The two-row Mazda CX-70 is going away – but only in name, to simplify its line-up, the automaker’s CEO told Headlight.News. Going forward, Mazda will add a two-row version of its top-trim CX-90 now available only in a three-row configuration.
The 2027 Mazda CX-90 will now be available in two and three-row configurations.
Mazda wants to keep things simple. As part of the process, it’s dropping the CX-70, a two-row alternative to the flagship CX-90 crossover for the 2027 model year.
That doesn’t mean buyers either have to downsize or switch to the three-row CX-90, however. Going forward, they will have two seating configurations of the flagship model to choose from: now including a two-row option.
“I wouldn’t characterize it as ‘getting rid of’” the CX-70, Tom Donnelly, the president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, told Headlight.News. “I would say we’re incorporating it. We’re simplifying the lineup to one model,” based on feedback from shoppers and dealers.
The name game
The CX-70 generated far fewer sales than the three-row CX-90, possibly due to buyer confusion.
Mazda has been gaining momentum over the last several years with an updated line-up and wants to keep that going as it pushes for U.S. sales to reach 500,000 a year. It delivered 410,346 vehicles in 2025.
To get there it will add new technologies, including a homegrown hybrid system. But it also wants to clear up any confusion about its model line-up.
One concern is that the name, CX-70, suggests the two-row crossover is smaller or less luxurious than the brand’s top-trim CX-90. The new approach for 2027, offering two and three-row versions of the flagship, is meant to end any confusion, according to the automaker.
What’s new
You’ll now be able to get a two-row option with CX-90, just like this CX-70 package.
The name change might be the headline but Mazda will make a number of other more subtle tweaks to the CX-90 for the 2027 model year, including revisions to the suspension, along with the addition of more standard features on various trims.
CX-90 will continue to be offered with a choice of electrified powertrains: a mild hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, both based on automaker’s 3.3-liter gas engine. The PHEV accomplishes several things, delivering both better mileage and improved performance over the MHEV drivetrain. It also is rated at 27 miles range in all-electric mode.
While the automaker’s sales are down slightly for the full year, demand rose 31.9% last month, making it the brand’s best September ever. That was driven by the roll-out of the updated CX-50, thought demand remains strong for the CX-90. The flagship three-row crossover generated 34,999 sales during the first nine months of this year, compared to just 9,686 for the two-row CX-70.
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Added equipment
For 2027, all versions of CX-90 will deliver a smoother ride, Mazda claims, thanks to revisions to the rear suspension.
Other upgrades to standard features vary by trim. The CX-90 Turbo Preferred, for example, adds Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant and standard roof rails. The top-line Premium Plus also gets standard over-the-air updates and online navigation with traffic updates. Even base models get larger wheels, improved upholstery and larger infotainment displays. Meanwhile, several new exterior colors are being added to the 2027 palette, including Navy Blue Mica and, for the new two-row CX-90, Melting Copper Metalic.
Might Mazda eventually revive the CX-70 badge with a model falling in-between CX-50 and CX-90 in size and features? “I would say (it’s) unlikely at this point,” Donnelly told Headlight.News.
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