- The Mazda CX-90 is an all-new flagship for the Mazda brand, available with a turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine or as a plug-in hybrid (covered separately)
- Pricing starts at $39,595 | Price it your way
- On sale now | See Mazda CX-90 models for sale near you
Mazda has an all-new flagship vehicle that just debuted. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 is a 3-row SUV with some unique attributes. In recent years, Mazda has threaded a needle by offering cars at affordable prices but with features more common to luxury vehicles. The CX-90 takes that concept to a new level.
It uses a layout that is more common to European luxury vehicles than family SUVs.
We like the sophisticated lines of the CX-90. Its long, wide hood and fender-mounted badges suggest luxury. But, if you should buy one, you’ll be spending most of your time inside. Let’s see what the CX-90 has to offer once you close the door.
Passenger Room and Comfort
The CX-90 pushes back against the common design trend of steeply-sloped SUV roofs. Inside, that means all three rows get sufficient headroom — something we can’t always say about today’s eight-seaters.
And yes, the CX-90 seats eight in some configurations. Second- and third-row bench seats offer you the most passenger capacity, but second-row captain’s chairs found at higher trim levels have some unique features. They slide and recline, allowing second-row passengers to configure their seats to fit their own bodies. Many midsize SUVs say the second row is comfortable for adults, but reclining second-row seats are a genuine step up.
The two highest trim levels, 3.3 Turbo S Premium and 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus, go a step further. They offer a 2-seat bench in the third row rather than a 3-seat bench. That reduces the CX-90 to a 6-seater but gives each of those six seats more personal space than most competitors offer.
Even the base trim gives the driver an 8-way power adjustable seat with power lumbar support. The base model gives the front seat passenger a manually-adjustable seat. But at all other trim levels, front-seat passengers get power adjustments — four at some levels and eight, like the driver, at others.
All three rows get their own USB charging points.
Features and Tech
As Mazda’s flagship vehicle, the CX-90 ships with some high-level technologies. For instance, every CX-90, regardless of trim, gets tri-zone climate control with a pollen filter, so passengers in each row of seats can control their own temperature.
Every trim level also gets map lights — the kind that don’t distract the driver — and higher-end trims get ambient lighting in the doors and footwells.
Mazda’s 12.3-inch central touchscreen is perfectly placed, but there’s a bit of a learning curve to using it. Most functions are controlled not by touchscreen icons but by a puck-like controller on the center console. However, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are controlled through the touchscreen. It’s a strange compromise, but you’ll get used to it quickly.
CarPlay and Auto are standard and wireless at most trim levels.
The audio system at less-expensive trim levels is adequate, but upper trims get a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound system.
Mazda’s radar cruise control can match the car’s speed in front and bring the CX-90 to a full stop in an emergency. Lane-centering technology can provide light steering adjustments to help keep the car centered, and smart brake support can detect pedestrians and help stop the car both forward and backward.
Materials and Design
It’s evident that Mazda designers took pride in the CX-90’s cabin. It’s full of interesting material choices and good ergonomics.
The signature feature is a long horizontal stitch dividing the dashboard north and south. It’s done with a weaving technique known as Kumihimo — a traditional stitch used in Japanese bookbinding.
Color choices are unique. Some combinations get tone-on-tone oatmeal fabric elements on the dashboard. Others get wood trim chosen for its long, straight grain — a visually interesting look.
Upholstery is available in simulated leather, real leather, upscale Nappa leather, or quilted Nappa leather. Both the front and second-row seats can be heated.
2023’s worst interior designs overemphasize screen real estate and can, oddly, look cheap despite their technology. Mazda designers have managed to integrate a 12.3-inch center display in a way that complements the style, not overrides it.
It sits high, so the driver doesn’t have to look down from the road to use it. That’s a safety feature these days. More importantly, commonly-adjusted items like volume and climate controls are physical buttons, so you don’t have to page through menus to get to them.
But it’s the choice of materials we come back to over and over. What separates a great interior from an average one is the care used in selecting textures, colors, and ergonomic placement. The CX-90 is quite good and better than many others at this price point.
Cargo Room and Flexibility
The CX-90 has proportions that almost make it look as though it’s rearing back to pounce. The design keeps the roofline high, leaving you cargo space to work with.
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 offers 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats. Fold them down, and you’ll find 40.1 behind the second row. Fold those as well, and you’ll have 75.2.
Those are on the low end of normal numbers for its class. But, while it might not have as much cargo space as a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander, it outclasses them both in style.
Build and price your own version of the 2024 Mazda CX-90 to see this week’s Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price, 5-Year Cost to Own, and more, or check out CX-90 models for sale near you.
