Mazda's rear-wheel-drive onslaught started a year ago with the CX-90, a seven-seat SUV built on a completely new platform. A two-row CX-70 was supposed to debut before the end of 2023, but that never happened. But after a slight delay, the newcomer is finally ready to break cover.
Mazda quietly announced on its Canadian website when we'll see the new family hauler: January 30 at 11 AM EST. Despite being just a few weeks away from its premiere, we've yet to see CX-70 prototypes. This might be due to its resemblance to the CX-90. In a February 2023 document released by Mazda, the upcoming SUV would be a "two-row model with the same body as the CX-90." From this announcement, we can infer that it will maintain the same size but have a larger cargo area by eliminating the third row.
2024 Mazda CX-90
Recent filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) confirm that the CX-70 will utilize the same powertrains as the CX-90. Customers will have the option to choose between a turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six or a smaller 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Both versions will have the same eight-speed automatic transmission.
The larger engine is reportedly available in two states of tune – not surprising given that the six-cylinder is offered in the CX-90 with 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet, as well as a lesser version rated at 280 hp and 332 lb-ft. Mazda has engineered both variants of the 3.3-liter unit with a mild-hybrid setup.
The smaller four-cylinder is a naturally aspirated engine working in conjunction with an electric motor, resulting in a combined output of 323 hp and 369 lb-ft from the plug-in hybrid setup. Positioned between the combustion engine and the transmission, the electric motor draws power from a 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack.
Pricing for the two-row model is expected to be fairly consistent with the three-row variant. The base CX-90 starts at $39,595, while the plug-in hybrid variant is priced from $49,945. All of them have AWD as standard.
