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2018 Mazda CX-8 Photographed Uncamouflaged In Chicago, Packing Diesel Power

It was late last month that Mazda published the first teaser of the CX-8, a seven-seat crossover based on the compact-sized CX-5. A few spy pics later, the cat is finally out of the bag thanks to car enthusiast and hobby photographer Peter Lazar, who caught the new sport utility vehicle in all its glory on the streets of Chicago.
2018 Mazda CX-8 25 photos
Photo: Peter Lazar via peterlazar.com
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As you can tell from Peter’s photographs, the CX-8 doesn’t wear manufacturer plates. Other than this little detail and the absence of camouflage, it’s hard to tell the newcomer from the mid-sized CX-9 as far as rear-end styling is concerned. The design of the taillights, chromed bar, and the dual exhaust system are just a handful of the motifs they share, but the devil is in the details.

The rear bumper is fairly different from the CX-9, as are the design of the rear fog lamps/reflectors. The biggest change, however, is the tailgate and the area around the license plate. Moving on to the rear three-quarter view, here you’ll notice a distinctive quarter window kink and rear door outline. Then there’s the wheel design, which is identical to the CX-5’s 17-inch aluminum alloys destined for 225/65 tires.

Longer and higher than the CX-5, but sporting the same 2.93-meter wheelbase as the CX-9, the CX-8 will go on sale in its domestic market later this year in 2.2-liter SkyActiv-D guise. Based on what the badge on the right of the tailgate reads, it looks as if Mazda is testing the turbo diesel engine in the U.S.

Confirmed to go on sale in the U.S. late in 2017, the oil-burning mill will be offered in the CX-5. Mazda didn’t say anything about output, though it’s not hard to imagine what’s in the pipeline for both the CX-8 and the U.S.-spec CX-5 Diesel. More to the point, the most potent tune has 173 horsepower (175 PS) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) to its name, with maximum torque available from 2,000 rpm.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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