Mazda has managed to pull off an interesting trick with its CX-70. This mid-size SUV carries the sort of hardware that you’d normally find in a more luxurious vehicle that retails for a higher price, and it has enough towing capacity to edge out a BMW X3 M50. The CX-70 also features a turbocharged inline six, a longitudinal engine layout, and rear-biased all-wheel drive set-up, to give it plenty of confidence on the road, while still coming in at almost $17,000 less than the Bimmer.
Consumers are wondering how Mazda is effectively able to offer buyers a bigger SUV with some very premium mechanical ingredients, and more towing capacity for less money than smaller luxury rivals.
Mazda Built Something That Doesn’t Fit The Usual Segment Boxes
2025 Mazda CX-70 Gray FrontIan Wright / CarBuzz / Valnet
2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo S Premium
Engine
3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six with 48V mild-hybrid
Transmission
Eight-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Rear-biased i-Activ AWD
Power
340 hp
Torque
369 lb-ft
The Mazda CX-70 is the company’s largest and most spacious two-row crossover and is closely related to the three-row CX-90. Effectively, it shares the same basic large platform as that CX-90, as well as the powertrain family. Typically, CX-70 shoppers would look at other options in the premium mid-size category, but there again, this vehicle’s mechanical specification reaches beyond what they would normally expect in this segment. And Mazda’s trump card here is that it’s able to interest shoppers who may otherwise be looking at luxury SUVs like the BMW X3 M50 or the Genesis GV70.
Certainly, there’s no direct comparison with the X3 and GV70 in terms of size, as the CX-70 is much larger than those two other vehicles. But the CX-70 does have more road presence and cargo capacity than those other two and is able to tow more than both as well. For buyers, it effectively represents something physically larger and mechanically unusual for far less money than the competition. After all, a CX-70 Turbo S Premium is $53,905, but a well-equipped X3 M50 is $70,825.
The 5,000-lb Tow Rating Is The Number That Changes The Comparison
2025 Mazda CX-70 tow hitchMazda USA
When buyers fit the proper Mazda towing hardware and use the appropriate towing mode, a CX-70 Turbo or Turbo S version can tow up to 5,000 lbs. That’s a genuinely good capability for many everyday users and comes in front of both the BMW and the Genesis in that regard. The X3 M50 does come close, with its official maximum of 4,850 lbs when buyers equip it with its factory-installed trailer hitch. But the Genesis GV70 is a lot further down, at 3,500 lbs with trailer brakes.
The overall size of the CX-70 may have a lot to do with that towing argument. After all, a 201-inch mid-size SUV probably should be able to tow more than a compact crossover that’s (in the case of the X3) around 15 inches shorter. But there again, that capability seems even more relevant if you consider that this capable vehicle still costs $17,000 less than the X3 example.
Mazda Has Put Some Effort Into This Towing Story
2025 Mazda CX-70Mazda
That 5,000-lb figure is more than just a headline number, as when drivers select “towing” mode, this also alters the vehicle’s control strategy. Mazda also includes Trailer Stability Assist features, while the Trailer Hitch View helps the driver to line up the vehicle with their boat or car trailer.
Of course, a manufacturer’s maximum tow rating isn’t exactly the same thing as actual real-world performance, and much will depend on the situation. The hitch weight, optional equipment, passenger count, and cargo load can all reduce available capacity. Cooling, braking, trailer configuration, and the type of towing also come into the picture.
But the CX-70 is still far ahead of the GV70, even with those qualifications. And this means that the Mazda’s 5,000-lb limit can give owners a lot more flexibility and more options when it comes to campers, large boats, or recreational trailers, while still retaining the road manners of a premium-oriented two-row SUV.
The Inline-Six Architecture Makes The Mazda Feel Different
Mazda e-Skyactiv G 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six powertrainMazda
Tow ratings may be one significant part of the story, but there’s also another tale to tell when it comes to the CX-70’s underlying architecture. Here, Mazda has included something that looks far more like a German premium counterpart than the usual mechanical formula you typically find in mainstream crossovers. The Turbo S has a 3.3-liter turbo inline-six, assisted by a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which can produce 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque when using the recommended premium fuel. Power flows through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the standard rear-biased all-wheel drive.
