Let’s call a spade a spade. The CX-70 is – let’s cut it short here – a CX-90 with two rows of seats instead of three. This formula, a little complicated, should please, assure Mazda strategists, but we remain deeply skeptical. Especially since the latest addition has in no way erased the flaws of the model from which it so closely derives.
The CX-70 was expected last fall, a few months after the release of the CX-90. To explain this “delivery” delay, the managers of the Japanese brand cite the success so far achieved by the CX-90. This shares its assembly line with the CX-70.
The interior is just as original as that of the CX-90 and, as always, dressed to the nines. The driving position is excellent and Mazda has a good idea of minimizing distractions. Here, you navigate the infotainment screen using a wheel and not your fingertips. The rear seats are spacious and the trunk is just as spacious. We only regret that the backrests do not fall perfectly flat when they are folded down.
Let’s start with the hybrid engine, which here combines a 2.5L four-cylinder engine with an electric power unit. This mechanism developed internally – read without the contribution of Toyota, its minority shareholder – has already begun a career aboard the CX-90. This is powered by a 17.8 kWh battery capable of giving it a presumed range of… 42 km. This is very little, but still eligible for government subsidies. That said, this thruster remains rather noisy under heavy loads and does not break any consumption records, far from it (see technical sheet). The only consolation is that CO2 emissions are significantly lower than those of the other mechanics offered. You still have to make sure to refuel the battery on a regular basis. In this regard, the CX-70 requires a little over an hour at a level 2 station to refuel (20%-80%).
This irritation is also felt with the other engine, an in-line six-cylinder supercharged by turbocharger. That said, this 3.3L demonstrates frugality thanks to the presence of a microhybridization system. A small electric motor (a 48V battery recovers energy during deceleration) helps smooth out revs and helps contain the amount of fuel consumed. However, emissions remain considerable. We like the smoothness of this engine as much as its ability to tow an even more substantial load than the 2.5L hybrid. The high output version (HO for High Output) is by far the most characteristic, but to get the best out of it, it is important to fill it with Super gasoline.
The originality of this model also lies in its architecture. Although it, in Canada at least, benefits from a four-wheel drive mode, this platform was initially designed to drive the rear wheels (propulsion). It also has the particularity of installing the mechanics in a longitudinal position in order to obtain an ideal distribution of masses, and contain body movements. All the ingredients necessary to preserve the cult – unfortunately disappearing – of car driving. The qualities of this chassis are, however, obscured by the weight of this model which is hardly lighter than the CX-90 and by the very poor grip of the original tires.
Triangulated suspension at the front and multi-link at the rear, the CX-70 has nothing to envy of those designed by the elite manufacturers that Mazda intends to join in the future. The steering is precise and not too heavy, except in low-speed maneuvers.
If we rely on the commercial success of the CX-90, it is not said that this will harm the career of the CX-70. However, the CX-90 is capable of accommodating more people on board and offers its keys at roughly equivalent prices. In fact, the smart purchase is to get a CX-90 GS (a variation not in the CX-70 catalog) and benefit from increased versatility for a lower cost than the CX-70.
