{"id":32945,"date":"2024-07-04T09:30:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-04T13:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=32945"},"modified":"2024-07-04T09:30:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T13:30:29","slug":"payne-mazda-goes-big-with-cx-70","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/payne-mazda-goes-big-with-cx-70","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Mazda goes big with CX-70"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rochester Hills<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Mazda CX-70 SUV is big. Big length at nearly 17 feet. Big weight of 4,863 pounds. Big 21-inch wheels. Big panoramic roof. Big as sibling CX-90 because CX-70 just means it has two rows compared to the 90\u2019s three. Bigger than any other vehicle the Japanese brand has produced.<\/p>\n

Yet CX-70 still thinks it\u2019s a wee Miata sportscar.<\/p>\n

Braking into a clover-leaf turn, the two-and-a-half-tonner rotated with minimal body roll. The big, leather-wrapped wheel in my hands felt rooted to the ground \u2014 encouraging me to feed more throttle until the tires began to squeal in protest. On exit, the silky, inline-6 engine roared with delight as I merged into traffic. Yup, it\u2019s a Mazda.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The stylish 2025 Mazda CX-70 costs under $50,000 while offering tech found in $70k luxury SUVs.<\/em><\/div>\n
Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

Mazda\u2019s latest ute has big ambitions to go with its big proportions. From its roots as a ZOOM ZOOM! sportscar and sedan company, Mazda has transitioned to a premium SUV maker with twin offerings in the compact and midsize segments, not unlike European luxury brands. The CX-5 and CX-50 anchor the high-volume compact segment while CX-70 and CX-90 double up in the midsize segment.<\/p>\n

As with its offerings in the subcompact (CX-30), and compact car (Mazda3) segments, the CX-70 (as well as the three-row CX-90) offers one of the industry\u2019s best values. Along with that Miata DNA in the handling department, the CX-70 comes loaded with standard features starting at $41,700: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, front-and-rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and seat eject with parachute (kidding about that last one).<\/p>\n

Jump up to my tester\u2019s desirable Premium trim and you\u2019ll be showered with goodies like 21-inch wheels, pano-roof and head-up display. Yet, the Premium CX-70\u2019s bottom line is still an impressive $47,335 \u2014 $24K south of a comparably-equipped BMW X5 XDrive 40i with similar, longitudinal inline turbo-6, eight-speed tranny and rotary instrument screen controller.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The posh, red leather interior of the 2025 Mazda CX-70 offers digital displays and elegant, simple design. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Heck, all that style even clocks in at two grand less than the hybrid Toyota Crown Signia I recently piloted with a droning CVT transmission and no head-up display.<\/p>\n

CX-70 buyers will be flattered by the Bimmer comparison \u2014 especially the way the Mazda hangs with the German in the twisties despite being a half-foot longer. The Mazda\u2019s bigness translates to some of the best cargo and legroom numbers in class. Value does come with some shortcomings, however.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve raved about the Japanese brand\u2019s smooth six-speed automatic trannies in the CX-5 and CX-50 models at a time when other automakers have adopted complicated eight- and 10-speed boxes for their EPA-focused mpg benefits. For CX-70\/CX-90, Mazda has chosen an eight-speed and the SUVs feel hesitant \u2014 like a fawn trying out its new legs.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2025 Mazda CX-70 sprawls across a long wheelbase to offer one of the biggest midsize SUVs in class. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Floor the pedal off that highway cloverleaf and CX-70 felt uncertain, hunting for the right gear. Once engaged, the inline-6 clears its throat with an authoritative BLAAAT! (especially in SPORT mode), but the transmission is a mismatch for the I-6\u2019s smooth power.<\/p>\n

So is the clunky shifter. A trendy monostable design, it\u2019s clumsy to operate with a two-step jig to get out of PARK and into REVRSE-NEUTRAL-DRIVE modes. Competitors like Toyota and VW not only have more compact shifters, but they are more intuitive. ZOOM ZOOM? ZOOM CLUNK.<\/p>\n