Serious competition at least for the X5 and RX! Besides the I6, I've looked at Audis and the Q7 is roomy but dated. Near me, it's $100k for the V6 and I can't stomach a base 2.0 engine moving nearly 5,000 Ibs. We'll see if it goes on a diet for next gen...
Lexus hybrids are quiet and smooth (once you get under way) but the I4 engines are anemic. If Toyota was smart, they would consolidate costs by having I4/I6 engine family.
This is coming from someone who has driven all the vehicles you’ve mentioned above (except the CX70, but I have driven CX90 which is identical from a driving standpoint.)
In my opinion, Mazda is inching extremely close to luxury territory. I would argue that Mazda 3 offers a more luxurious ride and appearance than an entry level Mercedes. Today’s Mazdas are a poor man’s BMW, a blend of sporty and luxury. Less performance but at a great value. Sufficient power for a spirited drive but not a track monster that some BMWs can be. And with the higher trim CX90s they really started knocking on Lexus’ RX territory and a legitimate argument can be made that from the exterior it looks more stately than Lexus or BMWs polarizing design choices. They do not have their prestige yet but they are working on that and making better progress than I would say Genesis is.
They are not up to Lexus standards in reliability or interior quality in my opinion. But it is hard not to root for the underdog that Mazda is, especially when you see them whip out fantastic vehicles like Miatas, CX50, CX5, CX90 and invest in an inline-6 when bigger manufacturers take less gambles.
I have driven Audi Q5 and Q7 as extended rentals and work vehicles. This may sound like a hot take but I just couldn’t appreciate the interior and ride quality. It felt like a “premium” Volkswagen (which they kind of are) but it felt truly ‘premium,’ not luxurious. Also couldn’t get over how it seemed every convenient feature was nickel and dimed as an option. A lot of features that came standard in our much older CX9 were straight up missing in the Audis. I used to be excited by Audi a decade ago but now what seems to catch my attention are their shortcomings.
It has a way to go until a CX70 will be considered a legitimate competitor to an X5. But for Mazda with humble beginnings to be casually mentioned in the same sentence as BMW’s mighty X5 is something they can be truly proud of. It may take a few iterations but if they continue to refine their I6 they might swing a few budget conscious buyers.
Truly a great company and one enthusiasts can appreciate in a time when enthusiastic vehicles are going the way of dinosaurs.
