CX-70 revealed as third premium SUV for Mazda

MAZDA has lifted the lid on the third member of its Large Product line-up, revealing the CX-70 two-row SUV in the United States today.

Following on from the CX-60 and CX-90 (the former of which won’t be sold in the USA), the CX-70 sits in the space between Mazda’s fresh new SUVs, offering more interior volume than the CX-60 to better accommodate passengers and cargo behind the B-pillar, but forgoing the three-row layout of the CX-90.

From the outside, the links to the CX-60 are obvious: the front wheel wells are pushed right to the corners of the front bumper, with a generous dash-to-axle distance emphasising the car’s longitudinally-engined layout.

A trapezoidal front grille is, like the CX-60 and CX-90, linked to the beady headlight housings by LED strip lighting that extends through the grille’s bezel, but the CX-70 can be picked apart by its larger cheek ‘vents’.

Viewed in profile, however, the CX-70 appears to be a facsimile of the CX-90 – at least in regards to its sheetmetal.

Dimensional specifications have yet to be revealed but expect a lot of overlay between the CX-70 and CX-90. After all, in North America the CX-70 will be pitched simply as a five-seat alternative to the -90.

With a greater focus on ‘lifestyle’ driven customers rather than family-bound buyers, the CX-70 will feature boot-mounted controls for an electrically folding second row, a flat luggage space from the tailgate to the front seats (ideal for throwing in bicycles, camping gear or surfboards), as well three sizable under-floor storage areas.

In Australia, only six-cylinder powertrains have been confirmed for the CX-70.

The 3.3-litre inline six turbo diesel and turbo petrol both make use of 48-volt mild hybrid hardware, with outputs mirroring what’s offered in the CX-90: 254kW and 500Nm for the petrol, and 187kW/550Nm for the diesel, with both also driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic.

At this stage, there’s no mention of transplanting the naturally-aspirated 241kW 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain of the CX-60 into the CX-70 – at least not for the Australian market.

With a maximum rating of 2500kg on a braked trailer, the CX-70’s towing capacity also matches that of the CX-90, though Mazda Australia has yet to mention whether that applies to both powertrains (currently, the diesel CX-90 is only rated to tow 2000kg).

A ‘Trailer Hitch View’ will be offered on the CX-70 to make the task of hooking up a trailer easier, while other driver aids will include Cruising In Traffic Support, as well as the fatigue-monitoring Unresponsive Driver Support.

Australia will have the distinction of enjoying the full gamut of Large Product platform vehicles, with all four of the models that have been announced for Mazda’s longitudinal architecture now all confirmed for our market.

The CX-60 and CX-90 have already had their Australian intro and are available now, while the CX-70 should arrive by year’s end. The three-row CX-80 – which will effectively form the CX-9’s replacement – has already been confirmed as locked-in by Mazda Australia despite not yet being unveiled.

The model walk-up should be easy to digest for consumers, with the numeric ordering corresponding to a logical progression in size and seat count – five seats for the -60 and -70, seven for the -80 and -90.

“(The) CX-70 represents yet another milestone for our brand – offering the hallmarks of the now well-established Mazda Premium philosophy that shines brightly in the CX-60 and CX-90, but with a distinct focus on pursuing an active and fulfilling lifestyle,” said Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi.

“The CX-70 is a unique expression of our customers’ interests and stands out on its own as a highly compelling option, facilitating new life experiences and rewarding those wanting to experience the joy of driving.”

Local pricing and specifications have yet to be confirmed for the CX-70. Expect those to firm up closer to its Australian debut sometime in the final quarter of this year.