Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are the perfect middle step between going electric and sticking with a gasoline-powered car. They use electricity alone to travel short distances and gasoline for longer trips. They can work on either energy source without the other. And they recharge overnight from a standard wall outlet.
The Mazda CX-90 PHEV is a 3-row SUV good for up to 26 miles on electric power alone. All-new for the 2024 model year, it offers near-luxury elegance and a panache lacking in many family vehicles.
The Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV is a plug-in version of our 2023 KBB Best Buy Award winner amongst 2-row SUVs. It seats fewer — just five — but offers up to 30 miles of all-electric range and carries a lower starting price.
Let’s see how these two compare. Note that this article compares the 2024 Mazda to the 2023 Hyundai because those are the models on sales lots this month.
2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV is a plug-in hybrid version of Mazda’s newest flagship SUV. Premium details inside and out make it feel like a luxury car, while its $47,445 starting price compares to PHEVs from affordable automakers.
Mazda CX-90 PHEV Highlights
Upscale design: Car critics tend to divide vehicles into two tiers — affordable and luxury. Mazda confused that system with the CX-90. An elegant exterior design and a finely crafted interior with details like stitching borrowed from traditional Japanese bookbinding techniques and available Nappa leather make the CX-90 feel pricier than it is.
More power: The CX-90 sacrifices nothing to earn its environmental credentials. A total of 323 horsepower makes it more capable than the Santa Fe PHEV in the passing lane, but it still lets you run your around-town errands without polluting much.
That Mazda handling balance: If Mazda is known for anything, it’s agile handling. The CX-90 has the bulk of a 3-row SUV but borrows technology from the little MX-5 Miata roadster. Called Kinematic Posture Control, it makes the CX-90 handle like a smaller vehicle.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the CX-90 PHEV models for sale near you.
2023 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV is a plug-in hybrid version of the car that has taken home our Best Buy Award among 2-row SUVs for four consecutive years. It rates first in our list of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs but seats fewer than the Mazda. A $42,410 starting price makes it more affordable than the CX-90.
Santa Fe PHEV Highlights
Lower price: Mazda is butting up against the luxury classes with its CX-90 PHEV, and it’s priced accordingly, starting at $47,445. Hyundai kept the Santa Fe PHEV to $42,410. Its high-end Limited model, at $47,670, costs about as much as a base CX-90 PHEV.
Longer all-electric range: PHEV technology lets you buy a fairly large SUV and still rarely buy gasoline. But Santa Fe PHEV drivers will visit the pump less often, thanks to an additional five miles of electric range.
The longest warranty available anywhere: A few automakers (Kia and Mitsubishi) can match Hyundai’s 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties. No one beats them. And Mazda doesn’t come close.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Santa Fe PHEV models for sale near you.
Similarities
Plug-in hybrid flexibility, similar cargo space
Conclusion
The Mazda CX-90 PHEV offers near-luxury refinement, three rows of seating, and the flexibility to use electricity for daily errands but drive as far as gasoline takes you. Its Kinematic Posture Control system makes driving fun for such a big vehicle, and its polished style makes it look and feel elegant.
The Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV answers with a lower price, longer warranty, and award-winning quality. It has just two rows of seating but goes farther on electricity alone and has nearly the same cargo capacity as the larger CX-90 PHEV.
Specifications
| 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV | 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV | |
| Starting Price | $47,445 | $42,410 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder plus electric motor | 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder plus electric motor |
| Horsepower | 323 hp | 268 hp |
| Torque | 369 lb-ft | 224 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | TBD | 33 mpg combined/76 mpge |
| Also Available | Inline 6-cylinder | 4-cylinder, turbo 4-cylinder, hybrid |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | TBD | 5 stars |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 122.8 inches | 108.9 inches |
| Overall Length | 201.6 inches | 188.4 inches |
| Width | 84.9 inches | 74.8 inches |
| Height | 68.2 inches | 66.3 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 38.1 feet | 37.5 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 39.7 inches | 41.2 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 39.3 inches | 39.0 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 36.9 inches | N/A |
| Legroom, Front | 41.7 inches | 44.1 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 39.4 inches | 39.5 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 30.4 inches | N/A |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 57.2 inches | 59.1 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 58.1 inches | 58.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 53.3 inches | N/A |
| EPA Cargo Volume | 14.9/40.0/74.2 cubic feet | N/A/36.4/72.1 cubic feet |
