Mazda CX-70 (2026)

Alex on Autos is positive about the CX-70 itself but sharply critical of Mazda’s decision to create it as a separate model. He finds its handsome design, smooth and characterful inline-6, rear-biased AWD, strong handling, towing ability, and upscale cabin appealing, even comparing its dynamics favorably with several rivals. However, the missing torque converter makes low-speed power delivery occasionally lurchy, the ride is firm, rear-seat legroom is disappointing, and cargo practicality barely improves over the CX-90. He prefers the smoother, quicker PHEV, but ultimately recommends buying a CX-90 instead because it costs only about $700 more.

SavageGeese is cautiously positive about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, admiring its handsome styling, upscale cabin, physical controls, roomy rear seat, and enormous cargo area. The inline-six provides character and the steering feels direct, but refinement falls short: cold shifts can be jerky, driveline vibration is noticeable, harsh impacts expose a choppy ride, and the cabin’s storage and wireless charger are poorly packaged. He views it as distinctive and well-equipped for the money, yet less polished than the Honda Passport, Pilot, or Korean alternatives, making it appealing mainly to buyers willing to trade refinement for Mazda’s design and driving personality.

Nathan Ponchard is firmly unimpressed with the 2026 Mazda CX-70’s premium ambitions. He appreciates its strong, characterful turbocharged inline-six, rear-biased AWD, spacious rear seating, useful cargo area, easy-to-use controls, and relatively unobtrusive safety systems. But its size doesn’t translate into especially generous seating or cargo capacity, while the harsh ride, road and engine noise, heavy steering, coarse transmission behavior, and poorly tinted panoramic roof undermine its upscale positioning. Ponchard sees plenty of personality and decent efficiency, yet concludes the CX-70 feels underdeveloped and far less refined than the Genesis GV70, making it poor value at nearly $100,000.

Thomas and James are positive on the Mazda CX-70 PHEV, but stop short of recommending it. They praise its handsome styling, upscale cabin, comfortable seats, smooth hybrid operation, strong dynamics, and excellent controls, while Thomas—after living with it for nearly two weeks—calls it close to brilliant. However, coarse engine noise, harsh high-frequency ride vibrations, limited storage, slow infotainment, and especially exhausting highway wandering undermine its refinement. The CX-70’s plug-in range is useful for short commutes, but they question the commitment to charging. Thomas ultimately chose a used Volvo XC90 and considers the CX-90 more practical because it offers similar cargo space with an extra row.

Ben Hardy likes the 2026 Mazda CX-70, but considers its concept a flop. He praises the quiet cabin, upscale materials, distinctive colors, strong 340-hp inline-six, useful torque, and abundant cargo space, calling it a genuinely nice luxury-leaning SUV. However, the transmission feels sluggish and rough at initial engagement, while the CX-70 otherwise mirrors the CX-90 almost completely—minus its third row. Hardy’s central criticism is strategic: Mazda should offer a three-row-delete CX-90 rather than sell a barely differentiated model. His verdict is favorable toward the vehicle itself but skeptical about its place in Mazda’s lineup.

Steve Hammes is strongly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-70, especially with the Turbo S powertrain. He praises its quiet, solid ride, eager handling, smooth 340-hp inline-six, premium-looking cabin, generous cargo space, and polished blend of comfort and sportiness. He strongly advises against the PHEV, which he finds devoid of driving enjoyment, and criticizes Mazda’s outdated infotainment as arguably the market’s worst. The high price and premium-fuel requirement are drawbacks, but overall he views the Turbo S as a convincing near-luxury SUV and believes a modern touchscreen would make it a complete winner.

Sam CarLegion is highly positive about the Mazda CX-70, calling it a gorgeous, capable “beauty” with impressive technology. He especially enjoys its premium, button-friendly cabin, low sedan-like driving position, precise handling, quiet ride, instant plug-in-hybrid torque, and strong efficiency—about 8.1 L/100 km in his testing. The CX-70 also performed admirably in snow, despite losing slightly to the Honda Passport’s off-road-focused AWD. Its drawbacks include less ground clearance, no spare tire, a cramped cargo area, an unreliable wireless charger, and lower 3,500-pound PHEV towing capacity. Overall, he considers it an excellent, fuel-efficient alternative.

