The Big Three German luxury brands, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, have had a grip on the luxury market for decades. However, rivals have upped their game by offering more affordable alternatives over the last few years. For example, Mazda has been on the border between the mainstream and luxury segments.
Some models are more mainstream, such as the Mazda 3 sedan or hatchback’s lower trim levels, but the higher trims push what’s expected in the segment. Buyers might want an entry-level luxury SUV, so they look to the BMW X3. Not only does it cost more money in the long run, but the Mazda CX-70 has a top trim that’s more luxurious, more powerful, and not much more expensive.
All specs come directly from the manufacturers. Prices are correct at the time of writing, and exclude destination, options, incentives, taxes, and potential dealer fees. Automakers reserve the right to change prices at any time without notice.
Get More Power, More Features For Barely More Money
2025 Mazda CX-70 Front 3/4 Top TrimMazda
At their most basic, the CX-70 starts about eight grand lower than the X3 — even the most expensive CX-70 is ten grand less than the top X3 trim. That said, there are only two X3s to choose from: the 30 xDrive, and the M50 xDrive. The base model costs $51,300 before destination, and the M50 version starts at $66,500. The gap in performance between these two leaves room for buyers to desire something more, which is where we’d like to introduce the top CX-70 trim.
Mazda offers both a mild-hybrid inline-6 variant of the CX-70 and a plug-in hybrid that costs more. Focusing on the mild hybrid means choosing among five trim levels; the most basic model is the 3.3 Turbo Preferred, which starts at $42,750, then the 3.3 Turbo Premium and 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus both start below $50,000.
Mazda offers two Turbo S trim levels that come with 60 more horsepower than the regular models, plus every feature the CX-70 can be equipped with. The 3.3 Turbo S Premium starts at $53,440, and the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus starts at $56,870. So the most powerful and nearly best-equipped CX-70 trim is $2,140 more than the base model BMW X3, but we think it’s worth it.
The CX-70 Holds Far More Value Over Time
2025 Mazda CX-70 Premium Plus Gold Side AngleMazda
You might save a couple grand up front by choosing the X3, but depreciation means you’ll end up losing far more than you saved. Luxury cars usually don’t hold value well, with many models depreciating by around 45% to 50% after their first five years of service. That said, the BMW X3 follows that trend fairly closely. CarEdge data shows the X3 loses 54% of its value after five years on the road, giving it an average five-year-old used value of $27,986.
Mazda models tend to hold value better; the same source ranks Mazda fourth among popular brands, since its models hold an average of 59.7% of their value after half a decade. BMW ranks sixth among luxury brands, retaining an average of 50.1% of its value on average.
Keeping that in mind will put the CX-70’s depreciation into perspective. The midsize premium SUV loses only about 37% of its value over its first five years, leaving an average five-year resale value of $32,556. That makes spending an extra $2k on a CX-70 Turbo S Premium worthwhile, as long as you plan to keep the car for a few years.
Two Turbos Go Head-To-Head
2025 Mazda CX-70 Premium Plus Front View GrilleMazda
One of the biggest differences between the two SUVs is under the hood. We recognize that the CX-70 is technically a midsize SUV, while the X3 is a compact luxury SUV — that means the CX-70 needs a larger engine to push it around. However, its heavier curb weight (about 600 pounds more, which isn’t a massive difference for SUVs) doesn’t reduce its ride quality or handling.
Powering the CX-70 Turbo S Premium is a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-6 mild hybrid that makes 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. It sends that power to all four wheels as standard through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Independent testing shows the model can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in about 6.5 seconds before reaching a limited top speed of 130 mph. The EPA estimates its fuel economy to reach 23/28/25 mpg city/highway/combined, and Mazda rates the CX-70’s towing capacity at 5,000 pounds.
