The Mazda CX-70 SUV is big. Big length at nearly 17 feet. Big weight of 4,863 pounds.
Big 21-inch wheels. Big panoramic roof. Big as sibling CX-90 because CX-70 just means it has two rows compared with the 90's three.
Yet CX-70 still thinks it's a wee Miata sportscar. Braking into a cloverleaf turn, the 2 1⁄2-tonner rotated with minimal body roll. The big, leather-wrapped wheel in my hands felt rooted to the ground — encouraging me to feed more throttle until the tires began to squeal in protest.
On exit, the silky, inline-6 engine roared with delight as I merged into traffic. Yup, it's a Mazda. Size and value Mazda's latest ute has big ambitions to go with its big proportions.
From its roots as a "zoom zoom" sportscar and sedan company, Mazda has transitioned to a premium SUV maker with offerings in the compact and midsize segments . A nd the CX-70 (as well as the three-row CX-90) offers one of the industry's best values. Along with that Miata DNA in the handling department, the CX-70 comes loaded with standard features starting at $41,700: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control .
Jump up to my tester's Premium trim, and you'll get 21-inch wheels, a pa-no-roof and a head-up display. Yet, the Premium CX-70 is still an impressive $47,335 — $24,000 less than a comparably equipped BMW X5 XDrive 40i. A few downs.