Sign up for our popular daily email to catch all the latest EV news!
CHATHAM, Mass. – Two or three, that is the question a mid-size plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sport-utility (SUV) buyer has to decide when choosing between the Mazda CX-70 and CX-90.
The CX-90 PHEV comes with three rows of seating while the newer 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus like I recently spent a week driving eschews the third row for a permanent, large rear-storage area and under-floor hidden cubby (where the CX-90’s third row lives when folded).
Those are the major differences between these Mazda flagship vehicles which share overall size, platform and powertrain, as well as being virtually the same price (just under $60,000 in the top-of-the-range PHEV Premium Plus configurations I have reviewed).
Late last year I reviewed a mild-hybrid CX-70 a vehicle I liked which offered mid-size buyers a a two-row Mazda mid-size SUV. The PHEV version offers more electric-only operation at a bit more expense (about $2,000).
Powertrain technology for efficiency and performance
The Mazda e-SKYACTIV® G 2.5-liter, four-cylinder inline engine is the heart of the powertrain. On premium fuel, the gasoline engine produces 189 horsepower and 192 pounds-feet of torque. The 68kW AC electric motor, fueled by a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, produces 173 horsepower and 199 pounds-feet of torque.
The combined output 323 horsepower and 369 pounds-feet of torque (on premium gasoline) rapidly motivates this sizable SUV — which, according to testing by Car and Driver, can achieve 0-60 mile-per-hour times of 5.9 seconds. Not supercar performance figures, but a number which once would have been proudly worn by a sport sedan, let alone an SUV weighing 5,198 pounds and measuring 200.8-inches long, 78.5 wide and 68.7 high.
The electric-motor/battery combination provides the CX-70 PHEV with the ability to travel up to 32 miles on electricity alone meaning most daily driving can be accomplished without tapping into the gasoline engine. And the capability of a two-hour charging period with a Level 2 system means recharging during the day and continuing on with electric power is a very real possibility.
Unfortunately for me, my Autel MaxiCharger AC Wallbox Home Level 2 charger was not available during my week with the Mazda CX-70 PHEV due to a home-electrical issue.
Operating on a combination of gasoline-fueled power and electricity replenished while driving, including through regenerative braking, produced a 25 miles-per-gallon fuel-economy result. This figure matched the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s rating, a solid result for a vehicle the size of the CX-70.
An eight-speed automatic transmission specifically designed to work with a hybrid powertrain backs up the engine/motor combo before feeding power into the standard i-Activ all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.
Zoom, zoom platform
Historically, Mazda vehicles, whether SUVs, sedans or sports cars, have been engineered to provide driving enjoyment through well-controlled platforms. The CX-70 continues this tradition of bringing a bit of Mazda’s zoom, zoom to a large vehicle.
The suspension components include a double-wishbone setup in the front with an independent multi-link one with a stabilizer bar in the rear.
The diagonal-hydraulic friction-braking system features anti-lock with electronic-brake distribution (EBD), electronic parking brake and ventilated rotors front (13.7 inches) and rear (13.8 inches).
Supplementing the friction brakes is a regenerative-braking system which is activated through the Settings screen of the CX-70’s central display. The driver can select either a high or low regen setting which then engages automatically whenever the driver reduces pressure on the accelerator pedal. The system does not provide for one-pedal driving or manual control.
Machine-cut alloy 21×9-1/2J wheels wearing 275/45 R21 M+S all-season tires round out the platform pieces.
The combination of powertrain and platform add up to a large SUV which is pleasant to drive both on the open highway as well as the rural byways around Cape Cod. It is no sports car (Mazda sells the iconic MX-5 Miata roadster for those who desire top-down, two-seater exhilaration), but it acquits itself nicely under most roadway challenges. And, thanks to the standard all-wheel-drive system, even when the road surface is less than smooth.
Premium complement of ADAS
The CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus equipment lives up to its Premium label including the comprehensive collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). This group includes smart-brake support (automatic emergency braking – AEB); 360° view monitor; blind-spot monitoring; emergency lane keeping – blind-spot assist, road-keep assist, head-on-traffic-avoidance assist; front and rear cross-traffic alert; front and rear parking sensors; lane-departure warning; lane-keep assist; Mazda Radar Cruise Control with stop & go and speed-limit assist; rear-view monitor; roll-stability control; smart-brake support front crossing and rear with pedestrian detection, and traffic-sign recognition.
Spacious cabin filled with premium features
Again, no need to look further than the spacious interior for reinforcement of the Premium label.
The five-person seating surfaces are Nappa leather clad with heating for the outboard ones, front and rear. The fronts, both power adjustable (the driver’s with memory), are also ventilated. Leather also covers the heated steering wheel.
The overall interior environment is the responsibility of the three-zone automatic climate-control system. Like other Mazda vehicles, the system is operated via logical, easy-to-find and use, piano-keyboard-like switches mounted in the center of the dash, below the dash vents and touchscreen.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen growing out of the Mazda-top-of-the-dash well commands the infotainment system (including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; SiriusXM satellite radio, and Bose® 12-speaker audio sound system) and allows for adjustment of vehicle settings.
A large console-mounted knob along with a smaller one and adjacent buttons allow for quick adjustment of the infotainment system as well as the standard navigation system.
These are just some of the highlights of the very well equipped 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus. They combine for a very comfortable experience for driver and passengers and the large storage area means they can bring along a lot of their stuff.
A choice of hybrid power
As I wrote in 2024, Like its CX-90 three-row sibling, the new two-row CX-70 offers mid-size SUV buyers a range of [hybrid] models with good power, excellent handling/ride characteristics and solid fuel economy. All models feature AWD with the 3.3 Preferred Package providing the entry point at $40,445. The comprehensively equipped CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus anchoring the range at $57,450.
This time, our review unit was the top of the range CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus. The one option was Rhodium White Premium paint ($595). Adding in the delivery processing & handling fee ($1,375) brought the as-reviewed price to $59,420.
The CX-70 and CX-90 offer the mid-size SUV customer a competitive, excellent choice of two or three-row vehicles, all with gasoline-saving hybrid power. The new CX-70, either in mild-hybrid or PHEV, are solid Mazda offerings in this market segment.
Sign up for our popular daily email to catch all the latest EV news!
