2025 Mazda CX-70 Plug-in Hybrid

Most Mazdas are affordable, fun to drive, and look good inside and out. Many of its crossovers, SUVs, and sedans have earned Consumer Reports’ recommendations and above-average reliability ratings. Used Mazdas are usually a good option for an affordable pre-owned car. Mazda’s two- and three-row SUVs, identified by CX in the name, are consistently near the top of our ratings. Some Mazdas are available as plug-in hybrids that are capable of useful amounts of electric-only driving range. Most Mazdas achieve solid, but not exceptional fuel economy. Though sports cars are less popular now than decades before, Mazda still sells the MX-5 Miata, one of the best of the few remaining enthusiast cars.

Think of the new CX-70 as a five-passenger version of the CX-90. Like the CX-90, it uses a rear-wheel-drive-based platform with standard all-wheel drive. The standard engine is a 280-hp, 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six that incorporates a mild-hybrid setup. A more potent 340-hp Turbo S and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with an EPA estimated EV range of 26 miles are available. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. We got 23 mpg overall with the CX-90 PHEV when in hybrid mode, 1 mpg less than the standard engine. Expect athletic handling, confident steering and brake pedal feel and a firm ride from the CX-70. The front seats are supportive, the second row is roomy and comfortable and the cargo area is immense. Fit and finish, particularly on upper trim levels, is swanky. Some of the controls, including the gear selector, are unintuitive.