by Anthony Fongaro - photos via Mazda- 08/22/2023
Lately, Mazda’s SUV lineup has had a bit of a change. They’ve created new SUVs that have a “0” at the end of their name, such as the CX-50. These new SUVs are becoming more stylish or rugged compared to their regular siblings. In the seven-seater segment, Mazda had to step up its game with the aging CX-9. What Mazda has brought us is the new 2024 Mazda CX-90. This promises to be more luxurious with better technology and driving dynamics. Mazda also introduced a brand-new inline-six engine along with a plug-in hybrid. I had the PHEV and was able to see how it stacks up to the likes of the Hyundai Palisade.
Starting at the front, there is a nicely proportioned grill with a large Mazda logo. Silver accents around the grille and the lower fascia give the CX-90 a bit of class. Although the paint looked more purple than red, it’s called Artisian Red Premium. This CX-90 has a more streamlined silhouette compared to the CX-9. As the Premium Plus trim, this CX-90 also came with some great-looking 21-inch wheels. Along with some more silver trim, there’s the word “Mazda” spelled out on the rear doors and PHEV on the front fender. The rear has lights that are almost a light bar along with badging for CX-90 and E-Skyactive. It has a handsome exterior.
Wow, Mazda really stepped up its game with this interior. There are plenty of soft materials and good build quality. This interior had the Black Nappa Leather which is standard on Premium Plus models. The seats are nice and plush with strong heating and ventilation. I was happy that the Mazda still utilizes good old buttons for climate control. Steering wheel controls are simple for the infotainment system and adaptive cruise control. The driver’s display is crisp and has two displays depending on whether you want the dials to look traditional or more modern look.
Onto the infotainment system, Mazda now has a larger 12.3-inch display which is a touchscreen and utilizes a swivel wheel. It’s pretty easy to use and comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Using the gear selector is interesting because, in order to go from park to reverse, you knock it to the left. When going from park to drive, it’s to the left and backward. It only takes one or two times to get used to it. This CX-90 had a Bose 12-speaker sound system with some great-sounding bass and treble.Hop into the second row and you’ll find two captain’s chairs with heating and their own climate control. The cupholders were a little odd because they were attached to the seat behind the driver and felt really flimsy. I’m guessing that’s because it folds, but having a dedicated space for the cupholders would make more sense. Now, could Anthony (me!) get into the third row? He could! There was plenty of room, but I wouldn’t want three of me in the rear. With all three rows up, there’s a decent amount of space in the trunk but gets more cavernous with the third row down.
This is Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid, at least for the United States, and they tried their best. This has a 2.5-liter inline-four and an electric motor with a combined output of 323 horsepower/241 kW and 369 lb-ft/501 Nm. Combined with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive, the CX-90 PHEV gets from 0-60 MPH in 6.2 seconds. It was brisk and handled exactly as a large Mazda would. Mazda puts effort into making their vehicles fun to drive, and the CX-90 blends being fun and a large family hauler. It is no Miata, but it feels better to drive than most competitors.
Since the engine defaults to EV mode, I found myself constantly switching to hybrid mode to save the battery. This PHEV only has a range of about 24 miles and it was easy to completely drain the battery. If it is drained, be prepared to wait about 2.5 hours to charge from a local charger. I found that the CX-90 PHEV had some difficulties transitioning from EV to hybrid, along with some jolts from the transmission. Mazda may want to do some more R&D on this and the CX-90 seriously needs more range. Thankfully, you can have the engine charge the battery.
When you’re charging the battery, expect about 20 MPG. If the battery is topped up and you’re going through hybrid mode, I received well over 50 MPG. Premium Plus models of the CX-90 PHEV receive all of Mazda’s safety systems. These include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring both on the wing mirrors and head-up display, traffic alert, and a few more systems. For some reason, this car freaked out a few times, thinking there was something at the rear right sensor that would start beeping. I’m going to chalk that up to a one-off, but something to look out for when test-driving one.Unlike its inline-six twin, the PHEV only has three trim levels and starts at $47,000. If you cough up another $10,000, you get the top-of-the-line Premium Plus model. This is fully loaded with a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated seats, a full safety suite, and an upgraded sound system.
Although this is a fantastic SUV, I would say if you don’t care about fuel economy, skip the PHEV and go for the Turbo S with its smooth and powerful 3.3-liter inline-six with 340 horsepower. Whichever powertrain you choose, the Mazda CX-90 is not only a huge improvement over the CX-9, but I prefer it over the Hyundai Palisade. This is one seriously good three-row crossover.
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