2025 Mazda CX-70 vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a standout in Toyota's lineup of crossovers and SUVs, positioned between the Highlander and the Sequoia. Built on the TNGA-K platform, it shared its underpinnings with the Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry, distinguishing itself from the body-on-frame Sequoia. The Grand Highlander was notably large, measuring 5,115 millimetres in length with a 2,950 mm wheelbase, offering more space than competitors like the Kia Telluride. Its design was conservative yet rugged, with a blockier style reminiscent of the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot. Inside, it offered three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum—with features like black Softex synthetic leather, real leather in higher trims, and a spacious interior with 13 cupholders and seven USB-C ports.

The 2025 Mazda CX-70, on the other hand, presented a sporty appearance with redesigned front and rear fasciae, a different grille insert, and dark accents. It was based on the CX-90 but appeared slightly smaller due to its design. Inside, the CX-70 offered a red leather treatment not available in the CX-90, and it lacked a third-row seat. The interior featured quality materials, though some areas could benefit from soft-touch panels. The CX-70 was available in four configurations in Canada, with prices ranging from $51,831 to $66,831. It was praised for its upscale feel, though it didn't quite match luxury models in sophistication.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options. The base model featured a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option delivered 245 combined net horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. The top-tier Hybrid Max powertrain combined a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric motors, producing 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. All models came with all-wheel drive, and the Hybrid Max offered impressive acceleration with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander was noted for its solid brakes and adequate acceleration, though its steering feel was somewhat numb.

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 featured a turbocharged 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder engine in its gas-only models, producing 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque in the GS-L and GT trims, and 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet in the GT-P and Signature trims. The PHEV variant combined a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with a 68-kilowatt electric motor, delivering 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The CX-70 offered an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, with a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms for the gas-only model. The CX-70 was praised for its athletic handling and communicative ride, though its powertrain lacked refinement.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than most of its rivals, with a length of over 5 metres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase. It offered a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, with 1,640 litres behind the second-row seats and 583 litres with all three rows up. The Grand Highlander provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row, making it comfortable for adults even in the third row.

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 accommodated up to five people, with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a triple-zone automatic climate control system as standard. The GT-P and GT trims offered heated and ventilated front seats, with heated rear seats standard in the GT trim. The CX-70 provided 1,122 litres of cargo space behind the back seat, expanding to 2,132 litres with the rear seat folded down. It also offered various cargo-enhancing accessories, including an organizer and roof-rail crossbars.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering features like dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo in higher trims. An intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation were available via a connected-services subscription.

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 featured a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and a 7-inch partially digital instrument cluster, with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and infotainment screen in the Signature trim. The Mazda Connect system offered touch-sensing capability only with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the 12.3-inch screen. Most CX-70 models included a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system, and Alexa Built-in provided a conversational digital voice assistant.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard, featuring automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 offered i-ActiveSense safety features, including active blind-spot assist, emergency lane-keeping assist, road-keeping assist, and head-on traffic-avoidance assist. The GT-P trim added a Cruising & Traffic Support system with Unresponsive Driver Support, combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist for semi-autonomous driving.