Mazda delayed the CX-70 until this spring, but the reveal is right around the corner.
A few years ago, Mazda laid out its plan to revamp and expand its SUV lineup with three new SUVs: the CX-50, the CX-70 and the CX-90. Two of those three vehicles are already on the market, but we’re still waiting for the last one: Mazda’s new CX-70. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too much longer for information, thanks to what Mazda Canada shows on its retail site. That page notes the formal reveal is coming on January 30 at 11 AM EST. For the moment, Mazda USA makes no mention of the upcoming CX-70 on any public-facing page of its own retail website.
So, what all do we know about it so far? In essence, we’re expecting an SUV that effectively splits the difference between the European CX-60 and the CX-90 (imagine that). To that end, it will be a two-row SUV with a shorter overall length than the flagship CX-90, but with a wider profile to suit North American buyers.
In late December, documents Mazda filed with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) confirmed the CX-70 will indeed use the same range of powertrains as the CX-90. That means we’ll see two variants of the 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six as the gas-only option. The lower-end version will put out 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, while the higher output option meant for higher trim levels will bump that output to 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. A plug-in hybrid model will also be available, using a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine with an electric motor and 17.8-kWh battery onboard. Interestingly, power output is pretty close to the six-pot, at 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Both engines use an 8-speed automatic transmission and mate up to a standard all-wheel drive system.
What we don’t know yet are exact performance metrics, fuel economy or pricing. Speculation warning: I suspect the CX-70 will feel a bit more lively than its larger sibling, by virtue of its shorter body with one fewer row of seats. Fuel economy is largely a question mark, but I wouldn’t expect a major shift from the 25 mpg combined rating the six-cylinder CX-90 manages (the EPA still hasn’t officially rated the plug-in hybrid). As for pricing, there’s about a $10,000 price delta between the CX-50 and the CX-90…so the math on that could be fairly straightforward. Expect the CX-70 to start somewhere in the mid-to-upper-$30,000 range.
This isn’t the first time Mazda is competing in this tweener segment between compact and three-row family SUVs, either. If anything, the 2025 CX-70 is a spiritual successor to the old CX-7, which Mazda canned back in 2012.
We still don’t know exactly what other minor changes may be in store for the upcoming SUV. That said, even if it is effectively just a smaller CX-90, that’s certainly no bad thing. The brand’s latest three-row offering offers elegant styling and composed driving dynamics that still make it one of the best options in the segment, even if it’s not quite as practical as, say, a Toyota Grand Highlander. The CX-70 will likely bring a similar ethos when it wades into battle among its own rivals in the two-row midsize market.
Come what may, we’ll have more details on January 30, so stay tuned!
