The little Japanese automaker is still selling passenger cars like the severely underrated Mazda3, but it knew when to go big on crossovers and SUVs to maintain the sales momentum.
For example, the company made the 2025 Mazda3 model cheaper by adding the entry-level 2.5 S trim level for the hatchback. However, during its May Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) report, the automaker once again highlighted the importance of the CX series of crossover SUVs. For example, the CX-30, CX-50, and CX-90 had their best May sales ever, and January through May sales are up 8.3% compared to the same period last year to almost 167k units.
Additionally, the CX-30 was up year-to-date by over 39%, the CX-50 surged almost 53%, and the CX-90 skyrocketed to no less than 435.5%! Only the CX-5 dropped by 13.5% during the period, showing advanced signs of fatigue – but it's still the company's best-selling nameplate with over 58k units.
As such, it is no wonder that Mazda isn't in any hurry to invest big money into a fresh MX-5 Miata when the little roadster loses 30% of its sales from one year to the other while the crossover and SUV sectors are thriving. Indeed, now the Japanese brand has on sale the CX-30 starting from $25k, the CX-5 kicking off at $29,300, and the CX-50 is just $1k more, plus the fresh set of CX-70 and CX-90 siblings.
They're both produced on the same new RWD and all-wheel drive architecture dubbed the Large Product Group (which in other parts of the world is represented by the CX-60 and CX-80 couple) with a longitudinal engine layout and serve as direct replacements of the previous Mazda CX-9. Suppose you ask about the differences between them. In that case, the CX-90 and CX-70 have mostly the same bodywork, design, length, and engine options – a 3.3-liter turbo inline-six that's good for 280 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque plus a PHEV option with a 2.5-liter inline-four and 68 kW electric motor delivering a combined power of 323 horsepower.
However, the CX-90 has three rows of seats while the CX-70 has only two – and that's about it as far as ways to differentiate them. Curiously, though, we have one more detail to speak of: pricing. Astonishingly, the more practical three-row CX-90 starts from $37,845 for the 2024MY, whereas the 2025MY CX-70 is more expensive, kicking off at $40,445. The same situation is valid for the PHEV models, as the electrified 2024 CX-90 starts at less than $50k while the CX-70 PHEV costs $54,400.
Alas, that doesn't mean folks won't ask for an even fancier Mazda, it seems – at least across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. As such, here are the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube, who have unofficially imagined the CGI looks of the unrevealed and unannounced Mazda CX-70 Coupe as a potential near-premium rival of the ubiquitous BMW X6. So, what do you think?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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