It’s out with the old and in with the new at Mazda as the company prepares for a massive shift into SUVs with a slight detour into electrification. One prominent example of this in action is the all-new Mazda CX-90. The CX-90 is Mazda’s newest flagship and it certainly made waves when we had the chance to drive it out in California. The SUV had an interior that trumped many of its rivals, and the 3.3-liter inline-six allowed it to finally move on from its troubled CX-9 roots and into a new arena of performance.
With the CX-90 now having a chance to firmly establish itself in the marketplace while also welcoming its new brother the two-row CX-70 is the CX-90 still a segment disruptor? We took it on a long road trip to find out if it still has the chops to appeal to a unique breed of SUV buyer.
CX-90 continues to break the mold
The exterior styling of the CX-90 continues to be a visual signal for Mazda’s broader design plans moving forward. While the SUV still has a few angles that make it awkward looking, this is still a very handsome family hauler with the front fascia getting a large grille and slender headlights that evoke a more assertive personality. The side profile is where things get a bit awkward, but the rear makes up for it with a flowing liftgate and small taillights. When viewed against the rest of the segment, the CX-90 is in a unique place, the updated Ford Explorer gets a new front fascia and a better infotainment system but it’s still visually awkward. The Jeep Grand Cherokee on the other hand has better technology and more capability but its rugged personality might put off some looking for more flair.
Meanwhile, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L continues to build on the iconic Jeep name and is certainly more capable on the trails than the CX-90. That said, the L is also pushing the GC’s design limits with the cramped third-row making it clear (despite Jeep’s assertions) that the L was designed as a knee-jerk reaction to three-row entries with the SUV itself clearly preferring to be a two-row offering.
Luxurious interior continues to be befuddled by infotainment system
Slip inside the CX-90 and you are reminded of how much effort Mazda designers put into making the space a comfortable place to spend time in. Our tester arrived with comfortable heated and cooled seats but even some of the lower trims that we sat in at our local Mazda dealership after it left also put a strong emphasis on comfort. The seats feature a generous amount of padding and we greatly appreciated the commendable amount of lower back support that was present. Sadly, our tester did not have the nifty stitching on it that was supposed to be reminiscent of Japanese book binding but that wasn’t that big of a deal.
Second-row occupants also get plenty of comfort but seating choice does play a role in how much people you can haul with the standard bench allowing you to haul up to eight passengers while the optional captain’s chairs causes it to dip to seven. The third row is on par with rivals and it’s clear that Mazda understood the assignment here with the space having enough room to haul most adults in reasonable comfort but it’s best left folded down to help expand cargo room when you don’t need it for that.
With all the comfort, luxury and high-end materials that are present inside the CX-90, it’s a pity that the infotainment system continues to be a prominent weakness. That’s also the case with other Mazda models, but here in the CX-90 it’s even more glaring. The software is slow and the screen is still not a conventional touch unit with all functions being controlled by a large rotary control knob. Thankfully, for those that don’t want to be bothered with Mazda’s in-house menu layout, the CX-90 comes with Apple CarPLay and Android Auto standard as well as Amazon Alexa capability which allows the SUV to control certain smart home devices and other Amazon-related features.
Road trip ready
Our tester arrived as a PHEV with these models getting a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that’s mated to a small electric motor and a 17.8 kWh battery pack. The combination produces 323 hp and not only gets standard all-wheel drive but also an eight-speed automatic. PHEVs like our tester are not the most dynamic members of the CX-90 family but that’s ok because the PHEV makes up for it in another regard, fuel economy. To find out how good the PHEV was in that department, we enlisted it to go to the 2024 MAMA Spring Rally in Elkhart La ke Wisconsin. This long trek is a great test for any PHEV and with the Rally, Emily’s cousin, and plenty of Wisconsin charm awaiting us, the CX-90 had alot riding on its fenders.
Our tester’s first challenge appeared when we crossed into Indiana with the border area between it and neighboring Michigan being a key hub for truck traffic with the big rigs forming tall imposing walls of steel. Our SUV did a good job drowning out the bulk of the background noise and the comfortable seats in our tester also helped the miles fly by with ease. The slog through Chicago highlighted this further and we also liked how smooth and seamless the switch between electric and gas mode was most of the time.
Parking at our hotel in Elkhart Lake allowed us to fully appreciate how much luggage our tester was able to swallow with the rear cargo area having room for several heavy bags and other light bags including equipment to help cover the Rally and other items so Emily could go sightseeing and visit several libraries and bookstores.
As for fuel economy, the EPA says that the CX-90 PHEV can get 24mpg in the city and 27 mpg in freeway driving with the electric motor allowing the CX-90 PHEV to have 26 miles of all-electric range before the gasoline engine kicks back in. The electric motor proved to be useful when a detour forced us to take rural Michigan roads with the battery providing enough range to cover the bulk of these roads without any gasoline being used. This fuel-sipping ability also helped our tester only make two trips to the gas station during our trip though the CX-90’s preferred diet of premium fuel was an unwelcome blemish in an otherwise passing grade for the whole trip.
Is it still the lovable rebel?
At the end of the day, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 is attempting to rewrite the script in the three-row luxury SUV market. As we have mentioned before in some of our prior content for this vehicle, the CX-90 is a unique specimen with its high level of luxury, comfort, and performance. While there are still some minor aspects of the SUV that need work (like its lousy infotainment system) the SUV is just as capable as benchmarks from Toyota Jeep, and Lexus especially when long-haul traveling is part of the daily grind.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.