Mazda CX-70 vs. CX-90: What is the Difference?

If you are walking through a Mazda showroom and feel like you are seeing double, you aren’t alone. The release of the Mazda CX-70 caused confusion among automotive enthusiasts and buyers alike because it looks nearly identical to the existing CX-90. While they share a platform and most of their parts, there are distinct packaging and aesthetic differences designed to target different types of drivers.

The Strategy: Why Do They Look the Same?

To understand the difference between these two SUVs, you first have to understand Mazda’s manufacturing strategy. In the past, a lower number usually meant a physically smaller vehicle. For example, the CX-5 is noticeably smaller than the CX-9. However, the CX-70 and CX-90 break this rule.

Both vehicles ride on the exact same platform. They have the same 122.8-inch wheelbase and, surprisingly, the exact same overall length of approximately 201 inches.

Mazda chose this route to save on development costs while catering to the American appetite for “big” vehicles. Rather than engineering a shorter, narrower two-row SUV (like the CX-60 sold in Europe), Mazda took their largest vehicle, the CX-90, and removed the third row of seats to create the CX-70. This allows them to offer a massive two-row vehicle without building a new car from scratch.

Exterior Differences: Spotting the Clues

While the sheet metal is shared, Mazda’s designers applied specific cosmetic changes to give each model a unique “vibe.”

The CX-90: Refined Luxury

The CX-90 is positioned as the sophisticated family hauler.

  • Chrome Accents: It features significant chrome trim around the windows, on the rocker panels, and on the front bumper.
  • Grille: The front grille uses a vertical slat design, often associated with luxury brands like Buick or Mercedes-Maybach.
  • Body Color: The wheel arches generally match the body color on higher trims, giving it a unified, premium look.

The CX-70: Sporty Aggression

The CX-70 targets empty nesters or younger couples who want a sportier aesthetic.

  • Blacked-Out Trim: Instead of chrome, the CX-70 uses gloss black finish on the mirrors, door handles, roof rails, and window surrounds.
  • Grille: It uses a honeycomb mesh grille design, which is visually distinct from the vertical slats of the 90.
  • Bumper Design: The front bumper features larger, simulated air intakes with a mesh pattern to emphasize width and aggression.

Interior and Cargo: The Real Separator

The most functional difference lies inside the cabin.

Seating Configuration

  • CX-90: This is a three-row vehicle. It can seat up to eight passengers with a second-row bench, or seven passengers if you opt for captain’s chairs. It is designed for carpools and larger families.
  • CX-70: This is strictly a two-row vehicle, seating a maximum of five people.

Cargo Space Because the CX-70 removes the third row, it does not gain extra legroom for the second row; the passenger dimensions are identical. However, it gains utility in the trunk.

  • Underfloor Storage: In the CX-90, the third-row seats fold into the floor. In the CX-70, that space is converted into a large, hidden underfloor storage layout. This includes partitioned organizers perfect for hiding valuables, laptops, or emergency gear.
  • Cargo Capacity: With the second row folded flat, both vehicles offer roughly 75 cubic feet of space. However, the CX-70 offers a remote fold-down feature for the rear seats located in the cargo area, a convenience feature not found on all CX-90 trims.

Interior Colors To further differentiate the two, Mazda offers a “Red Nappa Leather” interior option exclusive to the CX-70. This leans into the sportier marketing of the two-row model.

Powertrains and Performance

Under the hood, these two vehicles are effectively clones. There is no mechanical advantage to choosing one over the other. Both offer three distinct powertrain outputs based on the same two engine architectures:

  1. Turbo Inline-6 (Standard Output): A 3.3-liter engine producing 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque.
  2. Turbo Inline-6 (High Output): The same engine tuned to produce 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque (requires premium fuel).
  3. PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid): A 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor, delivering 323 horsepower and roughly 26 miles of all-electric driving range.

Both vehicles use an 8-speed automatic transmission (without a torque converter) and come standard with rear-biased All-Wheel Drive. Because the weight difference is negligible, fuel economy is effectively the same, rated at roughly 25 MPG combined for the mild-hybrid inline-six models.

Pricing and Value Proposition

This is where the strategy becomes strange for many buyers. Typically, a two-row version of a car is significantly cheaper than the three-row version. With Mazda, the pricing is nearly identical.

When the CX-70 launched, Mazda priced it parallel to the CX-90. For example, a mid-tier CX-70 Turbo Premium costs almost exactly the same as a CX-90 Turbo Premium.

The Verdict on Value:

  • Buy the CX-90 if: You want maximum flexibility. Even if you rarely use the third row, having it folded down gives you the same cargo space as the CX-70. You lose the underfloor storage bins, but you gain the ability to carry three extra people in a pinch.
  • Buy the CX-70 if: You absolutely hate the look of chrome and prefer the blacked-out “Sport” aesthetic, or if you strictly never carry more than four passengers and value hidden storage over seating capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mazda CX-70 shorter than the CX-90? No. Both vehicles are essentially the same length (approx. 201 inches) and share the same wheelbase. The CX-70 is not a smaller version; it is just a version with fewer seats.

Can I install a third row in a CX-70 later? No. While the chassis is the same, the mounting points, seatbelts, and interior trim required for the third row are not present in the CX-70.

Does the CX-70 have more legroom than the CX-90? No. The second-row legroom is identical in both vehicles. Mazda did not push the second row back in the CX-70; they simply left the space behind it empty for cargo.

Which model is faster? They perform identically. Since they share engines, transmissions, and aerodynamics, 0-60 times are roughly 6.5 seconds for the base engine and roughly 5.8 seconds for the high-output Turbo S in both models.