support-Reverse (SCBS-R), Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Driver Attention Alert (DAA) and Lane-keep Assist System (LAS). These features are also available here in Malaysia, but what’s missing is Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC), which can be found on all Thailand-spec variants, with the exception of the 2.5 S.
The CX-8 is available in Thailand in a choice of six colours – Soul Red Crystal, Machine Grey, Snowflake White Pearl, Jet Black, Deep Crystal Blue and Sonic Silver – which are exactly the same as what customers in Malaysia are offered.
