2025 Mazda CX-70 review: it's what's inside that counts

Mazda’s CX-70 sits in a weird spot. It’s the same size as a CX-90, but ditches the back row in favor of extra cargo space. Its power train is something you don’t see every day, and in terms of specs it inhabits the upper end of “not bad” without quite breaking into “exceptional.”

But specs don’t tell you everything. I borrowed a 2025 CX-70 for a few days in an attempt to get to grips with Mazda’s mid-sized SUV. It’s safe to say I was pleasantly surprised in a fair few areas.

View the 17 images of this gallery on the original article

It has a pretty unique powertrain choice

There’s something quite romantic about the inline-six. It reminds you of better days, longer bonnets, and movies that need to be put into context. You don’t really see them too often, but the CX-70 is packing a 3.3-liter mild hybrid version capable of producing 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

It packs a fair punch and can get you from 0 to 60 in a shade over six seconds. It isn’t the fastest in its class, though it isn’t too far behind racier options like a Ford Explorer ST either. Couple it with the level of handling Mazda has built its reputation on and you have a surprisingly pacy, and stable, mid-sized SUV.

Related: What if Genesis built this off-road SUV?

The interior puts other SUVs in its class to shame

This vehicle may have the nicest mid-range SUV interior I have ever seen in my life. The entire dashboard, door cards, and most of the other surfaces are coated in a comfortable brown suede, with prominent stitching.

The seats are upholstered in a matching brown leather, and the subtle contrast in materials adds a lot. A further point of contrast comes in the form of the center console’s storage compartment, which features a lid clad in black leather, though the brown stitching does enough to tie it back into the general interior.

Related: 2025 Mazda CX-5 restores base S trim to start the lineup under $30,000

The center console also featured a wood overlay, positioned in color between the black storage lid and the soft brown tones throughout the interior. This blend matched perfectly with the “melting copper metallic” paint coating the exterior.

Mazda has absolutely nailed it in terms of color matching, texture, and overall interior feel. It will be interesting to see how the suede holds up after a few years, but as things stand, it's a very pleasant place to be in terms of styling, texture, and general ambiance.

Fuel economy may be a bit of a snag

Despite being a mild hybrid, you have an EPA-estimated average fuel consumption of 25 MPG. Of course, the exact fuel economy depends on a few factors. Towing something? Carrying passengers? Filled the beautiful interior with junk? Generally driving like a hooligan? You’re going to see that average MPG get closer to 20, or even dip below it.

Again, there are worse vehicles in the class and if you know how to drive economically you may even push things the other way. But this isn’t the best option if you want something this size and still want to save on gas.

Related: Nissan GT-R R35 (2009 - 2024) collectible buyer's guide, and specs

It’s immensely practical in terms of storage space

Let’s talk practicality for a second, as mid-sized SUVs aren’t all about performance. You get AWD as standard on every trim and Mazda’s AWD system is not bad at all. It’s a two-row SUV though, so if you’re one of those people who actually does need seven or more seats then you’ll have to consider a CX-90 or something else with three rows.

Seat constraints aside, it is still the same size as the CX-90, and the extra space is reflected in the larger trunk. You have a very generous 39.6 cubic feet of storage space in the CX-70, and not having those back seats will save you a not unreasonable amount of weight. Towing capacity is rated at 5,000 pounds, so hauling a trailer, motor home, or fair-sized boat shouldn’t be a problem.

Mazda’s infotainment system is motoring’s biggest tragedy

Mazda is doing some wonderful things these days, so the fact they risk ruining it all by not overhauling their infotainment system grieves me greatly. It’s not quite stone age, but if you dropped it back in 2014 or so, it would look mediocre at best.

There’s no real excuse for the awkward interface, touchscreen convolution with standard apps like Android Auto, and relatively small display. Given how central infotainment can be to the contemporary driving experience, it could be seen as the curly little beard hair in the center of an otherwise brilliant souffle.

Final thoughts

There is an awful lot of competition in the “just shy of $60k” price bracket and that list includes vehicles that will eat the CX-70 alive in terms of performance, save you a small fortune due to fuel economy, and cause far less stress when you’re trying to leaf through your Spotify playlists.

But the CX-70 isn’t bad in terms of performance, and there’s a fair argument that if fuel economy is your main concern you shouldn’t really be looking at SUVs at all. Then there’s the fact the interior of the CX-70 is just so obscenely nice. If you’re spending most of your time commuting through traffic, I doubt you’ll find a nicer place to sit this side of six figures.

The 2025 CX-70 Turbo-S Premium Plus I tested comes with an MSRP of $57,755 though more basic CX-70 trims start at just under $42,000.

Related: Lotus hits brakes on electric Emira successor, considers hybrid future