The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Hybrid powertrain options
- Standard all-wheel drive
- Roomy interior
- Clean look
- Relatively smooth PHEV
Dislikes
- Turbo S better equipped than PHEV
- Same as CX-90, except two fewer seats
- Confusing trim lineup
- Controller dial-based infotainment
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 advances Mazda into the premium segment with electrified powertrains and an elegant design.
The new 2025 Mazda CX-70 midsize crossover joins the three-row CX-90 at the vanguard of Mazda’s march into the premium and luxury segment.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Mazda CX-70? What does it compare to?
New for 2025, the Mazda CX-70 two-row crossover SUV shares the same platform, dimensions, engine options, and features as the CX-90. The only difference is it swaps a third row of seats for more cargo room. The midsize crossover rivals the Lincoln Nautilus and Volvo XC60, as well as the Honda Passport and Chevy Blazer.
Is the 2025 Mazda CX-70 a good SUV?
It is. Mazda smoothed out the calibrations in the plug-in hybrid model, and it retains impressive handling for a vehicle this size. It’s also stylish, well equipped, and finished with luxury aspirations, but its infotainment system remains conservative at best and top trims can top $60,000. That notwithstanding, it adds up to a high TCC Rating of 7.0 out of 10, which should increase once safety agencies complete crash-testing the new CX-70. (Read more abouthow we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Mazda CX-70?
The CX-70 is new in number, and like other new Mazdas it adds a zero to the CX-7 discontinued more than a decade ago. Its relative newness conflicts with the fact that it’s the same vehicle as the CX-90 three-row crossover SUV, except the CX-70 deletes the third row for a roomier cargo hold and more versatile second row of seats.
It employs a rear-wheel-drive platform with an inline-6 engine or a 4-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain, so it has a long nose to fit those configurations. With its snub tail and short overhangs, it looks like a Lincoln Aviator but smoothed over with curves and chrome to appear less burly and more European. It’s a good look.
Mazda’s luxury intentions carry over inside with a long, low dash dressed in quilted nappa leather and contrasting textures, such as available wood-covered console panels and two-tone upholstery. A 12.3-inch display screen centers the dash and is complemented on most models with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that never intrudes on the cabin’s calm, unlike some rivals’ cabins that feel like a technological showcase instead of a dashboard.
The platform comes with standard all-wheel drive and an 8-speed automatic transmission. It uses a double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension for a road-absorbing ride uncommon for a vehicle this size with fixed damping.
The three powertrain options carry over from the CX-90 to the CX-70, but Mazda made a multitude of software calibrations to smooth the range-topping plug-in hybrid model. The transitions between engine and motor power are less noticeable, but whether in the 26 miles of all electric range or in a hybrid mix of power, it’s routed through the 8-speed automatic. A Sport mode firms up the throttle response and steering and lets the 8-speed hold gears longer than expected. The PHEV pairs a 189-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 with a 173-hp electric motor powered by a 17.8-kwh lithium-ion battery pack to make 323 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel. It gets the estimated equivalent of 56 mpg with gas and electric power, and it can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
The Turbo S model can tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, and Mazda fits its 340-hp turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-6 with an extra Tow mode to deliver more of its 369 lb-ft in lower gears. In Sport mode it might be quicker than the PHEV, but it lacks a jump off the line.
There’s also a base 280-hp 3.3 Turbo model, but it will be offered last, expected this fall. Both turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-6 engines are supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to preserve fuel while coasting.
Given its size and dimensions, the CX-70 comfortably fits four adults or a family of five, and the massive cargo space of 39.6 cubic feet with the seats up provides plenty of space for gear. The front seats come standard with power adjustments and seat heaters, but the seat bottoms could use a little more length. Mazda equips the CX-70 with power-folding rear seats that split 60:40, so it’s easy to expand the expansive cargo space even more, or the second-row seats can recline and slide for max comfort.
Mazda equips all of its crossover SUVs with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and a rear seat reminder.
How much does the 2025 Mazda CX-70 cost?
It’s priced the same as the CX-90, but the base 2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo Preferred doesn’t arrive until fall at a price of $41,820, including a mandatory $1,375 destination fee. Standard features include leather upholstery and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with touch functions when integrated with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There's also wireless smartphone charging, keyless entry, power front seats that are heated, and other modern touches.
For towing needs, step up to the $47,275 Turbo Premium and greater towing capacity. It rides on 21-inch black alloy wheels. A Premium Plus trim tops the lineup, but it means different things with different powertrains.
We detail all the differences in Mazda CX-70’s confusing pricing matrix in the Features section below. The short of it is the high-output 3.3-liter, or Turbo S model, comes in Premium and Premium Plus trim for an extra $6,500-$7,000, but it comes with Mazda’s nicest features.
The PHEV Premium costs $55,775 and is similarly equipped as the 3.3 Turbo Premium. The $58,825 PHEV Premium Plus tops the lineup. To be clear, Mazda’s finest materials are not offered on the PHEV, just on the high-output 3.3-liter.
Where is the 2025 Mazda CX-90 made?
