2025 Mazda CX-70 Turbo S Premium Plus

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A midsize SUV with something of a rational but curious difference. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2023 the mean family size in the average household was 3.15 members. While it is not clear what constitutes the other 0.85, it is clear that there are fewer than four whole family members.

And according to the 2022 American Community Survey, conducted by the Census Bureau, in 2022 68.7 workers aged 16 and above drove to work alone, which is an increase over 2021’s 67.8%, but well below 2019’s 75.9%.

One more data point: while this is constantly changing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in August 2023, 19.5% of workers worked from home. Presumably that had an effect on the number of people who drove to work alone.

Mazda CX-70. Long enough for three, but with just two rows. (Image: Mazda)

All of this is to perhaps provide a rationalization for the interior configuration of the Mazda CX-70, a large-ish midsize SUV: 200.8 inches long, 78.5 inches wide, 68.2 inches high; as a reference, the Ford Explorer is 198.7 inches long, 78.9 inches wide and 69.6 inches high.

You look at those numbers and figure that we’re talking about the same proverbial ballpark in terms of size. And you’re right.

But what’s different about the CX-70 compared to the Explorer and many other SUVs in this large-ish midsize segment is that it has two rows of seats, not three.

Given all of the data about the number of people and vehicle use, seating for five is probably pretty much all one would need on a regular basis. Or an irregular basis there is that need for a third row, a space that is generally not particularly accommodating, especially for those who have moved on from elementary school.

Still, there is a tendency to opt for the “just in case,” so plenty of people buy three-row SUVs, even if that third row is always folded flat.

And Mazda offers the CX-90, which is the dimensional twin of the CX-70, though with the third row.

This additional complexity in the lineup is curious. As is the fact that when I visited the Mazda shopping site, the starting MSRP for a 2024 CX-90 was $37,845 and for a 2025 CX-70 $40,445, and while there are undoubtedly some content differences, it seems, well, odd.

But in terms of passenger roominess it is worth noting that the two vehicles have the same passenger volume: 141.6 cubic feet, which goes to the point of the third row inhabitants not being particularly happy.

Back to the vehicle at hand.

Like all the CX-70 trims, it is AWD.

It is powered by a 3.3-liter, turbocharged in-line six cylinder engine that produces 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque (with premium fuel). There is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

While Mazda has been known for the past few years of providing exterior designs for its lineup of vehicles that put it in a very small category of OEMs that are consistently innovating, the CX-70’s exterior design is certainly handsome, but it is not as distinctive as Mazdas have been.

It seems as though for the CX-70 they decided they’d put the focus on the interior design. In this Premium Plus package there are the 12.3-inch Mazda Connect center infotainment display, seven-inch TFT LCD instrument panel display, head-up display, Bose 12-speaker audio, Mazda Online Navigation with over-the-air update capability, wireless phone charging, keyless entry, and more.

What is surprising is not the Nappa leather for the seats or the two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel. But the fact that there are suede inserts on the dash.

There is a wide range of driver assistance tech, ranging from traffic sign recognition to cruise control with stop-and-go capability.

Fitted with “Mazda Genuine Towing Accessories” it can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The starting MSRP for the vehicle is $55,950.

While that is certainly understandable given what is listed on the sticker and in the general overall performance of the vehicle (though I did experience some turbo lag on occasion), what will probably make it difficult for people to opt for it is that seat delete.

GM, ICE & EV

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One is making money. One is making progress. Slight progress.

By Gary S. Vasilash

In her Q2 2024 earnings letter to shareholders released yesterday, GM CEO listed the “four key drivers” of the company’s performance—and that performance includes record revenue in both Q1 and Q2—and it is interesting what the first item on the list of four is:

  • In North America, we have a consistently high performing portfolio of ICE trucks and SUVs on a volume, share and margin basis.

Now because the company is in the process of spending billions of dollars on EV technology, the second point on the list goes to EVs, although it doesn’t exactly sound robust:

  • Our EV portfolio is scaling well, and we’re encouraged by the early sales results, including record second-quarter deliveries and improving market share.