The latest X3 is less inspiring. We had a chance to drive the 2025 base model, the X3 30 xDrive, on which our road tester had this to say:
“The four-cylinder BMW X3 is unimpressive when it comes to driving. The engine is primarily responsible for this. It’s fairly noisy, and the sound is nasal. It makes the X3 feel slower and more burdened than its claimed 6.0-second time to 60 mph would suggest.”
– Joel Stocksdale, Motor Journalist, CarBuzz (2025 BMW X3 Drive Review)
While the M50 variant comes with a more powerful six-cylinder engine, the four-cylinder X3 more closely matches the CX-70’s price tag. Powering all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. BMW claims it can sprint to 60 mph in six seconds and reach a limited 130-mph top speed, but our road tester feels as though a 6-second 0-60 mph time isn’t the most accurate.
He also notes that the automatic transmission doesn’t shift as quickly or as smoothly as other BMWs, and accelerating from a stop can feel hesitant. One advantage to using a smaller engine is fuel economy, though, since the EPA estimates the X3 30 xDrive returns 27/33/29 mpg.
CX-70 Vs X3 Maintenance Costs And Reliability
2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus Black/Red Interior Front CabinMazda
Not only will the X3 lose money over time through depreciation, but you’ll also end up paying far more to maintain it during your ownership. According to CarEdge, the CX-70 costs an average of $2,649 to maintain over its first five years on the road, which accounts for only 5% of the model’s total ownership costs; the other factors are depreciation, insurance, fuel, and interest.
The X3, on the other hand, would cost buyers more than double that. CarEdge data shows X3 owners spend $5,912 on maintenance and repairs over five years. It’s technically less than the average luxury SUV by $548, but buyers who are weighing options between this and the CX-70 have an obvious correct choice. The same source explains how the X3 has a 26.37% chance of needing a major repair (a repair that costs $500 or more) in that timeframe, which is 5.82% worse than similar vehicles in its segment.
Of course, the CX-70’s maintenance costs are just estimates based on current data, since the model only debuted in the 2025 model year. We can use data from the 2024 CX-90 to support it, since it’s the earliest use case of the model’s 3.3-liter turbo I6.
So far, the NHTSA records four recalls affecting the 2025 CX-70. One strictly affects the PHEV variant, and the other three pertain to software issues that were solved with simple updates free of charge. The 2025 BMW X3, on the other hand, is currently affected by nine recalls. There are more physical issues than electrical, with recalls pertaining to unintended steering wheel movement, damaged front disc brakes, a loose starter-generator electrical connection, a loss of rear brake function, and more.
Mazda’s Interior Is More Luxurious Than You Think
2025 Mazda CX-70 Interior view of the front seats in redMazda
It’s easy to imagine BMW as being more luxurious than Mazda. Mazda isn’t exactly known for high luxury, while BMW has decades of history in the segment. However, the CX-70 Turbo S Premium is just as nice, if not more premium than the X3 30 xDrive. Our road tester found the X3’s interior one of its best features — particularly the front seats. Joel Stocksdale explains: “They’re extremely supportive with good lumbar adjustment, bolstering, and adjustable thigh support. The rear seats aren’t quite as remarkable, but they’re well-sculpted and have good leg and headroom, just like the front seats.”
Mazda offers much more in standard interior comfort features. It starts with quilted Nappa leather upholstery, then hits hard with standard heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, retractable second-row window shades, and much more. A 12-speaker Bose audio system is also standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and more.
Sometimes Spending More Is Worthwhile
2025 Mazda CX-70 Premium Plus Gold Rear AngleMazda
Yes, you have to stretch your budget by a couple thousand to afford the CX-70 3.3 Turbo S Premium, but it’s more than worthwhile if your other option is a BMW X3. If budget isn’t your concern and you would prefer the X3 M50 xDrive, then you might end up with a more engaging driving experience and more power. That said, we don’t feel as though the shift is worth paying thousands more in maintenance, nor is it worth losing thousands more to depreciation.
Sources: BMW, Mazda, CarEdge, NHTSA, EPA
