Mazda's CX-70 and CX-90 twins have been out since 2024, so by now, we have a pretty good idea of what they're all about. But as the segment evolves with newer and fresher competitors, I can't help but wonder if the 2026 Mazda CX-70 Signature, and to an extent the CX-90 we recently reviewed, are having their lunches eaten.
What's new?
Nothing. Mazda cut prices midway through the 2026 model year, but seemingly only for plug-in hybrid models. The CX-70 PHEV now starts at $48,999 — precisely $3,751 less than before, and most interestingly, $751 less than the base, inline-six-powered CX-70.
The value quotient ends there. All other trims remain unchanged, price- and equipment-wise. I think the Mazda logos on the centre caps are now gloss black instead of chrome.
Okay, is it still pretty outside?
With the CX-70 and 90, I've always appreciated just how much Mazda lets the platform dictate the styling. Most family haulers have stubby proportions due to their front-drive-based platforms, but Mazda's rear-drive architecture translates to a longer dash-to-axle ratio — the distance between the front wheels and the edge of the door — and thus a longer, more striking silhouette.
The CX-70 embraces this and makes it even sexier with colour-matched body cladding, BBS-esque wheel designs, and a unique front fascia. Mazda continues to offer a strong colour palate across the two crossovers; our tester's pearl white paint errs on the side of generic, but the peanut butter interior — Mazda calls it Windsor Tan — is a feast.
WEll, is the cx-70 still nice inside?
For years, Mazda made its upmarket intentions known. As much as the redesigned 2026 CX-5 casts doubt on that, the CX-70 reminds us Mazda hasn't totally forgotten about its mission. Materials and fit-and-finish feel superb everywhere it counts, the seats are supple and buttery, and the CX-70 mercifully retains its physical switchgear and their satisfying tactility.
The rest of the interior is mostly well-executed. Visibility all around is good, finding a comfortable driving position is a piece of cake, and infotainment is handled by a 12.3-inch display mounted atop the dashboard.
You either love the knob or you don't; it’s intuitive enough once you’ve set up your presents, but operating Apple CarPlay or Android Auto — both of which are wireless, and standard — with the knob is awkward. But hell, it's better than putting everything onto a blasted screen.
Being nearly identical to the CX-90 means passenger and cargo space in the CX-70 is, well, nearly identical. There’s generous headroom and legroom no matter where you sit. Cargo space punches in at 1,122 litres behind the second row, and 2,132 L with it folded—pretty much as roomy as a CX-90 with the third row folded, minus the convenience of it.
but how does it drive?
Mazda offers two powertrains with the CX-70 and CX-90. There's a plug-in hybrid, a "standard output" version of its turbocharged 3.3-litre inline-six, and a "high output" version. All Signature models — including this tester, regardless of whether it bears a -70 or a -90 suffix on the tailgate — use the latter. It's a peach, putting out 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, pulling strongly and smoothly throughout the rev range, and even teases your ears with a BMW-like soundtrack.
The sixer continues to work with an eight-speed automatic developed in-house by Mazda. They seem to have smoothed-out the downshifts while coasting to a stop, but the automatic start/stop — supplemented by a 48-volt mild hybrid assist — continues to make itself known on occasion. And as with many a Mazda, the CX-70 drives great — this thing really does corner better than anything else in the segment — but that comes at the expense of ride quality. The CX-70 rides firm, and harsh bumps bring out more side-to-side motions than other competitors.
Chat, should I buy a CX-70?
Though the base-trim PHEVs enjoy a price cut this year, you're looking at $64,399 for our top-spec CX-70 Signature tester. Honestly, it's kind of worth it — the engineering, craftsmanship, and eye for good design that abounds in the CX-70 is something you'd only really find in higher-end sport-utes — perhaps not on the same plane as an X5, but I'd argue the CX-70 Signature holds its own against a Lincoln Nautilus or an Infiniti QX65.
Thing is, the new Hyundai Palisade impressed us the same way. It too punches in well above its weight with an upper-crust cabin of its own, potent and efficient hybrid powertrains, striking styling, and of course the third row, though that's more of a CX-90 problem. Pleasant as it was to reacquaint ourselves with the 2026 Mazda CX-70 Signature, the competition's catching up. There's still much to like about Mazda's two- and three-row family haulers, but we need to see a refresh soon, lest Mazda has more of its lunch eaten.
