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Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang2024 Toyota Highlander vs Mazda CX-70
The Toyota Highlander faces some tough competition against the Mazda CX-70. We compare the two to see which is the better family SUV.
SUVs Worth Investing In
Let’s paint the scene for you. You’ve got a down payment saved up to put money down on a swanky new ride for your family. You know this SUV has to endure soccer practices and school runs day in and day out. It also has to have enough features and gizmos to satisfy the kids as much as the parents. You’ve narrowed it down to two choices: the Mazda CX-70 and the Toyota Highlander. But now what? How do you pick between the two? Either way, you’ll be spending at least $40 grand by the time it’s said and done. That’s regardless of the choice you make, meaning a family SUV is a big investment.
Specs
The Highlander has utterly dominated its market segment for decades now. Perhaps only the mighty Ford Explorer is on American roads in larger numbers than the modern Highlander. That means there’s room for competition, and Mazda’s CX-70 is ready to compete in this segment.
The Mazda CX-70 shares the same unibody frame, body panels, and drivetrain packages as its three-row cousin, the CX-90. This includes the same 3.3-liter inline-six turbo mild-hybrid powertrain with electric motor assistance. That nets you between 280 and 340 horsepower. Not bad for a grocery hauler, and easily enough to overtake traffic on road trips. The CX-70 also offers a plug-in hybrid variant that comes equipped with a 2.5-liter engine paired with an electric motor which manages 26 miles of electric range and 56 MPGe combined.
In the engine department, the 2025 Highlander ICE rocks a 2.4-liter turbo four-pot making 265 horsepower, or 15 less than the lowest-equipped CX-70. Meanwhile, the tri-motor hybrid-electric Highlander only jets 243 horses. From a features point of view, there’s not much at all separating the CX-70 and Highlander.
For a family of five to choose between them, we’ll need to look at some finer details. Firstly, a combined 25 MPG out of the straight-six CX-70 isn’t going to impress anyone. Even so, the non-hybrid Highlander is just as bad in that department. It’s only when you marvel at the Highlander Hybrid’s 36 combined MPGs and the CX-70’s staggering 56 MPGe that owning one starts to look like a good investment for your family.
Driving and Performance
Both vehicles can tow up to 5,000 lbs in their most burly trim packages and both use eight-speed automatic transmissions in their non-hybrid outfits. Admittedly, reports have come in recently that the CX-70’s all-wheel-drive would much prefer you stay on paved tarmac 100 percent of the time. An affliction that also applies somewhat to the current Highlander, but at least you get a trail mode knob in the cabin to change the AWD settings for adverse off-road conditions.
Will it matter to the average family that might never even drive a Highlander or CX-70 across a grassy field? Nope, not one bit. But on the off chance, your family chooses a camping trip over a trip to Disney, it’s safe to say the Highlander is the better bet. Whether it’s the Mazda or the Toyota, you’re getting the same 36,000 mile/three-year basic and 60,000-mile/five-year powertrain.
Comfort and Interior
In almost every possible way, the CX-70 and the Highlander parry each other’s weak points and strong points with remarkable similarity. From the size of the center nav screens to the color options inside and out, plus enough interior USB ports for the whole family. The features are all within striking distance of one another regardless of whether you pick the Mazda or the Toyota.
The Highlander celebrates its 25th anniversary late next year. To celebrate, Toyota’s going all out with a limited 25th Edition Highlander. It comes complete with Portobello leather seats, a JBL premium sound system, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge display to match the CX-70’s. Higher trim levels come equipped with the same screen, while lower trim levels come equipped with a 7- or 8-inch screen. Throughout the lineup, seating is well equipped and has enough room for three adults to sit comfortability in the second row. The spartan third row of seating in a Highlander is a bit more of a tight fit. So, you either put a very small child in that back row or keep it folded away for the life of the vehicle.
The CX-70 harkens back to Mazda’s long-lost Amati luxury brand. Against competition from a Toyota SUV, this extra-premium feel about the CX-70 makes itself distinguished in its sector through sheer relentless refinement. That prominent 12.3-inch center infotainment screen stands like a monolith on the dashboard while optional Napa leather seats hug your body with all the comfort of a luxury SUV that costs much more.
Elsewhere, the CX-70 manages 39.4 inches of rear legroom to the Highlander’s 38.7 inches. While the CX-70 can carry 75.3 cu-ft in the trunk with the rear seats folded to the Toyota’s 84.3 cu-ft.
Trims and Features
The Toyota Highlander comes in five trim levels: LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum, all offering some of the best bang-for-buck feature packs on any North American mid-sized SUV. The $40,970 MSRP starting price is on par with its Mazda counterpart. As is Wi-Fi and smartphone connectivity, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and 12.3-inch infotainment system on the range-topping Highlander Platinum. The higher-level Limited and Platinum trims offer leather seating and a choice of captain’s chairs or a bench seat in the second row.
The CX-70 also comes with five available trims starting at $40,445 and stretching to $55,950, there’s enough variety in the interior seat coverings and technological gizmos to make the CX-70 feel premium. We found a particular intrigue with the Turbo Premium and Turbo Premium Plus trims ($45,900/$48,900). Their standard 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, power lift gate, heads-up display and 12-speaker Bose sound system go a long way toward making this middle-of-the-road-priced SUV and make it feel premium. Apart from a few trinkets and extra trim pieces on the Turbo S Premium and Turbo S Premium plus, you really do get the full package in the middle of the range.
The Verdict
In truth, there’s so little separating the Mazda CX-70 and Toyota Highlander that the choice you make will likely come down to whatever bias you have in favor of, or against, either brand. Even with a few high-profile recalls lately, Toyota continues to maintain the squeakiest image in the business as far as reliability and practicality go.
Granted, Mazda isn’t too far behind, but it’ll be nothing short of fascinating to see how these machines fair over time. Will modern Highlanders be on American roads long after all the CX-70s have broken down? If the last 35 years of automotive history are anything to go by, there’s certainly past precedence for this happening.
Still, it’s a brave new world out there. One where Mazda is basically on par with Toyota in terms of refinement. Whichever side you choose, you’ll be driving an SUV your family should be able to rely on for many years. When it comes to making a decision, we’d pick the Toyota Highlander. That’s no slight against Mazda. They brought a real juggernaut to the table, but Toyota has an industry-leading reputation that’s hard to beat.
