First Look: Mazda CX-70 Elevates Your 2-Row SUV Adventures
Make your family roadtrip romps more engaging with the Mazda CX-70 —a sporty midsize SUV with space galore, robust good looks and thoughtful technology.
Connie Peters
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The 2-row Mazda CX-70 is Bigger than You Think, and for Good Reason
Just when you thought you had seen all the sleek and sporty midsize SUVs designed with modern families in mind — here comes Mazda with the first ever Mazda CX-70. Athletic but spacious, with smooth edges and a discerning touch, the first-ever Mazda CX-70 fills a void in the brand’s lineup; it’s been missing a larger 5-passenger SUV.
This a two-row, five-seat SUV is similar in size – and in looks, dimensions, and power, but I digress – to the CX-90 we saw revealed a year ago and have all come to love. Mazda isn’t the first to turn its popular 3-row SUV into a more spacious and capable 5-seater; the Honda Passport is a 5 passenger version of the Pilot and the VW Atlas Cross Sport is a 2-row version of the Atlas.
And then, it’s all that Mazda fans love: performance, comfort, and an elevated style that cater to active car buyers. With two powerful yet fuel-efficient engine options, the Mazda CX-70 is fit for city streets and rugged terrains alike.
Related: Stylish Sophistication: Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus Review
Rear seating in the 2025 Mazda CX-70. Photo: Connie Peters
Oh, What Big Cargo Space You Have
The CX-70 is a sporty, powerful, and spacious five-seat SUV that is bigger than the CX-50 and but with fewer seats than the CX-90. However, it’s almost identical in size to the CX-90 at first glance. We weren’t given specific numbers, but it appears almost identical, minus that third row and with the addition of some new elements.
The rear cargo area is massive. It is optimized for storage and even has a sub-trunk and power buttons to fold the back seat from the cargo area. This makes perfect sense, knowing which model the CX-70 is based on. And for all the space hogs out there who love to haul gear around, it’s a luxurious amount of room.
Also new is Amazon Alexa integration, so you can control your world from your car.
Related: Mazda CX-30 Review: This is a Total People Pleaser
The Mazda CX-70 is as big as the CX-90. Photo: Connie Peters
Power and Towing So You Can Bring All The Toys
The new CX-70 will come in the same two engine options that are offered on the CX-90: an inline turbo six-cylinder mild hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Mazda hasn’t released all the official numbers yet, but the power numbers should be the similar to the the CX-90. The turbo six cylinder will be offered in two versions: a 280 HP option and an upgraded 340 horsepower version; the PHEV generates 323 horsepower.
The CX-70 has an optional towing enhancement feature: the Mazda hitch, which includes trailer hitch view to help align a trailer, and towing mode to facilitate alignment of the hitch and the trailer. And, the CX-70 has a 5,000 lb. towing capacity.
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Convenient charging for the Mazda CX-70 PHEV. Photo: Connie Peters
Plug-and-Play For the Win
The plug-in hybrid model has an electric motor that helps with efficiency and power, and the battery charges when driving and when plugged in. A full charge (estimated based on CX-90) should offer about 25 miles in pure electric range – typically enough to get most people through the day. I love the fact that you still have your full fuel range to get you up to the mountains for a getaway or on longer commute days.
Mazda CX-70 dashboard. Photo: Connie Peters
The Modern Dash is Here to Stay
The dashboard, driver display, touchscreen, and console all look almost identical to the CX-90’s, which means it’s sleek, subtle, and finished in beautiful materials that are soft to the touch everywhere they should be.
The CX-70 also features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and though the media screen is conrolled via a dial on the center console, when CarPlay is in use it’s a touchscreen.
The red Nappa leather seen on the Turbo inline 6-Cylinder spec we saw looks so amazing; I’m going to guess this will be a ‘Carbon Turbo’ or top trim.
Wondering if there’s a Vast Suite of Safety Features?
The CX-70 will also feature a similar suite of advanced driver assistance features that the CX-90 has, which include i-Activsense and:
- Lane Keep Assist
- Hill Launch Assist
- Vehicle Exit Warning
- Driver Attention Alert
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- Lane Departure Warning System
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
The substantial dark grille on the Mazda CX-70 is pretty handsome. Photo: Connie Peters
Now the Hard Choice: Mild Hybrid or PHEV
The difference is distinct with Mazda’s engine options: one is more powerful, the other offers pure electric driving.
With the Plug-In Hybrid, you’ll need a charge cord to take advantage of the electric driving range. The PHEV models feature larger batteries and more powerful electric motors compared to hybrids, which are assisted by gas engines.
The mild hybrid has the benefit of power and efficiency from an electric motor that you never have to charge (driving does that), but no pure electric driving. It’s gas-powered engine is assisted by a smaller electric motor and battery, but the batteries are too small to power the vehicle bu themselves. Despite that, you may see better fuel efficiency in mild hybrid compared to vehicles with similarly sized engines.
If it were my choice, I would choose the PHEV and hope that I can get it with that beautiful red interior.
Mazda hasn’t announced pricing yet, but we’re guessing it’ll fall into the high $40,000 range to start and top out at about $60,000. But, that’s a guess. What we do know is that equipped with cutting-edge safety features, advanced technology and a user-friendly media system, the new CX-70 is a welcome addition to the Mazda lineup. And with all that extra cargo space and tow capacity, when it arrives this summer it’ll be a welcome addition to many driveways, too.
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