To put some data to that “scaling well,” in Q2 the company delivered:

  • 7,294 Cadillac LYRIQs
  • 6,634 Blazer EVs
  • 1,374 Bolt EV/Bolt EUVs
  • 1,013 Equinox EVs
  • 2,196 Silverado EVs
  • 2,926 HUMMER EVs

and to throw in for good measure a commercial product:

  • 490 BrightDrop Zevo 400/600s

That is a total of 21,927 EVs sold in Q2.

Yes, there are increases in numbers.

The GMC HUMMER EV SUV (Image: GMC)

The LYRIQ was at 1,348 units in Q2 2023. And the HUMMER was at a mere 47 in Q2 2023.

But to put things into some context: the Chevrolet Malibu, which is going out of production later this year, had Q2 2024 deliveries of 36,360 units, or 14,433 more than all the EVs combined.

And isn’t the accepted wisdom that “Nobody buys sedans anymore?”

If we look at ICE truck or SUV numbers. . . well at this point it isn’t even a fair comparison.

But Barra goes on to write:

“To unleash the next cycle of EV growth, we’re scaling production of the Chevrolet Equinox EV. . . . Then over the next several months, GMC will launch the Sierra EV and the Cadillac LYRIQ will be joined by the OPTIQ, Escalade IQ and CELESTIQ.”

On the one hand, this is completely understandable for at least a couple reasons.

For one, there are those billions spent on getting capacity, so they need to use it.

For another, regulations are going to require the sale of more EVs, especially to offset the sales of things like trucks and large SUVs (e.g., in Q2 there were 151,112 Silverados sold).

That said, one wonders: Given the increasing popularity of hybrids, why is there no discussion of that in the forthcoming product portfolio?

BMW Addressing Emissions

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Those associated with paint shops in this case. . .

By Gary S Vasilash

While there is a considerable—and justified—amount of attention paid to tailpipe emissions, there is also plenty of spew associated with the production processes that create those cars and trucks.

Like when the vehicles are painted.

You know how fresh paint has a pungent fragrance?

That is generally the result of things like volatile organic compounds that are not particularly good for the environment.

So in automotive paint shops there are measures taken to clean the exhaust before sending it out the smoke stacks (a.k.a, chimneys).

This includes running the exhaust through a bed of ceramic media that is at very high temperatures—as in 1,000 degrees Celsius.

To get those temps natural gas is usually deployed for the ovens.

BMW has completed testing on a method that uses electricity from renewable sources to achieve these temperatures.

It’s called eRTO—for “electric regenerative thermal oxidation).

BMW is installing paint shop equipment that will help clean exhaust using electricity from renewable sources rather than natural gas. (Image: BMW)

Says Michele Melchiorre, head of Production System, Planning, Tool Shop, Plant Construction at BMW Group:

“For other energy-intensive paint shop processes, such as vehicle drying and water heating, solutions already exist for working without natural gas. So, electric exhaust purification is the final steppingstone for the BMW Group to run its paint shops on regenerative energy in the future.”

And that future is pretty much now in BMW plants in Germany and China, where eRTO is working along side the natural gas process.

Next year, a new BMW Group plant in Debrecen, Hungary, will have eRTO only.

Innovation in Propeller Design

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Yes, as in propellers for outboard motors. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

When someone refers to the “Motor City,” it is typically thought of in terms of cars.

But Detroit is (1) on the Detroit River and (2) located in the “Great Lakes State.”

Which brings us to Sharrow Engineering, a Detroit-based advanced engineering and design firm.

And within Sharrow Engineering there’s Sharrow Marine, which produces propellers for outboard motors.

The company has just launched the Sharrow X10 for Mercury V10, 350- and 400-hp engines.

Sharrow X10 propeller provides operational advantages in the water. (Image: Sharrow Marine)

The propeller, which is CNC machined from a stainless-steel alloy, “offers superior performance, greater fuel efficiency, and a significantly quieter ride,” according to Greg Sharrow, the founder and CEO of the company.

Here’s an interesting thing: Greg Sharrow invented the propeller design not while pursuing advances for outboard motors. Rather, he was working in video production and worked to develop a quieter drone.

