Mazda CX-60 vs Lexus NX

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Mazda CX-60 in South Africa

Mazda CX-60

2.5 Individual Edition Auto AWD Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 902,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 141 kW 🔧 261 Nm ⛽ 13.0 km/l
VS
Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mazda CX-60 vs Lexus NX: the short answer

CX-60 and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

CX-60 starts ZAR 284,000 cheaper CX-60 from ZAR 790,200 · NX from ZAR 1,074,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification CX-60 NX
Maximum Power CX-60141 kW @ 6000 rpm NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque CX-60261 Nm @ 3000 rpm NX430 Nm
Engine Size CX-602488 cc NX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy CX-6013.0 km/l NX12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance CX-60178.8 mm NX195 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

CX-60

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

CX-60

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec CX-60 NX
Model Introduced Year 2023 2023
Generation First-generation KH-series Mazda CX-60 on Mazda's Large Product architecture Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV
Facelift History Mazda introduced the CX-60 locally in 2023, added the six-cylinder Takumi in 2024 and revised suspension and drivetrain calibration for the 2025 update. Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2023 Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active published
Segment Premium mid-size SUV Luxury SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1470 kg 1760-1860 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec CX-60 NX
Length 4745 mm 4660 mm
Width 1890 mm 1865 mm
Height 1687.5 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2870 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 178.8 mm 195 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 58 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 477 l 520 l
Kerb Weight 1470 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2342 kg 2370 kg
Payload Capacity 872 kg -
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.85 m 5.8 m
Front Legroom 1058 mm -
Rear Legroom 990 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This CX-60 and NX comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: CX-60 59 vs NX 86.

Efficiency index: CX-60 51 vs NX 49.

Safety-equipment index: CX-60 98 vs NX 93.

Practicality index: CX-60 68 vs NX 65.

Ownership-cover index: CX-60 not separately scored vs NX not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

NX leads by 5 points

CX-60 and NX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 5 points
70
#2

CX-60

81% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 98
Practicality 68
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +27 Efficiency CX-60 +2 Safety CX-60 +5 Practicality CX-60 +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

CX-60

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 68/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus NX leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 70 pts for CX-60

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, NX leads. However, CX-60 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

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CX-60 vs NX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.