Many mainstream crossovers feature transverse engines and front-wheel drive platforms, even if they do have all-wheel drive as well, but Mazda chose a different path and mounted the CX-70’s engine longitudinally instead. The company also developed the platform to perform best with that rear-biased power delivery. And all of this should help transform the driving character of this vehicle and go much further than just an impressive specification sheet.
In addition, Mazda has also included its Kinematic Posture Control, a technology it originally introduced on the MX-5 Miata. This system applies a small amount of braking effort to help suppress body lift in tighter corners, leading to a more stable posture. Some reviewers praise this system and how it helps with the CX-70’s steering, weight, body control, and delivers an unusually engaging character for such a relatively large SUV.
Performance-wise, the CX-70 Turbo S takes about 6.2 seconds to get to 60 mph, and this is where any comparisons with the BMW fall away quickly. After all, the Mazda is not remotely as quick as the X3 M50, which gets to the same 60-mph threshold in just 4.4 seconds.
But outright speed is not necessarily the point, as the CX-70 has some mechanical ingredients that you’d normally only find aboard more expensive and performance-oriented SUVs. You have to consider its six cylinders laid out in a straight line, that longitudinal powertrain, rear-biased AWD, and special chassis tuning to understand the difference. In essence, the total hardware package is central to why the price comparison stands out so much.
BMW And Genesis Still Win Some Important Battles
2025 BMW X3 M50BMW
Shoppers who may be looking at the CX-70 alongside the X3 M50 and GV70 still need to understand the limits of the Mazda. As mentioned, the X3 M50 is dramatically faster due to its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six and 48-volt mild hybrid system, producing 393 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. The BMW is also much smaller for those who may want something easier to use in the city or regularly fiddle around with tight parking spots. So, the Mazda’s greater size may only add value if the owner actually wants that extra capacity.
Related
Mazda’s $40K Inline-Six Crossover Embarrasses Its Downsized BMW And Mercedes Rivals
While rivals downsize to four-cylinders, Mazda’s CX-70 fights back with an inline-six — and delivers more car for the money.
Meanwhile, the Genesis GV70 3.5T produces 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbo V6, which also places it ahead of the Mazda. This vehicle can get to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and is perhaps more of a luxury choice. It also has available Nappa leather and an interior design that Genesis carefully created so that the GV70 could compete directly with premium brands.
Of course, the Mazda badge does not sit in the same hierarchy as BMW or Genesis either, and that can have a bearing on consumer choice too. But overall, it would be unfair to say that the CX-70 is just a cheaper substitute that tries to duplicate everything some luxury rivals can do. Instead, it presents a different proposition, leaning on size, towing, mechanical sophistication, and driving character, rather than outright speed or badge prestige.
The Price Gap Is The Payoff
2025 Mazda CX-70 Interior instrument clusterMazda
A price difference of $17,000 is a nice round number, but an actual cost comparison will depend on several factors. And buyers certainly won’t discover a universal fixed variance between every CX-70 Turbo S and every X3 M50. Different options may start to change the calculation in one way or another, especially when it comes to towing equipment, where a relevant towing package or factory-installed hitch may come with a financial cost. But the headline does represent the difference between a 2025 CX-70 Turbo S Premium at almost $54k, and a well-optioned BMW X3 M50 at almost $71k.
Related
Mazda’s New Inline-Six SUV Is A Proper BMW X5 Rival For $25,000 Less
For many premium SUV shoppers, the badge on the front is everything. But for savvy shoppers, Mazda’s CX-90 matches those for far less money.
And the same applies to any comparison with the GV70, where the difference in price and towing capacity is even more stark. After all, a 2026 GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige sells for $72,225, which is $18,000 more than the Mazda. Once again, this is faster, more compact, more powerful, and arguably more luxurious, but it’s nowhere near as competent as the CX-70 when it comes to tow ratings.
Shoppers will quickly learn in any cross-comparison that the BMW will still win decisively on speed. They may also find that the Genesis will give them more power and a stronger luxury identity, and both will be easier to maneuver. But the Mazda can still stand tall based on offering more capacity, a genuinely interesting rear-biased inline-six engineering setup, that 5,000-lb rating, and a substantially lower price.
And for some shoppers, that combination may win the argument, especially if they care more about what their SUV can do rather than the badge on its hood.
Sources: Mazda, Genesis, BMW.
