2024 Mazda CX-90 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

Perfect is several ways

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

If I have one indelible memory from my week in this Mega Mazda, it was the day I stopped to check my mailbox. Simple protocol, right? Pull up to the curb, slide the shift lever all the way forward into Park, then open the driver's side door. But in their new CX-90, Mazda has complicated this most basic sequence by throwing you a curve ball when you were expecting a fastball. They inexplicably moved Park out of its accustomed frontal position in the shift pattern, and relocated it to a gate of its own, to the left of Reverse. This complication caused me to unknowingly select Reverse when I wanted Park. Consequently, just as I opened the driver's door, the CX-90 lurched backwards. Luckily, opening the door also triggered an interlock that put the Mazda safely into Park.

That incident was about the only stain that blotted the Mazda's copybook during my week with this behemoth new SUV. I could tell how large it was when I positioned it for photography. In spots where my telephoto lens would normally capture an entire vehicle, I found myself having to move back an extra ten feet to frame the vast CX-90 in my viewfinder. For the record, the CX-90 is a replacement of sorts for the company's outgoing CX-9 SUV. Although the 90 is only one inch longer than the 9, it's wheelbase is 10 full inches longer than the departing model. This reallocation of interior space allowed Mazda to add a third row of seats to the CX-90 with seating for 7 in our test model (in a 2/2/3 arrangement). Slightly increased width and height over the CX-9 have bumped cargo capacity from 34 cubic feet to 41.5 cubic feet in the CX-90. This in turn allowed me to easily insert a full-size bicycle through the hatch of the CX-90.

Handling has always been Job One at Mazda. That's easy to accomplish when you're designing and refining a two-seat sports car like the 2,335-pound MX-5 Miata or even the 3,025-pound Mazda3 sedan. But what happens when you try to inject that sporty DNA into a 7-seat 4,964-pound SUV that weighs nearly twice as much as the Miata? First, you make the contact patch of the tires as big as possible. Mazda bolts a set of 21-inch, 10-spoke alloy rims to each corner, each mounting oversize Falken Ziex CT 60 A/S radials measuring 275/45R-21. Then engineer a perfectly balanced platform that splits curb weight optimally at 51% front and 49% rear. Finally, dial-in steering feedback that is perfectly weighted, with a system that offers enough boost to facilitate easy directional change without smothering feedback at the steering wheel. It's not an easy compromise to achieve, and most large SUVs I've tested miss the mark by a mile. But the CX-90's solution is spot-on.

Augmenting this handling acuity is the longitudinal placement of Mazda's first-ever inline 6 cylinder engine. Unlike so many 3 row SUVs that mount their V6 motors sideways, the CX-90's inline 6 offers better overall weight distribution. The new 3.3-liter turbo charged motor is available in two states of tune. We tested the 280hp version, but you can opt for a 340hp offering as well. A 2.4 liter 4 cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) package is also available with a combined output of 323hp. All 3 versions utilize the same 8-speed automatic transmission, and the same all-wheel-drive system. Prices for the base 3.3-liter Turbo Select begin at $39,595. PHEV prices for the Preferred trim model cost $47,445. The Premium Plus Turbo 3.3 we tested carried a base price of $52,950, and a Total MSRP of $54,920, including a $595 charge for Rhodium White Metallic Paint. This pearlescent color is visually captivating.

But the real peep show here occurs when you open the door. Mazda interior stylists have achieved a new level of perfection. The first item to greet your eyes is the door panels, finished in a fetching combination of premium white leather and blanched driftwood. The nautical hints continue with white Nappa Leather seats trimmed with subtle grey vertical racing stripes. Attention to detail is explicit throughout the roomy Premium Plus level cabin. The front seats as well as the second-row captain's chairs (with center walk-through) are heated, as is the steering wheel. You can upgrade to the $725 Ambiance package which provides illuminated door sill trim plates and logo puddle lamps. But there's plenty of luxe ambiance even without those lily-gilding options. The Preferred Plus CX-90 is done to the nines and definitely worth the extra buy-in bucks.

If you plan on towing a trailer, Mazda will prep your CX for that task for just $900 (hitch, harness, tow ball mount and brake controller). The CX-90 is tow-rated at 5,000 pounds, and with a torque output of 332lb.-ft., this big six is more than worthy of the task.

2024 CX-90 TURBO PREMIUM PLUS

ENGINE: E-Skyactive G 3.3 liter inline-6 Turbocharged
HORSEPOWER: 280hp
TORQUE: 332lb.-ft.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 24MPG City/28MPG Highway
PRICE AS TESTED: $54,920

HYPES: Balance, Handling Finesse

GRIPES: Goofy Shift Lever Pattern

STAR RATING: 8.5 Stars out of 10

©2024 David E Colman