It’s manufactured in Japan.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Styling
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 dresses in a sophisticated and stylish suit befitting its luxury ambitions.
Is the Mazda CX-70 a good-looking car?
The midsize crossover embraces the austerity of a Volvo with the muscular profile of a Lincoln Aviator, yet it’s all smoothed over with Mazda’s elegant curves. It’s a looker, earning two points for the exterior and one for the clean interior.
The Mazda grille sits like a crest under the hood of the CX-70, and its arms reach out to LED headlights and running lights that are neither too pointy nor too encompassing. Vertical lower air intakes emphasize the tall, flat face, then Mazda curves the design around the fenders and their circular wheel arches to the rear. There it splits the difference between the traditional boxy SUV and the German trend toward more curving, coupe-like tails that cut into cargo space. It’s a refreshingly clean look, eschewing the brash grilles and flexed sides of so many other crossovers pretending to be SUVs.
The interior applies that clean smoothness across the long dash. A long 12.3-inch center screen sits atop the dash as in other Mazda SUVs, though the console control dial to operate it takes too many twists and touches to feel like a safety measure or a convenience. It acts as a touchscreen when paired with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also, Mazda introduces Amazon Alexa voice commands in the CX-70, a Mazda first. Mazda doesn’t make drivers rely on touch surfaces, and those who prefer to set it and forget it should welcome the row of climate control buttons on the center stack.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Performance
Powerful powertrains and solid handling grace the 2025 Mazda CX-70.
Is the Mazda CX-70 4WD?
Every CX-70 employs a full-time all-wheel-drive system, even though it’s built on a rear-wheel-drive platform. That platform enables a double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension with fixed dampers that help it handle as compliantly as more sophisticated damping systems. Over road undulations the cabin stays steady, and pushing it downhill on single-lane mountain roads lacks the nose dip we expect from a midsize crossover. It inspired confidence and higher speeds. The light but solid steering feel also acquits itself.
The stable handling and solid powertrain options each earn a point to a 7.
How fast is the Mazda CX-70?
It’s a tale of three powertrains, really, though two are mechanically related. The inline-6 engine runs longitudinally down the engine bay, which is why the CX-70 has that long nose. The long layout allows for a motor to sandwich between a 4-cylinder engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission on plug-in hybrid models, so even when the PHEV runs on electric power alone, it routes through the transmission and has gear shifts.
We haven’t tested the base Turbo, with a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-6 tuned to 280 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Arriving this fall, it shares with the Turbo S a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that takes on the electrical load and lets the engine cut out while coasting to a stop. Mazda tunes the Turbo S to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft, good for a 0-60 mph time in less than seven seconds. It lacks the gusto of the twin-turbo V-6 in the Genesis GV80, but the power comes on strong at about 2,500 rpm, so there’s plenty of accessible power for passing.
Premium grades and the Turbo S model add a Tow mode to Sport and Normal. In it, the center differential adds more torque lock between the axles and should better control the yaw rate, or how the vehicle sways, via load and speed sensors. We haven’t tested it. It boosts towing from 3,500 to 5,000 pounds, same as the CX-90.
How is the Mazda CX-70 PHEV?
Mazda improved the CX-90’s unpredictable jerkiness of the PHEV, and now offers a software update to smooth engine and motor power balance for CX-90 owners. It’s a welcome improvement in the CX-70, so much so we were surprised to prefer it to the Turbo S for everyday applications.
The 26 miles of all-electric range and the 17.8-kwh battery pack can’t match up to Toyota or Lexus products, but it’s enough to handle most errands or school runs on electric power alone. Because of how the 2.5-liter inline-4 engine and the 8-speed transmission sandwich the 173-hp electric motor, there’s still gear shifts when operating in electric only power. It’s uncommon in plug-in vehicles, but the CX-70 has the same electric quiet. Once you lay heavy on the throttle or get to cruising speed, it will automatically mix electric and gas power.
In Sport mode, the transmission lets the engine go deeper and longer into the revs than expected, but that’s better than the alternative of shifting too quickly before tapping into the power potential for efficiency’s sake. Total output is 323 hp and 369 lb-ft with premium fuel, but it might not be as quick as the Turbo S. It’s more dynamic, however, with an EV save mode that preserves battery power for the last few miles of a destination, and an EV mode for full-electric power around town.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 swaps out a third row of seats for a roomier second row and expansive cargo room.
Every CX-70 comes with power front seats that are heated, roomy second row seats that recline and slide, and up to 75.3 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats power-folded down. Those attributes each earn it a point, and it’s one of the roomiest midsize crossovers on sale. The quiet and well-appointed cabin earns another point to a 9 here.
Leather upholstery comes standard, as do power-adjustable heated front seats. The seat bottoms can be on the shorter side, even on top models with a thigh support adjustment that raises up or down. Top grades lack the massaging options offered in rivals such as Lincoln, but the seats balance bolstering and comfort better than Lincoln’s.
