There’s very little doubt on how impressive Mazda’s SUVs have become over the last few years. The CX-90 in particular is impressive, looking far more expensive than it really is inside and out, and boasting a powertrain that makes enthusiasts take notice. Not to rest on their laurels, Mazda is following up on the CX-90 with the 2025 Mazda CX-70 Signature, but the introduction of this vehicle raises a few questions regarding its positioning in Mazda’s lineup overall.
Let’s get this out of the way: the CX-70 is basically a two-row, five-seat version of the CX-90. It shares the same skin and bones as its sibling, including powertrains, interior appointments, overall proportions, and most of the exterior styling minus tweaked front and rear fascias. Why Mazda would create a separate model rather than simply offering a two-row option on the CX-90 is puzzling, but none of that is to say the CX-70 is a bad vehicle. It punches above its competitors in almost every way, and makes everything else in the segment look vanilla in comparison. With this Signature trim boasting machine-polished 21-inch wheels and body-coloured accents, I’ll even say it’s the best-looking SUV in the segment.
As part of its upmarket moves, Mazda offers the CX-70 with its all-new 3.3-litre turbocharged inline-six engine. Like the CX-90, the lesser GS-L and GT trims offer 280 horsepower, while the GT-P and our Signature tester push out 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque using premium fuel. This powertrain was designed completely in-house by Mazda, elevating the CX-70 to feel something of a budget BMW X5 to us. It moves with authority, sounds great, and feels silky smooth. Expect a zero-to-100 km/h run in the 6.4-second range, and the standard, rear-biased AWD system provides plenty of grip, composure, and a fun-to-drive nature.
Where the CX-70 seems a bit undercooked is its eight-speed automatic transmission. It seems confused at times, occasionally hunting for gears and firing off rough downshifts, even when using the paddle shifters. We had similar nitpicks with the CX-90.
Mazda offers a plug-in hybrid powertrain as well, but with our tester being a mild hybrid, it does yield impressive fuel economy for its size. Mazda rates the CX-70 at 10.3 L/100 km city, 8.5 highway, and 9.4 combined. I averaged a very impressive 10.1 L/100 km under mostly city driving and using the A/C a lot. Mazda says the CX-70 can run on regular gasoline as well, but expect a slight drop in peak horsepower, though torque remains the same.
Inside, the CX-70 treats you to a well-built, high-quality interior. Luxurious comfort is the number-one priority on the Signature trim; it feels like a treat once you climb in, and you immediately know it’s something special. The two-tone Nappa leather pops especially with the accent stitching, the suede inserts on the seats, dashboard, and door panels look and feel upscale, and everything is soft to the touch.
I’m a little less enthused that Mazda completely reused the switchgear from the CX-90, but at least they’re physical buttons and knobs. Everything looks modern, clean, and minimalistic without going overboard like a Tesla, it’s all easy to use, and it’s comfortable no matter where you sit. Without a third row of seats, cargo space is an enormous 1,121 litres with the seats up, growing to 2,132 when folded.
The CX-70 doesn’t overwhelm you with cutting-edge technology, but the Signature trim is fully loaded with almost all the safety features and drive assists you’d expect today. A 12.3-inch display atop the dashboard controlled by a rotary knob on the centre console handles infotainment, but the fact that the display is only a touchscreen when you use CarPlay or Android Auto is frustrating. Thankfully, most consumers will likely use their smartphones by default and avoid using Mazda’s standard interface. Wireless connectivity and charging is standard.
The 2025 CX-70 starts at $49,750 for the base GS-L trim, running all the way up to $62,300 for our Signature tester — plus an additional $500 for the gorgeous Soul Red Crystal paintwork. Interestingly, a base CX-90 GS-L starts at $45,900; keep the third row folded and you have a CX-70 but for less money, plus the flexibility of a third row in case you need it. Food for thought, but as you climb up through the various trims, the CX-70 ends up costing slightly less.
While there’s no real need to keep the 2025 Mazda CX-70 Signature as a separate model from the CX-90, it does grow Mazda’s lineup and showcases their confidence in their upmarket intentions. With a few tweaks here and there, the CX-70 could be a true contender in the luxury segment for far less money. As it stands, it blends luxury and sportiness into one package, and that’s quite rare among mainstream SUVs.
