No data
No data
323
8 speed, Automatic w/OD
Gas/Electric I-4
All Wheel Drive
Photo:Â Chris Teague
The Mazda CX-90 competes in the Upper Midsize SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 54 percent of new Upper Midsize SUV buyers are male (vs. 61 percent for the industry), and the median age of a new Upper Midsize SUV buyer is 55 years (vs. 56).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated the Upper Midsize SUV segment in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
Photo:Â Chris Teague
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $58,920, including the $1,375 destination charge.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
The front two rows of the CX-90 are supremely comfortable and spacious. Front-seat passengers get deep, supportive, and nicely padded buckets, and the Nappa leather upholstery always feels soft and luxurious. The second row is nearly as accommodating, and the Premium Plus trim's captain's chairs give it a fantastic amount of space for two passengers. Parents will also find that captain's chairs do a great job of keeping two kids separated.
Though there are some confusing tech issues, the front cabin area is intuitive and ergonomic, making it easy to reach and use the CX-90's numerous features. Outward visibility is excellent in most directions, and climbing in and out of the front seats is easy. Third-row passengers will find a less spacious area, and getting into the seat is physically challenging for large individuals.
Mazda offers a range of gorgeous leather choices for the CX-90 PHEV, including tan and two darker shades. My test vehicle came with white Nappa leather, which looked great from afar but revealed plenty of stains and smudges up close. While it's beautiful, it's difficult to recommend the lighter leather color to anyone with pets or kids, as it's difficult to keep clean.
The CX-90's cargo hold is below average for its class, and the space has an odd shape that can make loading larger items complicated. While the Premium Plus trim has a powered liftgate with hands-free operation, the rear hatch doesn't open tall enough, forcing taller users to duck when loading and unloading.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
The CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus gets a 12.3-inch non-touch infotainment display with a rotary dial controller and several great features. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, along with wireless phone charging, navigation with an off-road function, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a Bose sound system.
Mazda's infotainment interface is relatively easy to understand, and the display is responsive enough. The problem is that the non-touch display and rotary controller are far from intuitive or usable as a simple touchscreen. Scrolling through long lists of songs or radio stations takes too much time, and focusing so heavily on precision with the dial can be distracting.
The good news is that the SUV's steering wheel controls work perfectly, and the display is bright and crisp, making it easily viewable from any seat in the vehicle. Its widescreen design also makes it a pleasure to view and use. It pairs with the digital gauge cluster to deliver information clearly and without distraction.
That said, the Bose sound system in the CX-90 is one of the best factory stereos I've tested in quite some time. In the default equalizer settings, the bass is deep, and the highs are crystal clear. There's also plenty of volume, and the CX-90's quiet cabin helps the audio system shine.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
Mazda's SUVs are typically more fun and engaging to drive than their competitors, and the CX-90 shines in this area. As mentioned earlier, the PHEV version of the CX-90 pairs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor for a combined 323 hp (with premium unleaded fuel) and 369 pound-feet of torque. All of Mazda's SUVs come standard with all-wheel drive, and power reaches the wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
While it's mostly smooth, there is the occasional hiccup with the handoff between gas and electric powertrain components. Beyond that, the system works almost flawlessly, and the SUV never feels underpowered. That said, the CX-90 doesn't always feel like it has 323 hp under the hood, though the electric motor's instant torque certainly helps. There's good power for reaching highway speeds and passing once there, but don't expect an extremely thrilling driving experience from the plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Mazda dialed in the CX-90's handling, giving it the feel of a much smaller SUV. The suspension system soaks up most of the worst road conditions, and the family hauler can hold its own on a curvy back road. At the same time, the ride quality is slightly firmer than many might expect, so it's a good idea to test drive the SUV if you're considering a purchase. The steering is precise and direct, and braking feels solid, even with the regenerative system that helps to replenish the battery.
