Your mobile abode on the road, a modern SUV is about much more than mere transport. In the case of the 2026 Mazda CX-90 plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV), it’s about style, space, and technology, especially the technology you’ll find in the cabin. The CX-90 is effectively the 3-row version of the CX-70.
We are so far from the days of tiny, monochrome displays and AM/FM radios (with optional CD player upgrades!) that it’s almost comical to look back at the tech of even 10 or 15 years ago. The Mazda CX-90 PHEV’s infotainment system is more like a home entertainment system combined with a smartphone, plus a dash of digital assistant. It offers about what you’d expect from a new vehicle in the sport-premium segment, but does it in a uniquely Mazda way.
Here’s everything you want to know about the CX-90 PHEV’s infotainment system.
High-Tech Is Standard
Having to plug in a bunch of cords just to use your phone in your car is so pre-2020, right? Mazda thinks so. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard in all versions of the CX-90 PHEV’s infotainment system.
Alexa is built in, meaning you can integrate your car with your smart home and other Alexa-controlled devices if you wish. The system also lets you control the car directly via voice commands for navigation, climate controls, and more.
There’s also a MyMazda app that lets you control the car directly, with functions like remote start, vehicle information reports, and more. The app service is free for the first year, followed by a subscription fee.
Complementing the wireless smartphone integration, wireless phone charging is also standard on all but the base model. If you’re a satellite radio fan, you’ll appreciate the included three free months of SiriusXM satellite radio, also standard on all models above the base.
Dual-Control Screen
You may be wondering why the CX-90 PHEV’s 12.3-inch center infotainment screen is mounted so high on the dash. That’s a safety measure: keeping the display in the driver’s line of sight makes its use less distracting. Some find it a bit too bright at night, so be sure to take a test drive after dark if you can.
Mazda also combines that high-mount position with a dual-control strategy, allowing touchscreen use when paired with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, while defaulting to a puck-style controller in the center console area for normal use.
This might strike some as an odd quirk, and it is a bit unusual in the space, but we have found it to work just fine. It’s something you get used to quickly once you spend some time with the car.
Audiophile Upgrade
The standard audio system attached to the infotainment system is an 8-speaker arrangement with AM/FM/Bluetooth, but the audiophile upgrade path begins at the 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport trim level: a Bose Surround Sound system with 12 speakers and advanced audio software.
That’s not to say the stock setup isn’t great to listen to, also. But for those with an ear for premium sound, it’s a no-brainer.
