2024 Mazda CX-90 is an Upmarket Flagship With Plug-In Power
A new platform and powertrain has the 2024 Mazda CX-90 rubbing shoulders with the BMW X5.
After months of teasing, Mazda on Tuesday morning revealed its new flagship, the 2024 CX-90 SUV. The CX-90 continues the brand’s march upmarket, with a new rear-drive-biased platform, powerful inline-six and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and levels of interior luxury previously unseen from the Japanese brand.
We’ve known about Mazda’s new rear-biased platform for years now. The CX-90 will be the first North American product utilizing the new architecture. Longer and wider than the existing CX-9, the CX-90 is designed for longitudinally-mounted engines. Like every other Mazda CX model, it will come with standard all-wheel drive in the US and Canada.
The new platform makes for subtly different proportions than the rest of the Mazda lineup. A long hood and short front overhang emphasize rear-biased drivetrain. The styling is pure Mazda, with clean surfaces, a wide hood, and gentle curves. The front-end mixes Mazda’s current shield grille with more squared-off headlights than the squinty units on the CX-50. It’s the taillights that are possibly the biggest departure from current Mazda styling trends. Instead of a noticeable circular theme, the lighting elements are more rectilinear in nature, and stretch nearly to the central Mazda badge.
Tasteful amounts of chrome anchor the lower edges of the CX-90. Depending on trim, the wheel arches and side skirts are body color. Speaking of, the SUV you see here debuts the new Artisan Red exterior paint. It’s deeper than Soul Red, with a wider range of hues depending on available light. Mazda wasn’t happy having just one of the best available reds on the market, we guess. Available 21-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels feature a two-tone finish.
Under the hood, buyers will have two choices of powertrains. The all-new e-Skyactiv G is no less than the most powerful production engine Mazda has ever built. The turbocharged inline-six displaces 3.3 liters, producing 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. The new six-pot also comes with a mild hybrid system, sandwiching an electric motor between the engine and transmission.
For those wanting an added dose of electrification, there will be a plug-in hybrid option as well. This model pairs Mazda’s ubiquitous 2.5-liter turbo-four with a larger electric motor and a 17.8-kWh battery pack. Mazda hasn’t given an all-electric range figure, but the smaller CX-60 PHEV is quoted at 39 miles (63 km) in other markets.
Both engines hook up to a new eight-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission.
Mazda interiors have been some of the classiest out there for a while now, and the CX-90 doesn’t look to be breaking that tradition. The three-row cabin is light and airy, with a clean dashboard design that emphasizes width. Nappa leather and wood mix with a unique fabric on the dashboard. Mazda has employed a unique hanging stitch pattern here, inspired by classic bookbinding and the Japanese Kumihimo weaving technique. Seating for eight is standard, with second-row captain’s chairs optional.
A large 12.3-inch display sits atop the dashboard—with no official word yet on the level of touch controls. A new fully digital instrument panel also shows up behind the wheel. Mazda is throwing every bit of tech it has at the CX-90, including its standard i-Activsense suite of driver assists and an available See-Through View monitor. The company says the latter should help “in a variety of parking situations.” The CX-90 also comes with Kinematic Posture Control, a form of brake-based torque vectoring that debuted on the MX-5 last year.
With this new flagship, Mazda is making its clearest move towards premium status yet. The CX-90 mirrors many of the on-paper specs of SUVs like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, and Genesis GV80.
While Mazda didn’t announce specific availability or pricing details, we expect the CX-90 to arrive in dealerships around summer. Expect more details before then.
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Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
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