Mazda developed its rear-wheel-drive platform primarily for a pair of large SUVs destined for North America. For better economies of scale, the CX-70 and CX-90 have spawned smaller versions for other markets, where the CX-60 and CX-80 are a better fit for narrower roads. However, the Large Architecture was conceived with the American driver in mind. The United States alone accounts for more than half of the sales of vehicles underpinned by this hardware.
But the CX-70 and CX-90 are struggling. The latest sales report from Mazda North America shows the two-row model fell by 28.1 percent to 7,161 units through July. Its three-row counterpart had a rough seven months as well, with deliveries down by 25 percent to 26,102 vehicles. As Automotive News notes, there are external factors beyond the automaker’s control that may have contributed to the decline.
