Mazda CX-90
Gone are the days when Mazda billed itself as the “Zoom, Zoom” brand. While it still sells the little Miata roadster, it’s effectively abandoned sporty passenger cars in favor of sport-utility vehicles like the CX-5 and CX-9. Now, with a subtle nameplate inflation for the 2024 season, the Mazda CX-90, the new flagship model is meant to “change the face of Mazda,” suggests Jeff Guyton, the Japanese automaker’s senior managing executive officer and overseer of its North American operations.
The old CX-9 was reasonably attractive, but it got lost in the crowded three-row SUV market. The new CX-90 is a standout. And it delivers on Mazda’s plan to position itself as more of a luxury player.
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 isn’t just an update. To start with, it rides on an entirely new platform, and boasts a handsome new exterior design. Mazda has traditionally offered distinctive style, but the big SUV takes its familiar Kodo (soul of motion) design language to a new level. It’s sleek and elegant, a sharp contrast to the bulbous look of much of its competition. And that brings up another plus. The back row is no longer the sort of penalty box that adults have had to suffer when stuck in the rear. Wherever you sit, the CX-90’s classic Japanese design exudes the feeling of luxury, especially with the vertical striping on the ventilated seats of high-line trims, like the Turbo S Premium Plus.
The new CX-90 puts the emphasis on “sport” in sport-utility vehicle. Mazda offers three distinct powertrain options. The new Inline 6 Turbo engine has a standard output of 280 horsepower. Boosted to the high-output level, it gets 340 horses. The brand’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) pairs a 2.5-liter inline-four gas engine with a 68-kilowatt electric motor to push out 323 horsepower to all four wheels. On its own, the PHEV has a range of 26 miles per gallon. With the combustion engine, it will take you 490 miles. The sportiest option, a 340 horsepower turbo package, adds the ability to tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The CX-9 targeted such mainstream competition as Hyundai, Kia and Honda. But the new brand will threaten Lexus and Volvo. Already in showrooms, it starts at $39,595—plus $1,375 in delivery fees—but top-line trim packages can push above $60,000.
