*I had an “Oh this is niiiice” moment when I climbed into this big baby, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV. Immediately upon entering, I began admiring the luxury interior, woodgrain paneling, and spacious cabin.
Significantly larger than the CX-30, the CX-90 is a midsized SUV that dominates the road and gives drivers some versatility. A bit bulky for my taste, the vehicle sits up pretty high and a driver could feel like the captain of the road. Besides the comfy lux-like interior, the ride wasn’t super pleasant. Let’s get into it.
Design & Features: One of my favorite features is the panoramic sunroof (because I’m a sucker for them!). And against this particular model’s light-colored interior, the cabin was well lit with lots of natural lighting, almost feeling like a mobile solarium.
The driving experience was certainly enhanced because of this. Packed with passenger customization features for front and second-row riders, the third row doesn’t feel quite like a bucket seat, but compared to other models, might be a little tighter for three passengers.
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With a small cargo space, coming in at 15.9 cubic feet, with the third row down, that cargo space is significantly expanded, reaching 40.1 cubic feet.
Let’s talk about the little details of this vehicle. Many new vehicles are doing away with buttons for basic functions like temperature control. The CX-90 introduces (new to me) an extended lever that takes a moment to get used to but almost makes sense. To adjust the temperature, a user taps the lever up or down.
I think the biggest challenge with this design is that the tapping can easily become distracting as a driver is incrementally tapping up or down to the perfect temperature change.
With a dial, the right temp can quickly be reached, while the tap can feel a little bit tedious. Otherwise, the other touch touch-to-activate buttons are great, old school but works well. Some elements don’t need to be changed.
This model features two captain chairs in the second row with a middle aisle walkway to reach the third row. You can find in other models a center console for storage, temperature control, and cup holders. Truly, this vehicle is customizable with tons of configurations suitable to any needs.
The Drive: I was disappointed with the way the vehicle drove as a large SUV. I expected better suspension and greater handling of the road, but the vehicle was slow and I could feel every bump in the road. If the road wasn’t smooth, the drive was a bit unpleasant.
The fuel economy isn’t great compared to other SUVs in its class, even with the plug-in option. Driving around the city for under 20 minutes with a full charge (which took about 1.5 hours on a public city charger) quickly was used up. This aspect seems like a waste. The additional mileage that showed up on the dash was somewhere between 12-20 miles which quickly diminished with a bit of acceleration.
Overall, the Mazda CX-90 PHEV is on the lower end of my preferred Mazda experience. It looks good and includes lots of space and configuration options, but overall, doesn’t deliver on overall drive and fuel economy.
2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus
MSRP $58,920
MPGe: 56
MPG: 25
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