- Mazda’s line-up of four SUVs is confusing, particularly in Australia, where all of them are available.
- The company debated whether the CX-60 and CX-70 should have a more coupe-like design.
- Mazda North America pushed for the 5-seat CX-70 and 7-seat CX-90 to share the same wheelbase.
Line up the Mazda CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re staring at quadruplets dressed for a family photo. As it turns out, those similarities aren’t mere coincidence—they’re the result of fierce internal debates within the company.
According to one of the engineers, the Japanese marque wrestled with a tough decision: should each model have its own distinct personality, or should they stick with the cohesive (if slightly repetitive and cookie-cutter) family resemblance that defines the lineup today? Ultimately, Mazda leaned into uniformity, favoring a unified look across its SUV range.
The SUV Lineup Breakdown
For the uninitiated, here’s how Mazda’s lineup breaks down: the CX-60, sold in Europe, Japan, Australia, and several other markets (but not in the U.S.), serves as the entry point, offered exclusively as a five-seater. Its larger sibling, the newly launched CX-80—available in the same regions—adds a third row, bringing seating capacity up to seven.
The CX-90, which is sold in North America too, also accommodates seven passengers, while the CX-70 provides a five-seat configuration, effectively trimming the CX-90’s seating capacity. Confused yet? You’re not alone.
A Coupe-SUV Was Under Consideration
While recently speaking with Car Sales, Mazda’s development program manager for the CX-60 and CX-80, Kohei Shibata, revealed that the team had heated discussions about giving the CX-60 and CX-70 a sleeker, coupe-inspired roofline. Shibata himself was a vocal advocate for the sportier aesthetic.
“That [a coupe style] is something we also debated in a heated manner and personally I wanted to have a coupe-looking SUV,” Shibata said. “I think it’s very cool in the traffic. But in the marketplace it is very small and that is going to limit the customers as well, so rather than that we thought that we should make an SUV with the large luggage space and that has the bigger potential.”
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In other words, Mazda took a hard look at the market and decided that swoopy rooflines weren’t worth sacrificing practicality. After all, flashy design cues may turn heads, but they don’t necessarily fill dealership floors with buyers.
The Wheelbase Debate
Mazda didn’t stop at debating rooflines. The wheelbase of the CX-70 also sparked fiery internal conversations. While the CX-60 has a shorter wheelbase than the CX-80, the company considered giving the CX-70 a different wheelbase than its seven-seater sibling, the CX-90. Ultimately, Mazda North America flexed its influence, insisting that the CX-70 and CX-90 should share the same 122.8-inch (3,120 mm) wheelbase.
“We had a really heated debate inside the company about how we going to handle these four models, centering around the United States and their heightening need for outdoor and activity use,” Shibata added. “Thinking about the common [CX-70] wheelbase with the CX-90… we thought that had a higher potential.”
All Four Are Sold In Australia!
Mazda’s family of new SUVs is particularly confusing in Australia, as it’s the only major market where all four models are sold alongside each other. Despite their similarities, Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak says dealers can demonstrate their differences to customers.
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“If people still have questions or some level of confusion but they are standing in the dealership – great! We’ll be able to show them and demonstrate to them and they will be able to touch, smell and feel them. I’m sure they will be able to come away with something because we are offering loads of choice.”
It’s a confident take, we’ll give them that, though that does rest squarely on dealers being able to deliver some seriously polished salesmanship. After all, persuading customers to grasp the “subtle” differences between models that look like identical quadruplets parked in a lineup? That’s less salesmanship and more of a Jedi mind trick.
