ALL-NEW CX-70 SUV WILL FURTHER BOOST THE MAZDA LINEUP

By NITISH S. RELE – motoringflorida@gmail.com

Love the full-size CX-90 for its incredible performance and luxurious cabin but don’t need that third-row seat? Well, you have a new and welcome choice – five-passenger CX-70 slotted between the smaller CX-50 and the CX-90. It shares the wheelbase, length, width and height with its larger sibling.

Under the hood of this all-new plug-in hybrid Mazda sits a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine pumping out 323 horsepower @ 6000 rpm and 369 pounds-feet of torque @ 4000 rpm. The powertrain is coupled with a 17.8 kWh battery, so you can get 26 miles solely in electric mode before the gas engine kicks in. An 8-speed auto gearbox is seamless, accurate and easy to engage. You can count on the double wishbone front and multilink rear suspension to absorb bumps and potholes. And Kinematic posture control helps maintainstability on winding roads. The electric-power assist steering is direct and precise. Swap the MI-Drive for sport, off-road, EV and tow modes, which is commendable at 3,500 pounds.

The wide and low chiseled front fascia of the CX-70 sports a honeycomb mesh grille in piano black, conveying a confident, athletic stance. Quilted and piped Nappa leather affords elegance to the spacious and lavish cabin. Two 12.3-inch displays, one for infotainment system and the other serving as an instrument cluster, are a standout. Interior passenger space is at abundance, a cavernous 141.6 cubic feet to be exact, as well as a massive underfloor cargo storage bin. Also, standard are tri-zone auto a/c, 8-way power heated/cooled front seats, power lift gate and moon roof, head-up display, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with paddle shifters, second-row window sun shades, push-button start, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.

Safety features at no extra cost include dual front, knee and side airbags, side curtain airbag for all rows, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution, dynamic stability control and traction control, antiskid system with rollover sensor, front seat active-head restraints, three-point front seatbelts with pretensioners, rear backup sensors, blind spot and 360-degree monitors, lane keep assist/departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, front/rear crumple zones and tire pressure monitoring system. Also worth a mention are the G-Vectoring Control (uses engine timing for more accurate steering inputs) and Smart City Brake Support (designed to reduce rear-end collisions by stopping at low speeds before a frontal impact).

Like its siblings in the CX fold, we are sure that the two-row CX-70 will carve a niche in the competitive crossover segment. The handsome SUV delivers strong acceleration, sufficient cargo/passenger room and just enough plug-in juice for your electric-only jaunt to the local grocery store. 

CX-70 (PHEV PREMIUM PLUS)

Tires: P275/45R21

Wheelbase: 122.8 inches

Length: 201.6 inches

Width: 84.9 inches

Height: 68.7 inches

Weight: 5,198 pounds

Fuel capacity: 18.5 gallons

Combined gas: 25 mpg

Electric+gas: 56 MPGe

Base price: $57,450

Price as tested: $59,420

Web site: www.mazdausa.com