Mazda just showed off the CX-90, which looks like a CX-5 but is bigger and more rugged. The CX-50 came before the Mazda. But things are very different this time. Because of minor changes, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 doesn’t just copy its three-row sibling, the Mazda CX-9. Instead, it goes in a new direction. From what Mazda has told us, let’s look at the CX-90’s features and compare them to those of the CX-9. Chassis Before you even get to the bumper and A-pillars, the CX-90 and CX-9 are very different. The CX-9’s engine layout across the car differs from the CX-90’s longitudinal layout. Mazda says that the changes to the setup will make the CX-90 easier to drive. Let us burst your bubble about a rear-wheel-drive CX-90 before you start to think about it. Even though a longitudinally mounted engine would make this possible, the CX-90, like the CX-9, will come standard with all-wheel drive. Mazda took some of the chassis technology from the MX-5 Miata and used it in its newest SUV. Kinematic Posture Control will be standard on the CX-90. This system is supposed to make the car more stable by lightly stopping the inner rear wheel in the middle of a turn. Powertrains All Mazda CX-9s have the same engine, a 2.5-liter inline-four turbocharged with 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel and 23 horsepower and ten pound-feet of torque on regular fuel. The car has an automatic transmission with six speeds and all-wheel drive. On the other hand, the CX-90 will have two powertrains with different levels of electric power. The much-talked-about 3.3-liter inline-six turbocharged engine makes 369 pound-feet of torque and 340 horsepower when combined with a 48-volt hybrid system. The plug-in hybrid CX-90 is an option for people who want more electrons. It has 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque and runs on premium gas. It has one electric motor and a 2.5-liter inline-four engine. With a 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery, we expect the CX-90 PHEV’s electric range to be less than 39 miles, just like the smaller WLTP-certified CX-60 PHEV, which is only sold in Europe. A transmission with eight speeds will be available for both models of the CX-90. This slushbox is different because it doesn’t have a torque converter. Instead, it has a wet clutch with several plates. It was made inside the company. Exterior Mazda hasn’t said how big the CX-90 is, but we know it’s broader and longer than the CX-9. The CX-90 has a low-key look because it doesn’t have sharp lines on the side of the CX-9. Instead, it has smoother curves. The front of the CX-90 looks more vertical than the front of the CX-9, which has a grille that looks like a beak and has a sharper angle. Even though the CX-90’s headlights aren’t as small as the CX-9’s, the newer SUV’s tail lights are more angular and thin. Inside and Outside of the Cabin The CX-90’s interior will be more flexible than the CX-9. The current Mazda three-row SUV can seat six or seven people, but the CX-90 will have the option to seat eight. Mazda hasn’t said how big the CX-90’s interior would be, but the company has said it will be bigger than the CX-9. We hope Mazda can squeeze in another whole person. Since the CX-90 is so much newer than the CX-9, it’s no surprise that the cabin is more excellent. The CX-9 still has old parts, like a giant gear lever, steering wheel, and controls for the infotainment system. The CX-90’s new gear lever is smaller and has toggles instead of dials for controlling the temperature. The steering wheel is also nicer to look at. Is that fabric on the dash of the CX-90? You can stake your last dollar on the fact that it is genuine. Every CX-9 has a 10.3-inch infotainment screen that rises from the dashboard. Depending on the trim level, the gauge cluster has either a 4.6-inch or 7.0-inch LCD screen. This technology is brought up to date by the 12.3-inch infotainment screen in the CX-90, which we expect to be standard across the line. The binnacle has digital gauge displays about the same size, but these are more likely to be found on more expensive models. Price If we told you that Mazda has yet to disclose the price of the CX-90, would you believe us? Still, the automaker told us to extrapolate from the price differences between the CX-50 and CX-5. The CX-50 is almost the same price in the base trim as the CX-5. In the top edge, the difference is nearly $2,000. The base price of the CX-90 is around $40,000, and the top trims should cost more than $50,000.