Several models have heated rear seats as well, and the 60:40 split rear seats recline and slide fore and aft to optimize the 39.4 inches of legroom. Three teens could fit back there comfortably, and taller passengers should appreciate the ample headroom. There’s nearly 40 cubic feet of space in back, with a sub-floor storage unit to hide charge cables or valuables. The PHEV sacrifices nothing in terms of packaging, and Mazda steps above rivals by making power-folding rear seats standard across the lineup.
Mazda covers the CX-70 in sound deadening material to isolate the cabin from the outside. Top models get quilted nappa leather, and the Turbo S—not the PHEV—shows off Mazda’s finest materials and finishes, from suede-like piping to two-tone upholstery and wood console panels. It’s not German-level luxury, but it matches up with Lincoln, Acura, and Volvo.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Safety
Mazda loads the 2025 CX-70 with standard driver-assist features.
How safe is the Mazda CX-70?
The IIHS rates the CX-70 as a Top Safety Pick, but the NHTSA has not yet crash tested it. With its IIHS point, one for standard safety tech, and one for options, it's an 8 here so far.
Like other Mazdas, the CX-70 comes standard with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and a rear seat reminder. Options include an advanced driver-assist system that can bring the crossover safely to a stop in its lane in case of emergency. It also offers front and rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, and a surround-view camera system.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Features
The 2025 CX-70 comes well-equipped but top models range into the luxury segment.
At $41,820, including a mandatory $1,375 destination fee, the 2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo Preferred is priced nearly the same as a similarly equipped CX-90, but it won’t go on sale until this fall.
That standard equipment and luxury-level options each earn a point. It’s a 7, missing possible points due to its cumbersome infotainment, its lack of value, and for an average 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Which Mazda CX-70 should I buy?
The 3.3 Turbo Premium marks a big price increase of $5,455 over the Preferred to $47,275, but it’s on sale now and loaded with luxury features, as well as a Towing mode. Upgrades include more black cosmetic flourishes and 21-inch black alloy wheels, while the inside flexes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a power tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, Bose audio, a satellite radio trial, native navigation, and an advanced driver-assist system.
A Premium Plus grade costs $50,275 and adds nappa leather in red or white with contrast stitching, a heated steering wheel, cooled front seats, heated rear seats, and a surround-view camera system.
The 3.3 Turbo S models, offered in Premium and Premium Plus trims, have the high-output engine that’s a $6,550 upcharge, but Mazda also adds the Premium Plus features to the $53,825 Turbo S Premium. We hope this lessens the confusion at the dealer.
How much is a fully loaded Mazda CX-70?
The PHEV Premium costs $55,775 and is similarly equipped as the 3.3 Turbo Premium. The $58,825 PHEV Premium Plus tops the lineup. To be clear, Mazda’s finest materials are not offered on the PHEV, just on the high-output 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus that comes swaddled in Mazda’s finest, such as quilted nappa leather, suede dash panels, and more two-tone interior options. That costs $57,325.
CX-70 infotainment
For drivers who would rather not futz with the info embedded on display screens, Mazda offers some relief from screen mania. Every CX-70 has a 12.3-inch display screen mounted on the dash, and all but the base model has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Mazda still skews to the side of safety, as the display screen is controlled by a dial on the center console that Mazda says is safer and more ergonomic than reaching for a touchscreen; the screen becomes touch compliant with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto activated.
The controller dial still requires several turns and clicks to get to desired functions, so most drivers will set it and forget it. The advantage comes with native navigation, where the controller dial can be used to zoom or migrate up the map. Mostly, however, users should set their preferences and use the steering wheel controls to skip the next song on Spotify. All that digital real estate is a missed opportunity, however, especially with key vehicle functions; a power split monitor is displayed on the center screen but it won’t show trip meter or average speed or total miles traveled.
The digital instrument cluster represents another safety-inspired missed opportunity; on Turbo and Turbo S models it only changes to show drive mode colors and to illuminate the active driver assists features. It’s not much more dynamic than the analog tach and speedometer on older Mazdas, replete with a separate button—but not a stalk—for the trip meter. It’s more for the PHEV to show additional charge and power information.
2025 Mazda CX-70 Fuel Economy
The mild-hybrid assist helps the CX-70 get 25 mpg combined.
Is the Mazda CX-70 good on gas?
Sized the same as the CX-90, the two-row CX-70 gets the same EPA rating of 24 mpg city, 28 highway, 25 combined. With standard all-wheel drive, that’s better than rival crossover SUVs fitted with V-6s such as the Honda Passport and Chevy Blazer, which both rate at 21 mpg combined. The high-output inline-6 doesn’t incur much penalty at 23/28/25 mpg. That earns a 3 here.
It’s the same as the Volvo XC60 that also has standard all-wheel drive, but the 2025 CX-70 plug-in hybrid falls a bit short of it and a bit further off of Toyota and Lexus plug-ins. It only has 25 miles of electric range from its motor and 17.8-kwh battery, which could be enough for most errand duties or school drop offs, but it only gets the equivalent of 56 mpg with gas and electric power. The XC60 has 36 miles of range and the equivalent of 63 mpg, and the smaller Lexus RX PHEV outdoes that.
