This week I am spending time behind the wheel of the all-new 2024 Mazda CX-90, 3-row SUV. This is the replacement SUV for the CX-9, which has been discontinued.
Let’s look at the direction of Mazda for a second. As I’ve said on the CarPro Radio Show many times, Mazda has been moving toward becoming a luxury brand for quite some time, and the CX-90 is a prime example. For years, Mazda got lumped in with the other Japanese brands like Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Now little Mazda is trying to separate itself from the pack, and they are getting it done.
Exterior
My review vehicle is the range-topping S Premium Plus package. The exterior appearance is looks great with the signature Mazda grill, functional corner vents to feed air to the engine, and a sculpted hood. As you head down the sides, there is an attractive strip of chrome that runs along the bottom and chrome surrounds the side windows. There is a tasteful emblem on the front fenders that announce it is an inline 6. In a first for Mazda, there are 21” alloy wheels that look fantastic, and a rear spoiler. I would have liked to have seen visible dual exhaust.
Powertrain
Under the hood you find an inline 3.3-liter six cylinder that is turbocharged. The engine features a 48-volt mild hybrid system for increased horsepower and fuel economy. The I-6 is mated to an 8-speed automatic with shift paddles. The end result of all this Skyactiv drivetrain technology is 340-horses and a strong 369 pound-feet of torque. This is the largest, most powerful engine ever produced by Mazda. The CX-90 comes standard with all-wheel drive, but when not in AWD it operates as rear-wheel drive. There is also a plug-in hybrid variant available.
Interior
As you open the door, you are struck by the beauty of the interior. The two-tone layout, including the steering wheel looks fantastic. Most impactful is beautiful Alcantara that runs from the soft-touch door panels and across the dash. The heated and cooled power front seats are very comfortable and offers memory settings and power lumbar support.
The seats are a tasteful mix of leather and Alcantara. As you hit the start button, a colorful and configurable 12.3” gauge cluster greets you. It is easy to read and gives you a lot of information, and has Mazda’s Active Driving display that works great and is quite useful. The beautiful steering wheel is power tilt and telescoping and it is heated. As you look up you see a large head-up display that features your speed and traffic sign recognition.
High center dash is a huge 12.3” infotainment screen that is not a touchscreen (unless you are using Apple CarPlay). The screen is controlled from a round knob on the center console. This is where you operate the navigation system, the Bose AM/FM/HD radio with Sirius XM. This is also where you operate wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Bluetooth system, and Mazda Connected Services for real-time information. There is also a 360-degree camera with amazing clarity.
The center console is covered in beautiful wood, houses a wireless phone charger, USB ports, two cupholders, hill descent control, the electronic emergency brake, and my favorite, the auto hold button. Near the gear shifter is a chrome bar to change drive modes which include sport, normal, and off-road. Each setting changes the steering, transmission shifts, and throttle behavior and the differences in the modes are distinctive. Look up and you’ll see a massive power panoramic moon roof.
Moving to the second row, it is equally impressive with a large center console nestled between two captain’s chairs that are heated and cooled. They also slide and recline. Second-row occupants can control their own temperature, they have air vents, USB ports, and in the bottom of the console is a slide-out storage bin. The center console has deep storage and serves as a very soft armrest. Finally, rear seat passengers can raise sunshades to keep the sun out.
Access to the third-row seat is easy by hitting a lever to move the captain’s chairs out of the way. Like most mid-sized three-row SUVs, the third-row is going to be fairly tight for adults, but would perfect for kids or teenagers. Back passengers get USB-C ports to charge electronic devices, and they get air vents.
Moving to the cargo area, there is a power lift gate that operates up and down quickly from the key fob or a button on the gate. There is a 110-volt power outlet and also a 12-volt power source. The 3rd-row seats are manually operated but are extremely easy to get up and down. With the seats down, there is 40-cubic feet of cargo area, and the load floor is completely flat. There is underneath storage to hide valuables.
Standard Equipment
Everything we’ve talked about is standard equipment on this trim level. The only option on this vehicle is a $595 charge for the Artisan Red paint.
Safety
On the safety front, you get blind spot monitoring with vehicle exit warning, lane departure warning, driver attention alert, tire pressure monitoring, anti-theft engine immobilizer, burglar alarm, frontal emergency braking, rear pedestrian braking, a terrific front traffic alert, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and rear seat alert.
Ride and Drive
Driving impressions are impressive. The ride is smooth, acceleration is terrific, it is super quiet inside, and there is absolutely no body lean thanks to Kinematic Posture Control. Steering feedback is poised and responsive. There is artificial engine sound pumped inside the vehicle, but it is not obtrusive and actually sounds great, and it will tow 5,000 pounds.
What You'll Pay
MSRP on this super loaded vehicle is $61,920. Fuel economy is good at 23 city and 28 highway. You can run regular fuel in it, but you do lose a little horsepower.
Verdict
If you look at and drive the CX-90, you’ll realize this is a true luxury SUV even though it is a Mazda. They knocked the ball out of the park with this one, and they priced it well.
- What I liked most: The interior, the ride and drive characteristics, and value proposition for what you get.
- What I would change: Give me some dual exhaust to complete the beautiful exterior.
- MSRP: Base Price $59,950 Total MSRP $61,920 with transportation.
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Fuel Economy: Rated at 23 city/28 highway/25 combined.
- Odometer reading when tested: 5,500 miles.
- Weight: 4,709 pounds/6,418 GVWR.
- Spare Tire: Compact temporary spare.
- Length-Width-Height: 201.6” long/84.9” wide/68.7” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 18 gallons with the filler on the driver's side.
- Official Color: Artisan Red
- Towing Capacity: 5,000 pounds.
- 2024 Mazda CX-90 in a few words: A terrific mid-sized 3-row SUV with everything you could possibly want in a luxury SUV.
- Warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000-mile power train warranty with roadside assistance.
- Final Assembly Location: Hofu, Japan.
- Manufacturer's website: Mazda
