Walk with Us around the CX-70, Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom Two-Row Crossover

Mazda’s new CX-70 promises to bring the spirited, intuitive handling for which the brand’s sporty cars are known to the popular two-row crossover segment. Although we didn’t get to drive them, we did get to poke around a pair of CX-70s, one with each available powertrain. Here’s what we observed.

Both the larger CX-90 and the smaller CX-60, the latter of which is sold elsewhere outside of the U.S., share the CX-70’s Large Product Group platform, which uses longitudinally mounted engines and RWD-biased all-wheel-drive. As with its CX-90 stablemate, both of the CX-70’s available powertrains use some form of electrification.

A 2.5-liter four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will be the fuel-sipping option, and also likely the fastest sprinter. A turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six engine with M-Hybrid Boost should bring a lower curb weight while being quite fuel-efficient also. Mazda hasn’t released power numbers for either option, but the CX-90 seems like a logical point to start. In the CX-90, the 3.3-liter is good for 280 hp in most trims and 340 hp in the sportier “S” trims, plus the mild-hybrid system that adds 16 hp and 113 lb-ft of torque. The 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid engine, also available in the CX-90, produces a combined 323 hp with lots of electric power boosting the bottom end of the power curve.

The interior of the CX-70 is uncluttered and features a modestly sized digital screen above the center stack, reflecting Mazda’s philosophy of keeping the driver engaged without distraction. To further that goal, the CX-70 is the first Mazda crossover to implement Amazon Alexa, allowing the driver to use voice prompts to interact with the radio and climate control. A horizontal element separating the HVAC controls from the screen is upholstered to match the seats and makes for a nice contrast in the upper trim level finished in the available red Nappa leather and red stitching, a design choice inspired by the 100th Anniversary Special Edition MX-5 Miata.

Seating seemed comfortable during our brief time in the CX-70, with plenty of room for tall occupants in both rows. Even with the front seats adjusted to fit a driver who is 6 foot, 3 inches tall, a similarly tall rear seat passenger would have plenty of room, with the front seatback nowhere near their knees. Headroom is ample even with the optional panoramic sunroof taking a bit of height off the ceiling for both rows. Ingress and egress to the second row are aided by generously sized rear doors that hide their mass thanks to rocker and wheel trim that camouflage the cutlines.

There are two packaging compromises that we did notice, however. First, the sizable center console offers a rather shallow main compartment. Thankfully its height and width don’t encroach too much into front legroom. Second, the rear load floor might be a bit taller due to the packaging for the hybrid battery, which seems to have contributed to a slightly higher load floor than would have otherwise been necessary. However, the rear seats still fold flat to make the whole thing level. Cargo space is still impressive, even with the remote-folding rear seats in their upright positions.

In a marketplace crowded by FWD-biased crossovers with transverse engine layouts, the CX-70 seems like it could make a name for itself, if it delivers on its promises of driver-focused handling. The Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, this Mazda’s mainstream, RWD-biased competition, are still more focused on overall utility and off-road prowess. We’ll cross our fingers that the lighter, sportier CX-70 gets the full-powered 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six as an option to tackle the burly turbo sixes of its rivals.

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