Mazda CX-8 Asaki 2019 review: road trip

The Sunshine Coast to Narrabri

It was a blissful 823 minutes before we got the first "are we there yet?" from the back seat.

One of the essentials of a family road trip is a vehicle with a fair bit of room. Mazda's new seven-seater, the diesel CX-8 was our willing accomplice, its spacious back seat and cargo area accommodating enough luggage, food and games for a small army. Oh, and a guitar and soccer ball, too.

The storage pockets behind the front seats proved useful for colouring books and earphones, with the deep door pockets holding water bottles, hats and sunscreen. There was room under the front seats too for the kids to store their tuckboxes. My sister and I used to have these – a container filled with healthy snacks and treats which we had to make last for the trip – and they proved a hit with my littlies too.

The sun beat down on the first few days of our trip as we made our way inland – very slowly – to the Queensland/New South Wales border. It quickly becomes apparent that farmers in this usually lush food bowl are struggling. Dust swirls around are, the silos are near empty and all the towns we stop at advertise reminders to help the farmers.

It's a blissful 823 minutes before we get the first "are we there yet?" from the back seat. We have crossed into New South Wales and are heading to Narrabri for the night. The girls are feeling a tad irksome because we painted an awesome picture of Gunsynd 'The Goondiwindi Grey', only for them to get there and realise it was actually a statue and just half a one at that.

I thought stopping to look at a field of emus dotted amongst the tall purple grass would have distracted them from the injustice, but clearly not. The surprising number of dead kangaroos, wallabies and wombats that line the highway are not helping either. It is clear the wildlife, too, are feeling the effects of the drought, wondering down to the road's edge in search of greenery only to come to an unwelcome end.

Ipad time is of course the answer, but we resist as long as possible. The CX8 has two USB slots which is helpful – four would have been better. Or perhaps one of those phone charging pads in the front console.

Dubbo to Parkes

Our road to Parkes is punctuated with an exhibition of planets by the New South Wales outdoor museum.

Our road to Parkes is punctuated with an exhibition of planets by the New South Wales outdoor museum. It is weird and interesting at the same time and allows the kids to stretch the legs at each stop. The Dish at Parkes serves as the signature piece in this ode to the solar system – it rises magnificently some 64 metres in the air in stark contrast to the green and yellow canola fields that surround it.

The kids look a little excited as the guide tells the story of the role the radio telescope played in broadcasting the pictures of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon but their eyes soon glaze over. They prefer to play in the gardens trying out the whispering satellite dishes... I am so glad we drove the four days it took us to get here...

We stay the night in Parkes at a hotel/motel (what does that even mean?) which looks nothing like the pictures on the website. Its better suited to being rented by the hour than as a family oasis. The only place open to eat is the RSL – which is serving a roast and a Chinese banquet. Yes, way.

Cricket games played at the Dish - 1 Doughnut count - 323

Kosciuszko National Park to the Sunshine Coast

The plan was to take the coastal route home, making just one overnight stop in Port Macquarie.

After five days on the slopes – and fabulous ones at that – we pack the car to head home. Of course this has to be done in the dead of night because the boys want to make a super early start.

As is the often the case with holidays, the journey home is much quicker than the one there. The plan is to take the coastal route home, making just one overnight stop in Port Macquarie. I am in the driver's seat for most the trip back because my husband hurt his back after coming a cropper on the last run down the mountain, a reminder that sometimes dreams of Olympic glory exist only in our heads.

I am happy to push through but as we drive through Jindabyne I hear that we will be stopping at every 'Big' Australian icon we can on the 1500km home. How exciting.

That's how we find ourselves at the Big Merino in Goulburn, the Big Prawn in Ballina, Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, the Big Knight at the Macadamia Castle and the Big Avocado near the Tweed. So lucky, I know.

The kids think it's the best ever and we pick up a couple of stowaways from the other cars on the final day. This means a bit of luggage redistribution so the third row can be called into action. Word from the 11 and eight-year olds is that the lodgings back there are very acceptable although very tall adults may struggle over long distances.

The last day's drive is a Pacific Highway school holidays car park with torrential rain adding its own challenge. I am grateful for the CX-8's extensive safety package, including Active Cruise Control and Blind Spot Monitoring with the Rear-Cross Traffic Alert proving extremely useful in packed roadside service station car parks.

Big everythings - 6    Rain - 40mm  Chinese restaurants - 27,343

The seven-seater SUV proved a star performer on this unforgettable trip. It was earnest and capable, offering the sort of comfortably efficient drive that makes the hours behind the wheel seem truly effortless.

Power delivery is smooth and reliable and the six-speed automatic transmission hardly misses a beat which gives you the confidence needed in trickier situations. The fuel economy was surprisingly brilliant and we thought the ride quite refined and non-intrusive.

Our test car had white leather seats which were not all that practical and we did miss a bigger multimedia screen and smartphone mirroring which let's be honest should be available on a vehicle at this price point.

The kids loved that the back doors opened really wide so it was easy to get in and out, they appreciated having their own climate controls and window blinds to keep out the afternoon sun, but would of liked a couple of USB points in the back.

We didn't need them but there are two ISOFIX points on the outer two seats in the middle row. Mazda also offers the CX-8 with an extensive inclusions list and a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is a big tick for a family chariot.

The CX-8, a mix between the CX-5 and CX-9, is a surprise arrival in Australia. But you will be very glad it made the trip.