According to Mazda, the CX-90 PHEV offers 26 miles of electric range and recharges from 20 to 80 percent in under seven hours using a standard household outlet. That time drops to around 90 minutes using a Level 2 charger. Mazda says the SUV returns 25 mpg combined in hybrid mode and 56 MPGe with the electric system in play.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
Standard safety tech on the 2024 CX-90 includes automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, a driver monitoring system, forward-collision warning, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a rear-seat reminder system, a safe-exit system, and more. The top Premium Plus trim has a head-up display, surround-view camera system, intersection turn assistance, and parking sensors.
Though effective, Mazda's safety systems and the accompanying warnings can sometimes be alarming. The alerts are loud, and the sounds are abrupt, which can cause more distraction.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
The CX-90 offers 14.9 cubic feet of rear cargo space with the third row upright, 40 cubic feet with it folded flat, and 74.2 cubic feet with the second- and third-row seats folded down. While the top Premium Plus trim gets a powered, hands-free liftgate, the convenience features don't compensate for the below-average cargo space. Additionally, the CX-90's rear hatch opening is smaller than expected, and the door doesn't open far enough to accommodate larger items.
The CX-90 returns 25 mpg combined in hybrid mode and 56 MPGe in electric mode. Its total electric driving range reaches 26 miles, while the combined range extends 490 miles. Its fuel-economy numbers are slightly below average for a hybrid SUV, and the driving range falls short of some rivals, including cheaper, smaller competitors.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to rate the 2024 Mazda CX-90's crashworthiness. The SUV does, however, have two active recalls—one related to steering components unexpectedly falling off, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 earned a Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2023 calendar year. It's worth noting that the SUV aced IIHS testing, including the new, more intense side-impact tests, which use far more force than before to simulate the weights of today's EVs and larger SUVs. The TSP+ award comes when the IIHS has dropped some competitors from the award list due to more stringent crash testing, making the Mazda a compelling buy from a safety standpoint.
The entry-level Preferred trim of the 2024 CX-90 PHEV starts at $47,445, the Premium trim at $52,900, and the Premium Plus at $56,950. Those prices do not include the $1,375 destination charge. While expensive, the Premium Plus trim gets all the goodies built-in, so there's no need to spend extra on options and packages. Those prices make the CX-90 more expensive than the Kia Sorento PHEV and other non-hybrid heavy-hitters like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Toyota 4Runner ranks highest in the Upper Midsize SUV segment. The Buick Enclave and the GMC Acadia are the next highest-ranked models.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Kia Telluride ranks highest in the Upper Midsize SUV segment. The Hyundai Palisade and the Honda Pilot are the next highest-ranked models.
There are very few plug-in hybrid competitors to the CX-90, but the Kia Sorento PHEV is a solid alternative. It offers an upscale interior, plenty of great features, and a refined powertrain. The new Toyota Grand Highlander and even the standard Highlander are excellent choices, too. Both are available with a fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain (not PHEV, though). That said, the CX-90 PHEV's closest competitor is its gas-only counterpart, which you can have for less money and with the same features as the plug-in model.
Photo:Â Chris Teague
Mazda managed to retain its engaging driving attitude while translating it into a plug-in hybrid family hauler. The 2024 CX-90 is luxurious, refined, and great-looking, leaving the price as the main point of contention. At the risk of being the "get off my lawn" car reviewer, I'll say that the price is too high for a Mazda. There are several non-hybrid SUVs with similar features and tech, which can make stepping up to the PHEV seem like not the best use of money. At the same time, the SUV's electric driving range is short of the Sorento PHEV's range of 32 miles and far short of smaller, cheaper plug-in models like the Toyota RAV4 Prime, which offers an impressive 42 miles of all-electric range.
For the right driver, the CX-90 could be the perfect family hauler, but that person is not me. My family of four and our 90-pound dog frequently saw the limits of the CX-90's cargo hold, and the third-row seat was too difficult to access to use as regular accommodations. While the electric range is perfect for my short in-town commutes to the kids' school and other places, it's hard not to wish for more range to extend the gas-free driving period a bit further.
Chris Teague is an experienced writer in the automotive and technology fields. In addition to JDPower.com, his work appears at Forbes, The Drive, Your Test Driver, and others.
