In only its second year of production, the Mazda CX-90 is earning quite the reputation as a superior three-row SUV. Its arrival led to the farewell two years ago of the popular Mazda CX-9.
The new SUV is larger, faster, more comfortable and luxurious than the CX-9 and has a much larger third row of seating, transporting six to eight people. It’s not like there were major issues with the flagship CX-9, which successfully debuted in 2007 and had record sales of 34,580 in 2022. Yet the Japanese auto manufacturer was anxious to debut the newCX-90.
The midsize SUV provides ample room throughout the cabin and comes with a choice of a two- or three-seat bench in the third row. It has a standard turbocharged V6 engine and all versions of the CX-90 come with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Among the options in the CX-90 lineup is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that has a range of 26 miles in electric-only mode. It comes with 17.8-kWh battery pack that takes roughly two hours and 20 minutes to go from zero to 100 percent via a 240-volt power source.
The CX-90 PHEV employs a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and a single electric motor to generate a combined 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It’s faster than the standard CX-90 (3.3-liter, V6, 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque), going 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds.
The Turbo S adaptation driven here is a 3.3-liter, V6 that generates 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. All three versions of the CX-90 get around 24-28 mpg. The CX-90 can tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
The ease of driving the CX-90 is another plus. It’s quick and handles well, providing more stability than the CX-9. All CX-90s come standard with the following safety features: adaptive cruise, collision avoidance, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, driver awareness, automatic high beams, rain sensing wipers, and adaptive cruise.
AT A GLANCE – 2025 MAZDA CX-90
- Performance: turbocharged 3.3-liter, V6, 280 horsepower; turbo 3.3-liter, V6, 340 horsepower; electric motor, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder, 323 horsepower
- Mileage estimate: 24-28 mpg; 56 MPGe
- Price estimate: $38,100 to $57,900
- Warranty:3ears/36,000 miles; drivetrain: 5 years/60,000 miles; roadside assistance: 3 years/36,000; corrosion: 5 years/unlimited; battery
Mazda did a nice job designing the CX-90 cabin, giving it both style and functionality. It has a standard 7-inch digital instrument cluster display and a user-friendly 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. However, not everyone will like that it needs to be controlled with a rotary knob on the center console. Note that there are several physical buttons that control major functions, including the climate control system.
Standard features include 19-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, tri-zone automatic climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, HD Radio, Bluetooth, four USB ports, voice recognition, and eight-speaker audio system.
The front seats are comfortable and offer plenty of head and leg room even for taller folks. The second row is either a bench or more stylish captain’s chairs. Even though the CX-90’s third row is more spacious than the CX-9, it’s not a place where adults will want to reside for too long.
The cargo area behind the third row measures either 14.9 cubic feet (three-seat third row) or 15.9 cubes (two-seat third row). It expands to 40.1 cubic feet with the third row down and the space grows to 75.2 cubes with the two rows folded to the floor.
The 2025 Mazda CX-90 has quickly been embraced. It has many fine qualities and is already being hailed as one of the best midsize SUVs amongst some stiff competition.
Weidel on Wheels is featured regularly on www.tahoeskiworld.com. Auto writer Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jeffweidel.