Kirk Kreifels is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, calling it an exceptional value and placing it in his A tier. He praises its handsome design, exceptionally comfortable, well-built interior, precise steering, planted handling, smooth and engaging inline-six, strong acceleration, spacious cargo area, and impressive standard equipment—especially on the Turbo Preferred trim. He prefers it to the Lexus RX in many respects and finds it more enjoyable than the PHEV. Still, the loud engine and electric-motor whine, awkward i-stop system, limited front storage, mediocre brake feel, scarce inventory, and cheaper CX-90 alternative temper an otherwise glowing recommendation.

Joe Rady is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, calling it a premium-feeling, driver-focused alternative to the Lexus RX and Acura MDX. He praises its smooth, powerful turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six, rear-biased AWD, confident wet-weather handling, quiet cabin, upscale Nappa leather interior, excellent cameras, and generous cargo space. The CX-70’s styling and value also impress him, though he criticizes the unpainted fender cladding, fake vents, stubby spoiler, absent exhaust finishers, and rear seats that lack ventilation. Overall, he views it as refined, practical, fun to drive, and unusually compelling for the money.

Car Confections is highly impressed with the 2026 Mazda CX-70. After a week and more than 220 miles, they praised its refined, punchy inline-six, excellent steering and body control, quiet cabin, 26.2-mpg real-world economy, standard AWD, and unusually generous standard equipment, calling the base model an exceptional value. The spacious rear seat and cargo area also stood out. Reservations were mostly practical: the ride and seats feel firm, the mild-hybrid system can hesitate, cupholders obstruct the climate controls, and storage isn’t class-leading. Overall, they preferred it more after living with it and strongly recommend it for buyers who value driving enjoyment and near-luxury quality.

TheSketchMonkey is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, calling it a near-luxury bargain and the more emotional choice over the Lexus RX. After driving both the inline-6 and PHEV versions for a week, he preferred the smoother, more refined high-output model, praising its athletic rear-biased AWD handling, upscale cabin, striking Kodo design, and strong value. He acknowledges that the RX is quieter, more comfortable, more efficient in hybrid form, and more dependable for long-term ownership, with stronger resale value. Still, he believes the CX-70 is the smarter buy for drivers who prioritize style and engagement.

Car Supplies Warehouse is genuinely enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, especially its refined, driver-focused character. The inline-six turbo feels responsive, the rear-biased AWD and weighted steering make it unusually engaging for an SUV, and the cabin is quiet, comfortable, and thoughtfully equipped with physical controls. They also praise the practical cargo area, rear sunshades, towing hardware, and overall value around $50,000–$60,000. Criticisms are relatively minor: a clunky low-speed shift, firmer suspension, somewhat simplistic infotainment, awkward phone storage, unused console space, and overly busy exterior textures. Overall, they consider it a compelling, surprisingly sedan-like family SUV.

New Car Spin is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-70, calling it an exceptionally capable, comfortable SUV he would buy. He praises the spacious two-row layout, genuinely flat cargo floor, easy rear-seat access, strong Turbo S inline-6, 5,000-pound towing capacity, built-in trailer-brake controller, stable handling, and excellent ventilated seats. His hands-on testing produced 22.2 mpg while driving aggressively. The main criticisms are a mildly abrupt mild-hybrid transition, reduced air-conditioning performance when the engine shuts off, incomplete sunshade coverage, and an awkward dashboard corner that can strike the knee. Overall, his recommendation is emphatic.

Dynamite647 is strongly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-70, especially its muscular styling, composed and sporty handling, spacious cabin, excellent 360-degree camera, head-up display, visibility, and useful cargo area. After driving it for over a week, however, the reviewer flags a notably rough ride, firm seats, and body rattling over bumps, making long trips tiring. The engine also feels merely adequate during highway overtaking, while occasional navigation freezes, glare from the dashboard trim, and an awkward shifter frustrate. Overall, it is enjoyable and easy to recommend for daily driving, but buyers should compare alternatives if comfort matters most.

The Car Compass is strongly positive about the 2026 Mazda CX-70’s practicality and polished design. The comparison shows that it closely mirrors the CX-90 in dimensions, cabin technology, comfort, powertrains, and driving modes, while dropping the third row for substantially more useful cargo space—75.3 cubic feet with seats folded versus 74.2 in the CX-90. Detailed cargo measurements, trim pricing, towing figures, and side-by-side exterior observations make the video especially useful. The main criticism is that the CX-70 offers few visual or interior distinctions from the CX-90, so buyers are primarily choosing between five-seat utility and available third-row capacity.