It was determined that by reducing or eliminating tip vortices there is significant noise-reduction—as well as the other benefits that are achieved for the propellers used in water.

2024 Volvo C40 Recharge Single Motor Ultimate Extended Range

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A stylish small SUV. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The Volvo C40 Recharge is, as its name implies, a vehicle that needs recharging because it is an electric vehicle. A small SUV. But a stylish small SUV, as it has what is, for SUVs, a coupe-like roofline, sloping back. In fact, arguably it is the most stylish among the Volvo SUVs, of which there are numerous (XC90, XC90 Recharge, XC60, XC60 Recharge, XC40, EX90, XC40 Recharge, and the forthcoming EX30.)*

The XC40 Recharge is the C40 Recharge with a different top on it. It is what is historically the more Volvoesque of the two, meaning it is boxier. And style comes with a bit of a price, and not just in terms of MSRP, although there is that, too (C40 Recharge starts at $53,600; XC40 Recharge starts at $52,450).

Dimensionally the two vehicles are the same with the exception of one thing.

They are both 174.8 inches long and have a 106.4-inch wheelbase. They are both 80.1 inches wide.

But the C40 Recharge is 62.6 inches high and the XC40 Recharge is 64.8 inches high.

A consequence of that difference is that the C40 Recharge has a cargo capacity of 49 cubic feet and the XC40 Recharge has 57.5 cubic feet back there, so it is a non-trivial difference.

Volvo C40 Recharge: Charge and go. (Image: Volvo)

Still, it is not like the C40 Recharge is lacking in capacity. And sometimes you just have to sacrifice a bit to standout with more style.

And speaking of styling, the vehicle has great-looking 20-inch wheels, which add presence to the exterior. I must confess that I am not wholly engaged yet with the replacement of a grille with a solid slab with the badge affixed in the middle.

One of the interesting things about this vehicle is that it comes with a four-year subscription to the Digital Services Package. While some OEMs want to have their own digital setup, Volvo is working with Google so that this vehicle has Google built-in, as it were, so that there are native Google Maps, Google Play Store and Google Assistant. And that four-year package provides all these.

(And perhaps not entirely coincidentally, there is 48-month/50,000-mile limited warranty coverage (48 months = 4 years), and complementary factory scheduled maintenance for the first four years or 40,000 miles. Four years evidently is a key metric vis-à-vis the C40 Recharge.)

The C40 Recharge is Volvo’s first leather-free vehicle. One of the available material options is a wool blend seating fabric that is an exceedingly nice alternative even were leather to be available. In fact, it speaks to the style of the vehicle: A man’s suit in leather looks, well, goofy (or creepy) in most wearings (sure, some guys can get away with it, but they are few and far between); a good wool suit is stylish and classic regardless of the person inside.

Of course, as this is an electric vehicle, we’ve got to get to the battery-related things.

The “Extended Range” in the name of the vehicle goes to the 82-kWh battery that provides an estimated range of 297 miles on a single charge. And on the subject of charging, on a Level 2 (11 kW) charger, such as you might get installed in your garage, it can be charged from 10% to 90% in eight hours; with a DC fast charger, 20 minutes will take the battery from 10% to 80%.

This vehicle has a single 248-hp motor driving the rear wheels. Although people talk about a benefit of EVs is their ability to go quickly quickly, there is another characteristic that is beneficial for driving: their comparatively sizable mass provides a sense of solidity, which combined with the power means a feeling of improved control.

Having said plenty of positive things about the style I do need to point out something that I found understandable but unusual.

Because the rear glass (a.k.a., backlight) is at a somewhat fast angle, the view from the rearview mirror is truncated. Yes, there are 360-degree cameras when maneuvering, say, out of a garage, and there are highly noticeable blind-spot detector warnings in the side mirrors. But still, a glance in the mirror to see what’s going on back there is not fully informative.

The usual part is that the C40 Recharge has a “panoramic” roof—essentially, with the exception of what amounts to a frame, the whole roof provides a fulsome view of, well, the sky. Not exactly handy, of course, when you’re driving.

Lucid Air Pure: More Efficient than Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS. . .

