In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Comparing the 2025 Mazda CX-70 vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
- What happened to my 1997 Ford Expedition?
This week’s first question comes from a fan who is cross shopping the Mazda CX-70 vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross.
Q: (Via: AskNathan@TFL.com): RE: Comparing the Mazda CX-70 vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
I was about to buy a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Sel R-Line Black for about $50,000. This was going to be a step up from my 2017 Tiguan which served me well. I needed something bigger, but without the need or want for a third row seat. I’m all set with my down payment and financing, 24 hours ago my friend told me to stop and test another vehicle, the Mazda CX-70. Then he told me to ask you.
I never thought Mazda could build a premium car, but I don’t know anything about their reliability or resale value. I tested a Mazda CX-70 Turbo Premium and it was real good. It was even a little less expensive than the Volkswagen I was thinking about and that made me wonder why. I know there are other options and this is a popular category, so why is the Mazda priced like the Volkswagen but is on a higher level?
Is the Volkswagen better is some way? I appreciate your response and hope you have a blessed week!
— Migel
A: That’s a very good question.
Your timing is excellent, I tested a Atlas Cross Sport not that long ago, and pretty much every CX-90, and the CX-70 that spawned from it, I’ve sampled as well. Heck, I just finished testing the PHEV version of the CX-70 last week, which is a completely different vehicle. If I were in your position, I would totally understand your confusion. On paper, and in practice, the Mazda CX-70 out performs the Volkswagen Atlas Cross in many ways.
The base-model CX-70 comes with a turbocharged 280 horsepower I6, Volkswagen’s turbocharged I4 makes 269 hp. With all-wheel drive (AWD) standard, we see an EPA rating of 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway for the Mazda, and the Volkswagen is rated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with the AWD option. They both tow up to 5,000-lbs, but the Volkswagen weighs up to 200-lbs less than the Mazda.
One place the Volkswagen has the advantage is with cargo space, it has 40 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 78 cu-ft of maximum cargo space. The Mazda CX-70 has 39.6 cu-ft of cargo space behind the back seat and 75.3 cu-ft of maximum cargo space. Both have underfloor storage as well.
I will be completely honest with you: the Volkswagen is a comfy daily commuter, but there’s nothing about its performance that can hold a candle to the Mazda. It just can’t. The Mazda CX-70 has a layout that wouldn’t be out of place in a BMW, and its (standard) AWD system is outstanding. I think it would come down to personal taste, but the Mazda is a better driver, more efficient, and easier on your wallet. Oh, and it is well built, and feels like a much higher quality vehicle.
Volkswagen’s biggest advantage: dealership availability
According to VW Media, they report there are approximately 1,000 dealers in the U.S. On the other hand, Mazda has just over 600 dealerships in the United States. It’s been my experience, and that of others I know in the automotive world, that Mazda dealerships are hard to come by in small and rural communities. I’ve also noticed, and so has Editor Zach B., that some of Mazda’s service centers are not as efficiently run as larger automaker’s facilities. This comes after owing 7-8 Mazda products between the two of us.
Other than that – I can’t find a solid reason why the Atlas Cross Sport would be a better pick than the Mazda CX-70. Still, I wanted to add two little tidbits: look at the Honda Passport too, and – I would look at the Mazda CX-90. It’s the same thing and has the same performance as the equivalent CX-70, and has a less expensive base model, and it comes with a third-row seat that you may never need to use, but it might be a big plus in a pinch!
Hope that helps!
— N
The last question comes from a fan who wanted to know what happened to my/TFL’s 1997 Ford Expedition.
Q: Via: Amazon Delivery Driver (Summarized)
What ever happened to that 1997 Ford Expedition that was in the videos that you bought? Also, how many vehicles have your bought from TFL?
— Amazon delivery driver
A: Great question!
Still have it. Yup, it’s still with me, but I need to fix it. I believe that the starter died, so I’m going to replace that in a few weeks, then I think I will sell it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a great truck – and (other than the starter) it’s been a tank. The thing is: I live in a place where space is at a premium, and gas is stupid-expensive. So, once I get it cleaned up, I’ll sell it off.
As for other vehicles I’ve purchased through or from TFL Studios? My Suzuki Samurai, Chevrolet Blazer, Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Expedition. I know, that’s a lot – right? While I have used other vehicles in videos that I owned, they were purchased outside of TFL.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
— N
