2026 Mazda CX-70: Green Brook Buyers Guide

Not the CX-90. Same bones, no third row

The CX-70 shares its rear-biased platform, its 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six, and its plug-in hybrid system with the three-row CX-90 — and it's easy to assume they're the same vehicle wearing two badges. They're not. Mazda built the CX-70 specifically for buyers who want the size, the power, and the road manners of the CX-90 without paying for or hauling around a third row nobody in a two-person or small-family household needs. It's a five-passenger SUV through and through, with up to 75.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats once the rear bench folds down. If you've been cross-shopping the CX-90 and keep landing on "we don't need seven seats," this is the guide for the vehicle you actually want.

Every 2026 CX-70 is all-wheel drive, leather, and an 8-speed automatic — no exceptions

There's no stripped-down base trim here. Every single 2026 CX-70, gas or plug-in hybrid, ships standard with i-ACTIV AWD, an 8-speed automatic, and leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats starting at the entry Turbo Preferred — equipment some competitors reserve for a mid-tier trim. Every configuration also gets a 12.3-inch center display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa Built-in, and the full i-Activsense safety suite: Cruising & Traffic Support, Smart Brake Support with front-crossing and turn-across-traffic detection, Road Keep Assist, Blind Spot Assist, and Vehicle Exit Warning. Both the CX-70 and the CX-70 PHEV earned a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award and a 5-Star NHTSA Overall Safety Rating — the whole lineup, not just the range-topper.

Two engines, one honest way to pick

The 3.3 Turbo line (Preferred, Premium, Premium Plus) runs the mild-hybrid 48V-assisted turbocharged inline-six at 280 hp and 332 lb-ft on regular 87 octane — strong, smooth, and tuned to run on the gas already in the tank. The 3.3 Turbo S line (Premium, Premium Plus) is the same engine block remapped for up to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft, but that peak number requires premium 93 octane; run a Turbo S on regular fuel and it's safe to drive, it just settles back to the same 280-hp output as the base Turbo. The PHEV line (SC, SC Plus) trades outright horsepower for a different kind of flexibility: up to 323 hp combined, 32 miles of EPA-estimated electric-only range for short trips and errands, and a plug-in system that can turn a Green Brook commute into mostly-electric driving without touching a gas pump. All three configurations tow — up to 5,000 lbs on the gas trims when properly equipped with the Genuine Mazda Tow Hitch, up to 3,500 lbs on the PHEV.

Pick your 2026 CX-70

What Green Brook buyers actually say

Empire Mazda of Green Brook's reviews are full of buyers who came in cross-shopping a bigger Mazda and left with exactly the right size for their household. Kevin Murphy described stopping by with his wife to trade her Kia Telluride for a Mazda from this same CX-70/CX-90 family: "Our salesman, Brandon, couldn't have been nicer. He was well versed in all the options and wasn't pushy at all. His manager, Victor, was my kind of guy — didn't play games with numbers, was very straightforward and easy to talk with." He added that the finance manager, Mateo, was "actually more accommodating than I've seen before." Prakash Kadaba, describing a visit to "Empire Mazda of Green Brook at 220 US-22, Green Brook, NJ," credited a similar trio — Justin, Victor, and Mateo — with a trade-in and purchase he called straightforward from walk-in to paperwork.

The service & repair guide covers what current owners say about keeping a CX-70 running once it's out of the showroom and onto Route 22.

Owning one on Route 22

Green Brook Township sits where I-287 meets Route 22, which means a CX-70 bought here is going to see plenty of highway miles from day one — on-ramp merges, stretches of 65-mph cruising, and the stop-and-crawl that Route 22 is locally known for at rush hour. That's exactly the kind of driving the 3.3-liter turbo-six was tuned for, and it's also exactly the kind of driving that shortens Mazda's recommended service interval if enough of it happens in short hops rather than long stretches. The service & repair guide covers the maintenance schedule, what central Jersey winters do to the undercarriage, and DIY answers to common Mazda questions. The pricing & leasing guide works through New Jersey's flat 6.625% sales tax, why the plug-in hybrid trims don't qualify for the state's zero-emission tax break, and current manufacturer offers.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 CX-70 a good SUV?

It earns its keep on exactly what it's built for: a smooth, strong 3.3-liter turbo-six shared with the larger CX-90, standard all-wheel drive and leather seating on every trim including the base, and a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ plus 5-Star NHTSA rating on both the gas and PHEV lines. Where it gives ground to some rivals is outright cargo and passenger room — it's a five-seat SUV competing in a segment where some shoppers default to assuming they need a third row, and if that's genuinely the case, the CX-90 is the right guide instead.

What is the difference between the 2026 Mazda CX-70 and CX-90?

Seating, mainly. The CX-90 is a three-row SUV that seats up to eight; the CX-70 is a two-row, five-passenger SUV on a closely related platform, with the same 3.3-liter turbo-six and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. If you don't need the third row, the CX-70 is the tighter, more focused version of the same underlying engineering.

What's new for the 2026 Mazda CX-70?

Both the CX-70 and CX-70 PHEV picked up a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award and a 5-Star NHTSA rating this model year. The plug-in hybrid trims were also renamed and repriced — they're now called SC and SC Plus (Select Choice), and industry coverage has reported the PHEV starting price dropping by over $10,000 compared with the prior model year's plug-in lineup.

Does the Mazda CX-70 require premium gas?

Only if you want the Turbo S line's rated peak output. The base 3.3 Turbo trims (Preferred, Premium, Premium Plus) are tuned for 280 hp on regular 87 octane. The Turbo S trims are the same engine remapped for up to 340 hp, but that figure needs premium 93 octane — running regular fuel in a Turbo S is safe, it just settles back to the same 280-hp output as the base Turbo line.

How much should I pay for a 2026 Mazda CX-70?

Start from the MSRP for the trim you want, add Mazda's $1,530 destination charge, then check what national and dealer-specific offers are live that month — 0% APR financing and customer-cash rebates rotate and can meaningfully change the real number. The pricing & leasing guide breaks down a full example and how New Jersey tax applies.

Seven trims, one lot to see them on

The trim guides below go deep on what separates each one, but the fastest way to actually decide between a Turbo Preferred and a loaded Turbo S Premium Plus is sitting in both. Empire Mazda of Green Brook keeps the current CX-70 lineup on the floor at 220 US-22, alongside its used and Mazda Certified Pre-Owned inventory.