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A remarkable EV gets some remarkable performance. But if efficiency, range and economy are of interest. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Credit to Lucid Group for what it says is “the most efficient and thus most sustainable vehicle made,” the 2025 Lucid Air Pure.

5.0 miles per kWh of energy? Huh? (Image: Lucid Motors)

The vehicle achieves a 146 MPGe EPA rating. This means it achieves “a landmark 5.0 miles per kilowatt hour of energy.”

More to the point of people without a slide rule handy, this means the Lucid Air Pure can travel an estimate 420 miles before requiring recharging.

According to the EPA, the Lucid Air Pure is in the Large Car Category. For those who are looking for something a bit more economical than the $69,900 starting MSRP, there’s the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6, which provides an MPGe of 140.

It also starts at $42,450.

But back to the Lucid Air Pure.

It is interesting that suddenly things like range and efficiency become important metrics for vehicles.

According to the EPA, the 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid has the best fuel efficiency among non-full-EV vehicles in the Large Car Category: a combined 48 mpg.

This means than on its 12.8-gallon tank of gas, it can travel 614 miles, or 194 miles further than the Lucid Air Pure.

And while no one is likely to cross shop an Accord Hybrid with a Lucid Air Pure, the former has a starting MSRP of $32,895, which means that compared to the Lucid , you could buy two and have money left for gas.

Jeep Gladiator High Tide Launched

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Clever idea, but they should expand the geography to include places that are not so flat. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

One thing that the people at Stellantis North America do better than any other OEM team is create special editions of their vehicles. This helps generate interest in products that may be waning or just provide the incentive that some on-the-fence consumers might have to go visit a dealer.

Jeep Gladiator High Tide Edition: Why is it towing a dune buggy? It has the capability to handle things like dunes, doesn’t it? (Image: Jeep)

Jeep has announced the availability of the 2024 Jeep Gladiator High Tide Edition.

It features a variety of unique badging as well as 17-inch black-painted aluminum wheels, 32-inch mud terrain tires, steel rock rails, and black McKinley leather-trimmed seats.

But what makes this Jeep, which has a starting MSRP of $48,275, really special is that it is available only in Florida.

While Florida is comparatively flat—according to Visit Florida, which clearly wants people to visit the state so it is not dissing it in any way, the highest point in the state, Britton Hill, is 345 feet above sea level and is “the lowest ‘high point’ in the United States—and while Jeeps are known for their ability to crawl up things like mountains (the High Tide Edition has the Jeep Command-Trac 4×4 part-time and two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio), you might think that Jeeps aren’t exactly the thing in the Sunshine State.

However, last April an annual Jeep event was held in Daytona Beach, which Bil Peffer, senior vice president and head of Jeep Brand North America, described as “one of the largest Jeep brand gatherings globally and a testament to Floridians’ deep passion for our 4×4 vehicles.”

Which goes to the point of the Florida-only High Tide Edition.

But if someone in Florida buys a High Tide Edition, the only other people who are likely to see it most often are other Floridians, and chances are, only Jeep-oriented Floridians are likely to realize how special it is.

And if someone drives it to, say, Brasstown Bald in Georgia, which is 4,439 feet higher than Britton Hill, and encounters other bona-fide Jeep people, wouldn’t being from a comparatively flat state reduce off-street cred?

The High Tide Edition ought to be available everywhere that there are high tides.

While that would include the states along the Atlantic south to Florida, then Louisiana and Texas on the Gulf of Mexico and then California, Oregon and Washington of the Pacific, not only would this still make it special, it would increase the potential sales of Gladiators, which were down 14% during the first half, to 23,478 vehicles.

Nissan Expands Mobility Partnership

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Expanding the availability of micro-vehicles in Europe. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

While lots of OEMs talk about being a “mobility provider” rather an ancient “car company,” Nissan is proving itself to be one.

It has announced it is expanding its partnership with a company that makes micromobility vehicles, such as a small EV and electric motorcycle, ACCIONA.

Nissan has added the UK to countries that it has distribution and service rights to the ACCIONA Silence product line. The other countries are Italy, France and Germany.

