New 2024 Mazda CX-70 is a ‘crystal ball thing’

Despite a substantial buying audience not being guaranteed, Mazda Australia is willing to take a punt on the all-new 2024 Mazda CX-70 large SUV revealed globally yesterday.

A five-seat version of the Mazda CX-90 seven-seater with its third row removed and replaced by extra luggage space, the CX-70 is expected on sale here by the end of 2024.

It is Mazda’s first five-seat large family SUV and therefore will become the flagship model of that type in Australia, sitting above the Mazda CX-3, CX-30, CX-5 and freshly-launched CX-60.

Australia is the only significant Mazda market where the CX-70 will be sold alongside the CX-90, the CX-60 and forthcoming three-row spin-off of the latter, the CX-80, which is also expected in 2024.

All four SUVs are part of the new Mazda Large Product (MLP) group and drive the upmarket Mazda Premium strategy.

There’s been no pricing revealed for the CX-70 as yet, but it will come in a range of models and sit with CX-80 across the upper levels of CX-60 – which is priced from $60,400 to $86,100 (plus on-road costs) – and the lower levels of CX-90, which starts at $74,400 and tops out at $100,935 plus ORCs.

Of all four, Mazda Australia admits the CX-70 was the toughest business case to successfully develop and local executives are predicting only niche sales.

“This is a little bit of a crystal ball thing we are trying in the market,” admitted Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi.

“If it hits the mark then we can get more [supply], but if it lands where we think and it is a smaller opportunity than the other three [MLP models], great.

“As long as the customer walks away with a Mazda, we’re happy.”

The minimal level of styling differentiation between the CX-70 and CX-90 has been widely commented on since the reveal. US magazine ‘Car and Driver’ even published an opinion piece titled: ‘We Think Mazda Is Trolling Us with the CX-70’.

Apart from detail changes such as dark rather than chrome trimmings, a revised front bumper with inserts, a honeycomb grille and two new 21-inch alloy wheel designs, the cab-back exterior appears be the same as the CX-90.

Suggestions the CX-70 would adopt a swoopier, more coupe-style roofline than the CX-90 (think BMX X5 versus X6) have not been borne out.

Inside, the CX-70 is offered with Burgundy interior trim highlights, but otherwise appears similar to the basic themes of the CX-60 and CX-90.

But Mazda Australia insists it is unphased by both the lack of design differences and the change of name. The theory is the CX-90 is oriented toward families while the CX-70 will appeal more to couples.

“As a five-seater it will appeal more to empty-nesters and people who still want the space and also just that reward in life,” said Mazda Australia marketing chief Alastair Doak.

“So if you want the flagship and some people default to that, then we have another option for them. We are expanding our range, so 60 may not be big enough for them.

“They still want more space, but they don’t want to be seen to be buying a three-row and not using the third row.

“It’s potentially a small market, who knows? … But it’s an opportunity to offer it, it’s an opportunity to expand our range and talk to some new customers or keep some existing customers and give them somewhere else to go.”

North America is the home market for the CX-70 and Doak said the decision to give it a separate badge to CX-90 was made there.

“We are comfortable either way,” he said. “We are absolutely comfortable it’s got a different nameplate – no worries at all.”

Unlike the US iteration of CX-70, the Australian version will have access to the new 3.3-litre mild-hybrid turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder engine as well as its petrol sibling.

All models will be all-wheel drive.

However, no decision has yet been made on the plug-in hybrid powertrain the US gets. It is sold here in CX-60 and due in CX-90 at some point in the future.

While little technical detail has been confirmed about the CX-70, it does upgrade its diesel braked towing capacity from 2000kg to 2500kg, matching the petrol. That’s 500kg more than the diesel CX-60 and CX-90 manage.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au