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New five-passenger midsize SUV to have hybrid powertrains, standard AWD.
Mazda is in the final stages of preparing for the on-sale date of the 2025 CX-70. This midsize-class SUV will seat up to five and slot between the brand’s compact CX-50 and three-row CX-90. It will compete against models like the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge, Honda Passport, Nissan Murano, and Toyota Venza.
It’s common for automakers to develop a single vehicle platform and adapt it to a variety of models, with changes coming in terms of physical size, rigidity, and such depending on application. For example, the Honda Passport rides a shortened version of the chassis used by the 2016-2022 Pilot. CX-70 is unusual in that it’s basically identical in size to the CX-90. The former is simply making do without the latter’s third-row seat. As Mazda is a comparatively small car company, it makes sense they would want to save development and engineering costs by going this route.
CX-70 will share its available powertrains with the CX-90 as well. All will come standard with all-wheel drive (AWD) and offer buyers the option of a gas/electric hybrid or plug-in gas/electric drivetrain. The former are dubbed 3.3 Turbo and sub-divided into Preferred, Premium, Premium Plus, S Premium, and S Premium Plus trim levels. The plug-in variant is called the PHEV and will come as the Premium or Premium Plus.
Preferred, Premium, and Premium Plus pair a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine with a battery-powered electric motor for a combined output of 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. The S Premium and S Premium Plus utilize a high-output version of the same engine, with horsepower and torque increasing to 340 and 369, respectively.
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PHEV models adopt a 2.5-liter non-turbo four-cylinder gas engine and a 17.8 kWh battery pack for a combined 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Mazda claims up to 26 miles of electric-only driving. All CX-70s have an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Even the entry-level 3.3 Turbo Preferred will come with a surprisingly generous level of standard equipment, including leather upholstery, heated power-adjustable front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa integration, automatic climate control, and a full suite of driver-assistance features including blind-spot alert, and full-speed adaptive radar cruise control.
The 3.3 Turbo Premium adds fully digital instrumentation, head-up display, Bose-brand audio system, driver-seat memory, and embedded GPS navigation that doesn’t need a compatible smartphone to work. This trim also brings some upgrades to the active safety features like rear-collision braking, traffic sign recognition, and front- and rear-obstacle detection.
Upgrading to the 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus nets upgraded Nappa leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, windshield wiper de-icer, power-folding exterior mirrors, and a panoramic sunroof.
PHEV, S Premium, and S Premium Plus grades largely mirror their 3.3 Turbo counterparts in terms of standard equipment, with some unique exterior and interior trim differences. For example, the S Premium Plus gets quilted Nappa leather in a tan finish that isn’t available elsewhere in the lineup.
Options will mostly be limited to extra-cost paint colors along with dealer-installed functional and dress-up accessories.
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 starts at $40,445 for the 3.3 Turbo Preferred and tops out at $57,450 for the PHEV Premium Plus, not including the required $1,375 manufacturer destination fee. Initial deliveries will start this spring with a gradual rollout that is expected to be complete by fall.
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CG Says:
We understand the need for Mazda to consolidate its development resources as much as possible, which is likely why there are virtually no physical differences between the CX-70 and CX-90. It seems strange that the CX-70 carries identical pricing to the 2024 CX-90, though we suspect this leaves the door open for the automaker to raise the three-row SUV’s MSRP for model-year ’25. In any case, expect the new five-seater to retain much of CX-90’s charm, an experience we said, “…delivers the premium-experience goods.”
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2025 Mazda CX-70 Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
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