2018 Mazda CX-8 crossover goes on sale in Japan, here’s all you need to know about it

The CX-8 is big in Japan, literally

Mazda has released full details and a big photo gallery with its all-new CX-8 as it has started taking orders for its range-topping SUV in Japan.

Looking very similar to the CX-9 sold in North America and other markets, the CX-8 offers up to seven seats and a single engine option: an updated SkyActiv-D 2.2-liter four-cylinder "clean diesel engine" that makes 190 hp and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque. Mazda quotes "exceptional fuel economy" for the CX-8, with a claimed average consumption for the front-wheel-drive version of 5.7 l/100 km, according to the JC08 cycle.

The engine is mated as standard to a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels, but the i-ACTIV AWD system is available as an option for all trim levels. G-Vectoring Control is standard on all models.

The automaker says the suspension is the same as that of the CX-9, but damping and other parameters have been tuned especially for the CX-8.

The CX-8 offers seven exterior body colors and four interior packages: two featuring genuine leather and two featuring fabric. The optional XD L Package comes with a two-tone interior, for example.

There are three different seat configurations for the second row: two captain's chair seats (six-passenger layout) or a bench seat (seven-passenger layout). Depending on the users' needs, the seats can be folded down in a variety of combinations to allow for the hauling of items of different sizes in the trunk.

Space-wise, Mazda says even adults can sit comfortably in the third row — provided they're not taller than 170 cm. That's because the CX-8 is quite big, measuring 4,900 mm in length, 1,840 mm in width, and 1,730 mm in height. And, at 2,930 mm, the wheelbase is identical with that of the slightly larger CX-9.

When all three rows of seats are in use, the trunk has a capacity of 239 liters (enough for two golf club bags or a rear-facing baby stroller, depending on your priorities). With the third-row seats folded down, cargo volume increases to 572 liters.

Mazda is now taking orders for the CX-8, with the first deliveries expected in December. Pricing for the CX-8 starts at 3,196,800 yen (about $28,750 at the current exchange rates) for the base XD model with front-wheel drive. The range-topping XD L Package with AWD is priced at 4,190,400 yen (approximately $37,700).

If you live in North America, the closest thing to the CX-8 you can get is the CX-9, but you'll have to settle for a 250-hp 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine instead of the 190-hp diesel. How's that for a compromise?