Mazda says August 2024 was the best month for the CX-70 since its launch. The company delivered 1,352 units of the two-row mid-size SUV last month, with which the YTD sales figure grew to 3,328 units.
On October 6, 2021, Mazda announced five new SUV launches globally by 2023. One of them was the 2025 Mazda CX-70, a premium two-row mid-size SUV designed and engineered primarily for American customers. It broke cover a little later than scheduled, but it’s making a mark in the U.S.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new electrified Mazda SUV:
Design
The CX-70, like the Mazda CX-90, is a model designed and developed mainly for North America. It is a wide-body, two-row SUV belonging to the mid-size segment. Targeted at customers who prefer SUVs that are larger than the CX-60 and offer a big presence, the CX-70 has proportions “optimized for US consumers with expanded interior cabin and cargo spaces.”
A deeply sculpted front face, a long nose, and a short rear silhouette provide the CX-70 an imposing SUV-like presence and a powerful character. At the same time, smooth surfacing on the body panels and a dropping roofline lend the SUV a sophisticated style.
The Mazda CX-70 is essentially a two-row version of the CX-90, sharing the same size as its three-row counterpart but featuring slightly more aggressive styling. A radiator grille featuring a distinctive honeycomb pattern and black finish, big air inlets at the lower corners of the front bumper, black roof rails and ORVMs, and available black door handles and alloy wheels give it a sportier look.
Mazda equips the CX-70 with features like adaptive LED headlights, 21-inch alloy wheels, LED rear combination lamps, a hands-free power liftgate, and a power sliding panoramic moonroof.
Interior
The Mazda CX-70 shares the same elegant interior design as the CX-90. In an era where car interiors are becoming increasingly minimalist and digital, its conventional and simple cabin feels refreshing. The new mid-size SUV features a sleek dashboard with sharp lines, a wide center console with a short gearshift lever, rotary dials for infotainment controls and volume adjustment, and a round steering wheel with tactile push-back buttons.
The graphics of the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, sourced from Panasonic Automotive Systems, seem a little outdated. The sleek 12.3-inch freestanding touchscreen infotainment system looks slick and features wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Alexa Built-in. Other interior highlights include four USB-C charging ports, a wireless charger, a 12-inch Bose audio system, and a 1500-watt charging outlet (PHEV-only) in the cargo area to power/charge appliances and equipment.
Mazda equips the CX-70 with an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support and 2-position memory, an 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, and reclining rear seats. Both front and rear seats feature a heating function, and the former comes with a ventilation function, too.
Safety
A myriad of ‘i-Activsense’ safety technologies, including Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, and Rear Seat Alert are standard on the CX-70.
More safety equipment, including a 360º View Monitor with See-through View technology, is available in higher grades. Along with the bird’s-eye, rear and left-/right-hand side views of the vehicle from above, the 360º View Monitor with See-through View technology gives the driver view of the front and rear corners of the vehicle from their viewpoint. The additional functionality ensures the driver doesn’t miss seeing objects obscured by the vehicle’s bodywork.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2025 CX-70 and CX-70 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) the 2024 TOP SAFETY PICK safety rating. Mazda expects to receive the highest, 2024 Top Safety Pick+ rating following an updated moderate front overlap test later in 2024.
Specifications
Platform
The CX-70 is based on the company’s Skyactiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture that debuted in the CX-60. It has a longitudinal (front-engine, rear-wheel drive) mechanical layout, claimed to provide “Mazda’s next-level” design, performance, handling, and technology. The dynamics, smoothness, and overall engaging drive of the CX-90 should be inherited by the CX-70.
Dimensions
The Mazda CX-70 measures 200.8 in. in length, 77.6 in. in width, and 68.2 in./68.7 in. in height and has a 122.8 in. wheelbase. It offers 39.6 cu. ft. of cargo space. When customers are loading luggage in the cargo area and realize they need more room, they can electronically fold the rear seats from there for more convenience. Folding the rear seats expands the cargo volume to 76.3 cu. ft.
Powertrain
The CX-70 is available in mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, with a standard 8-speed automatic transmission and a standard rear-biased all-wheel drive system. The mild-hybrid variant packs the newly developed 3.3L e-Skyactiv-G turbocharged inline-six engine producing 280 hp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque and an electric motor that assists it with 16.6 hp and 113 lb.-ft. The latter sources energy from a 0.33 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The CX-70 mild-hybrid delivers an EPA-estimated combined fuel economy of 25 MPG.
The CX-70 plug-in hybrid employs the 2.5L e-Skyactiv-G naturally aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine that develops 189 hp and 192 lb.-ft. of torque. It pairs the engine with a higher output that generates 173 hp and 199 lb.-ft. of torque. Together, the engine and motor give the PHEV 323 hp and 369 lb.-ft. of torque.
A 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack powers the electric motor of the CX-70 plug-in hybrid, allowing customers to drive 26 miles in EV mode and cover a total distance of 490 miles on both electricity and gasoline. The EPA-estimated combined fuel economy of the PHEV is 56 MPGe.
The CX-70 PHEV, thanks to its electric motor, should make city driving effortless, offering plenty of torque low down the range. The benefit of silent operation is unmissable, while the lack of a turbo should make the throttle response feel a bit sharper, and the build-up more linear. The plug-in hybrid system, in EV mode, wouldn’t wake anyone, say when backing out of the driveway late at night!
The CX-70 mild-hybrid can tow 3,500 lbs. or 5,000 lbs. varying as per the trim, while the CX-70 plug-in hybrid can haul 3,500 lbs.
Price
The Mazda CX-70’s prices start at USD 40,445 in the mild-hybrid variant and USD 54,400 in the plug-in hybrid variant. These figures exclude a USD 1,455 destination charge (Alaska: USD 1,500).
Why the CX-70 won’t affect CX-50, CX-5 sales
Mazda’s CX-70 crossover is unlikely to hurt sales of its smaller siblings, though there may be some pricing overlap. Where the CX-50 is an AWD crossover based on a traditional transverse layout, the CX-70 will feature a longitudinal engine. That makes it primarily a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, with different driving characteristics. Secondly, the CX-70 offers plug-in hybrid power that gives it both a performance and fuel efficiency advantage. Lastly, the much larger dimensions offer better comfort and cargo space. American buyers who are on a budget would still opt for the smaller Mazda crossovers.
Mazda’s premium push
Mazda’s CEO Tom Donnelly has put into action a ‘to-do list’ in a bid to push the brand upmarket, Automotive News reported on March 28, 2023. Mazda’s first step in this two-pronged approach is reliant upon the success of the all-new & flagship CX-90 SUV, with the CX-70 crossover being the other piece of the puzzle.
Donnelly stated that the multiphase plan involves the electrification of all Mazda models by the end of this decade. He also explained that customers who are not quite ready to commit to an all-electric car can still consider Mazda’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options as a viable alternative. However, will the CX-70 PHEV appeal to customers of the Chevrolet Blazer EV or the Ford Mustang Mach-E?
2025 Mazda CX-70 FAQs
What is the Mazda CX-70 release date?
The Mazda CX-70 is available at U.S. dealerships.
What is the Mazda CX-70 price?
The CX-70 starts at $40,445 for the mild-hybrid variant & $54,400 for the PHEV.
Which models are the Mazda CX-70 rivals?
Featured Image Source: Mazda
I got my Master’s in Business Management & Administration and have been an International Automotive News Editor since 2014. I’ve traveled to global motor shows and automotive events, driven various types of vehicles, and focused on hybrid and electric cars in the last 4 years.
