Car Reviews
Mazda’s CX-90 Turbo S AWD – THE BIG EASY
Mazda’s CX-90 Turbo S AWD
THE BIG EASY
Like many of you, I’ve wondered how ‘affordability’ suddenly became a national talking point when those of us occupying the ‘middle class’ have found staying within monthly budgets difficult for most of our adult lives. As I’ve written here and noted elsewhere, the average new car price is now sitting north of $50K, a lot of money – even if your monthlies are stretched over seven years. Thankfully, there’s at least one OEM focused on maximizing your automotive purchase while minimizing your outlay. That carmaker is Mazda, and one of its better buys is the company’s 3-row CX-90.
If you read the industry trade pub Automotive News, you know Mazda is on a roll here in these United States. With a move upmarket, and most (if not all) of their dealers benefiting from remodeled showrooms – my own store looks like ‘Apple’ meets ‘Audi’ – the revenue keeps coming despite Mr. Trump’s tariffs doing their darndest to diminish it. And since its launch I’ve found the CX-90 to be one of the most compelling Mazdas on dealer showrooms, among 3-row crossovers one of the most attractive in its segment.
It begins with the sheetmetal. In its almost organic design, the CX-90 isn’t small, stretching just over 200 inches on a wheelbase of 123 inches. But sitting back on its chassis and with a windshield sharply raked, the look is more Jaguar-esque than Jaguar’s own attempts – F-Pace and E-Pace – at designing a crossover. Despite its overall length, the CX-90 impresses as athletic, capable of getting you out of the ‘burbs and into the countryside in very short order.
With a moderate hip point, access is easy – neither up nor down, like you would find in a sedan or wagon. Once inside you’ll find the beautifully appointed Turbo S Premium offering supportive seating for four, along with a 3rd row perfect for kids…and imperfect for anyone older than 12. As grandparents, however, a tight 3rd row works exponentially better than no 3rd row, and makes the CX-90’s 2-row variant – they call it a CX-70 – a non-starter.
The CX-90’s instrumentation is legible, while Mazda’s infotainment continues to baffle – and I own a ’21 Miata, so you’d think I’d get it. As a regular user you will get it, but I’m borrowing the press vehicle for less than a week, and I drive the Miata just 1,500 miles a year; in short, I don’t get it. The good news: HVAC controls are manual, intuitive and located immediately beneath the infotainment screen. You can see ‘em, touch ‘em and regulate ‘em! (I continue to hope some OEM will offer – before I stop buying cars – a completely analog option.)
Under the hood the CX-90’s turbocharged inline six, connected to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic, is about as analog as 2026 is gonna’ get. Offering 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the prodigious power is offered in the CX-90’s upmarket spec; lesser variants are forced to ‘make do’ with just 280 horsepower. Beyond the horsepower is a 0-60 capability of 6.3 seconds (according to the test team at Car and Driver), a governed top speed of 130, and a muted rush as it heads to those upper speeds. Beyond those numbers is the ease in which it goes about the business of driving: Merging and passing are effortless, and once up to speed you simply want to keep going.
Ride and handling are what you’d expect from Mazda; the ride is composed, while the handling is taut. When behind the wheel I’m thinking German, but then, with comparable window stickers from BMW and Benz closing in on six figures, I don’t think German with any frequency. I think Mazda.
Mazda’s CX-90 begins at around $40K and can climb to about $60K. Two powertrains are available. The turbocharged inline six was introduced at the CX-90’s debut, while a plug-in hybrid has more recently been made available. The plug-in – utilizing Toyota technology – improves significantly on the six’s 23 City/28 Hwy/25 Combined, but doesn’t pound the pulse. But then, neither does it pound the pocketbook. Our test CX-90 windowed for just over $56K with destination, which – as mentioned – is just above the national average for a new car.
But then, Mazda’s CX-90 impresses as well above average in virtually every objective or subjective respect. At $50,000 it’s a deal, at $40K it’s a steal.
