For a company that is defined as small, lightweight sports carit’s funny to think that Mazda The most important and pivotal vehicle is the three-row family SUV (and there are two rows too). We can make a strong argument for that statement, because CX-90 It’s the first Mazda in the country to ride on the brand’s new rear-wheel-drive platform, and the company’s all-new, in-house powertrain is likely to trickle down to other models. Plus, it’s a key part of Mazda’s best-selling lineup: SUVs. That’s why we wanted to spend more time with one model in particular. a 2024 Mazda CX-90 Premium Plus plug-in hybrid. We wanted to find out how the new platform, and especially hybrid The answer is both, with some aspects still meeting our expectations for fun and style, and others needing to be tweaked.
Read all the posts about the long-term Mazda CX-90 here
Let’s start with the good stuff. Let’s dig into the looks. The new platform not only provides rear-wheel drive, but also gives the CX-90 classic rear-wheel drive proportions. It has a long nose and the front wheels pushed far forward. And a simple greenhouse planted behind the rear wheels. It’s simple and handsome, and it looks different from most conventional three-row SUVs, and more at home in high-end machinery.
The interior remains classy. It has a clean dashboard, but is filled with nice physical switches. We particularly appreciate completely missing piano black plasticalso. color The layout is a bit plain on our Premium Plus, but it’s accented by some brass accents on the seats. It’s quite roomy, although the third row is a bit small. Luggage space is a matter of opinion. It’s behind most mainstream options, but better than many premium options. The infotainment system is somewhat controversial. Some of us prefer the physical dial that’s required for most operations, and some of us like to use Touch screen as a touchscreen at all times. We appreciate the flexibility of using the CX-90 as a giant backup battery. Although it cannot provide much juice from battery Like some other electric vehicles, the 1,500-watt outlet in the back is still usable when needed.
And in terms of chassis, the CX-90 is all Mazda, maybe too much so. The ride is firm, but it also keeps body roll to a minimum. If you want to explore the limits of its capabilities, it’s surprisingly fun to play with. The steering is extremely precise, quite quick, and feels heavy and progressive. The front end is responsive and the whole car feels quite neutral. It puts the sportiness in SUV. This also means that, as well as being bumpier than most family haulers, we found that navigating parking lots with the heavy steering could be quite tiring. We respect the commitment to driving enjoyment, but we also know that many people just want a little more comfort.
This brings us to the real issue with the CX-90: plug-in hybrid powertrain. It really has a lot of power (323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque), and in Sport mode, where the engine runs all the time, it delivers strong performance and solid throttle response. But you’ll want to leave it in EV and Normal modes, which prioritize electric driving when possible. It has a quoted range of 26 miles, and we usually landed somewhere in the top 20 for range, which is quite useful. However, like so many PHEVs, running on electric power just means you’re working with significantly less horsepower, which leads to sluggish acceleration. Not only that, but some of us found the transition from electric to gasoline frustrating, feeling that the gasoline engine wasn’t quick enough or comfortable enough. The new eight-speed automatic adds to the complexity with a few more gears than most Mazdas have to choose from. And with the electric motor sending power through the transmission, the gearing needs for electric-only mode versus hybrid mode can be different. This leads to some awkward gear searching and shifting—sometimes even annoying and startling to those in the cabin.
Then there is fuel economyWe got pretty close to it. United States Environmental Protection Agency rated at 25 mpg combined, with our overall average being 24.56 mpg. So not bad, but we’d like to see better from any hybrid. Most of our driving is done on long road trips.This is to be expected in a large family car. So the benefit of the EV’s 26-mile range is lost in all the miles driven by the engine. This highlights the fact that a PHEV is really only worthwhile in a few fairly specific situations. Firstly, it has to be plugged in every day, otherwise the entire battery capacity is completely wasted. Secondly, most of your driving needs to be relatively local. On long trips it won’t be much use, but around town or to the next town and back it can be very useful.
There is some good news in this, however. The CX-90 is not only available with plug and play powertrain. It also offers a turbocharged inline-six, with two powertrains. This engine is a smooth and powerful option, and the eight-speed transmission handles better than the more complex hybrid. As such, this is likely the trim to buy, as it still has all the things we love about the CX-90, but without the fickle powertrain.
Our time with the CX-90 was a strange one. It’s clear that Mazda needs to do some fine-tuning for the PHEV. But once it’s done, it can combine its regular twin-six engine with a premium, fun-to-drive hauler that could appeal to those who want something more than a big softbox.
Key points to remember:
- This is a beautiful, premium SUV that feels a step above most conventional three-row SUVs.
- It made an impression. happy driving and handles like most other Mazdas.
- The plug-in hybrid powertrain needs significant refinement and its performance may not be as expected.