S04 EV micro-vehicle will be available in Nissan UK dealerships this Fall. (Image: Nissan)

Gareth Dunsmore, Managing Director e-Micro Mobility at Nissan AMIEO, said, “By opening access to Silence’s diverse range of alternative products, we are easing the EV transition by combining clean mobility with cutting-edge technology, in functional and flexible vehicles.”

The S04 Nanocar is designed for city use.

It measures 90 inches long, 50 inches high, and 62 inches wide. The S04 seats two. It is powered by a 14-kW motor. It is said to have a top speed of 53 mph, which is arguably something that will only be reached by some daredevils given the diminutive size of the vehicle.

It is powered by two batteries that provide 5.6-kW and can be readily removed and transported with a hand truck to a place where they can be replaced with charged batteries.

There is also a battery subscription service, so rather than buying the vehicle with the batteries are swapped on an as-needed basis, which is said to reduce the overall price of an S04 by up to 40%. (The base model has an MSRP of £14,614.)

What’s notable—and laudable—about this is that Nissan could have undoubtedly made its own micro-vehicles.

Yet there is evidently a recognition that there are already companies like ACCIONA making these vehicles so a partnership can provide mutual benefit between the two companies, as well as for the consumer.

A New AMG Daily Driver

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Just in case you need to pick up a carton of milk really, really quickly. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The Mercedes-AMG 2025 AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ (quite a name), which will become available in the U.S. next year, the second generation of the vehicle, was, according to the folks at Mercedes, developed so that it has “improved daily usability compared to the previous model series,” something that customers of the first-gen model were interested in.

Maybe the supermarkets in Affalterbach have severely limited hours so getting there quickly after work is a necessity, explaining the 2025 AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+. (Image: Mercedes)

The vehicle has a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 that produces 603 hp and 627-lb-ft of torque.

In can go from 0 to 124 mph in 10.9 seconds.

It is estimated to have a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.1 seconds.

It has a top speed of 197 mph.

There are two radiators, one each in the left and right front wheel arches.

There is an array of aero elements, such as the AIRPLANEL active air control in the front fascia, the AMG Aerodynamics package with fixed wing in the back, and fins and deflectors on the underbody.

There are 21-inch forged split spoke wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tires or, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R extreme performance tires.

There is a carbon ceramic brake system with six-piston fixed calipers and 16.5-inch brake discs in the front. There are single-piston floating calipers in the rear.

Yes, just the sort of thing for daily driving.

McLaren, 3D Printing and. . .LEGO

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From advanced manufacturing tech to a really complex model. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

McLaren Automotive, builder of an array of composite-intensive supercars, recently announced that it is partnering with Divergent Technologies, which has developed an additive manufacturing system it calls the “Divergent Adaptive Production System” (DAPS) which allows the creation of lightweight chassis components that otherwise couldn’t be created with traditional manufacturing methods.

As Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren, put it, “This technology will help us to further reduce weight in our complex structures, which will ultimately benefit the driving experience of our customers and support McLaren’s mission to push the boundaries of performance.”

One of the interesting things related to McLaren and Divergent is that the DAPS was developed to produce the Czinger 21C supercar (i.e., it is a 1250-hp hybrid–certainly not a Prius (yes, even though the current gen Prius is rather cool, you know what I mean)).

But clever tech is clever tech, so the use by McLaren is in keeping with its drive toward even more innovation in its vehicles.

This is the LEGO Technic McLaren P1—all 3,893 elements assembled. (Image: McLaren Automotive)

But what will probably draw more attention than the organic chassis components in a future car is the LEGO Technic McLaren P1.

Yes, a 3,893-piece LEGO set.

And it is rather technical, as the model includes a seven-speed gearbox, V8 piston engine, adjustable rear wing, dihedral doors, and a suspension (undoubtedly injection molded, not 3D printed).

Tobias Sühlmann Chief Design Officer, McLaren Automotive:

“It’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original P1 brought to life by the LEGO team for the LEGO Technic McLaren P1. I hope this collaboration inspires the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.”

I’m guessing that the DAPS will be more influential for next-gen designers—but then I’m not the chief design officer of a supercar company.

Incidentally, the McLaren P1 LEGO Technic model can be purchased starting August 1 here for an MSRP of $449.99.