By: Peter Gregorian
January 3, 2025
Mazda continues its march into the premium segment with the 2025 CX-70 MHEV Signature, a mid-size SUV that blends luxury, technology, and a mild-hybrid powertrain. Slotting between the compact CX-50 and the three-row CX-90, the Mazda CX-70 aims to deliver the sophistication of its luxury competitors at a more accessible price. After spending a week with the CX-70, thanks to Mazda Canada, there is plenty to admire, but we found a few rough edges that keep it from achieving true luxury greatness.
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 is a stunner on the road, showcasing Mazda’s “Kodo: Soul of Motion” design language at its best. Mazda’s Soul Red Metallic paint is striking on the flowing lines of the CX-70’s body. With its long hood and wide stance, the CX-70 carries a sense of motion, presence, and elegance that punches well above its price point in the looks department. Equipped with the Signature trim, the vehicle’s aesthetics are enhanced by the addition of exclusive features such as a dark metallic grille, chrome accents, and bold 21-inch alloy wheels.
Mazda’s interior design department has done its homework. Stepping inside the CX-70 Signature, you’ll find a cabin that feels luxurious without being over the top. The two-tone premium Windsor Tan Nappa leather-trimmed seats with suede accents exude a sense of richness, while the double-paned windows keep outside noise at bay, creating a serene environment for both driver and passengers. When the 12-speaker Bose sound system is turned up, the cabin transforms into a concert hall.
The seating is plush, heated, and ventilated, and the rear passengers enjoy ample legroom along with the ability to recline. For those who choose the Mazda CX-70 over its near-identical sibling—the three-row Mazda CX-90—there’s a practical side to the interior as well. The CX-70 boasts excellent cargo capacity with a generous 1,122-litre cargo space (40 cubic feet) that expands to 2,132 litres (75 cubic feet) when the rear seats are folded flat.
Mazda equips the CX-70 Signature with a 12.3-inch infotainment display, now featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless connectivity. The interface is intuitive, operated via a rotary dial or voice commands, and paired with a fully digital instrument cluster. A heads-up display projects key information onto the windshield, keeping the driver’s eyes on the road. The general low-bloat and minimalistic user interface remains consistent across Mazda’s lineup of vehicles.
The CX-70 MHEV Signature is powered by a 3.3-litre turbocharged inline-six engine paired with a mild-hybrid system, producing 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. On paper, these numbers are impressive, but in practice, the engine feels underwhelming in delivering its power. It’s smooth and refined for cruising but lacks the punch expected from a six-cylinder in spirited driving situations.
The powertrain is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which further detracts from the driving experience. While shifts are generally smooth, the 1-2 gear change feels jerky and abrupt, an issue exacerbated by the mild-hybrid system, which lacks the ability to turn off the auto start-stop system.
Another point of discontent with the driving experience lies with the steering feel and feedback. While Mazdas usually provide great engagement and feedback through the steering, the electrically-assisted unit in the CX-70 was tuned almost a tad too heavy for the size of the vehicle. Usually, weight equates to sportiness, but in a vehicle of this size and demeanor, a lighter steering feel would have been more suitable. Although feedback through the steering wheel was on the numb side, Mazda’s i-Activ all-wheel-drive system proved competent at tackling corners at higher speeds.
Despite the mild-hybrid system, real-world fuel economy figures were less impressive than anticipated, potentially due to the 2,205-kilogram (4,861-pound) curb weight. During testing across an equal mix of highway and city driving, the CX-70 averaged a combined 11.0 L/100 km, which is adequate for its class but falls short of the expectations set in comparison to the vehicle’s Natural Resources Canada rating of 10.3 L/100 km, 8.5 L/100 km, and 9.5 L/100 km, respectively, in the city, highway, and combined.
Safety has always been a priority for Mazda, and the CX-70 comes equipped with an extensive suite of features under the i-Activsense safety umbrella, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking, and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. While these features are useful and performed well in most conditions, the lane-keeping assist, when used in conjunction with the adaptive cruise control system, lacks the precision and reliability found in competitors, which may give some drivers pause when using semi-autonomous features.
In Canada, the 2025 Mazda CX-70 starts at $49,750 for the GS-L trim, $54,450 for the GT, $58,300 for the GT-P, and $62,300 for the Signature. The Mazda CX-70 Signature ships well-equipped, with the only optional cost being the $500 exterior paint, pushing up the as-tested price to $62,800. This demonstrates the CX-70’s strong value compared to luxury rivals in this segment, like the Lexus RX and Acura MDX.
The 2025 Mazda CX-70 MHEV Signature is a well-rounded SUV that offers plenty of premium appeal. Its nicely appointed interior, head-turning design, and impressive cargo capacity make it a practical contender for buyers in the Japanese SUV segment. While it does fall short of being a true luxury vehicle, the CX-70 still offers great value for those who appreciate a touch of luxury without the premium badge.
