The Mazda CX-90 Isn't Quite The Zoom-Zoom Family Hauler You Asked For

The 3rd row legroom sucks...practically puts the feet on the railing of the 'pushed' up 2nd row. Good only for babies honestly..there is literally no carpet space in 3rd row ..that should tell you everything.

I was just at my local Mazda dealership yesterday for a routine service on our CX-5. It looked like there were a million CX-90's on the lot out front and around back in every color available. I asked a sales guy how they were selling so far, and the look he gave me was one of concern. They certainly look good (overall) feel premium compared to the mainstream competition and having driven various Mazda's now for 17 years I'm sure the driving dynamics are a standout in the segment along with the new powertrain options. I think most shoppers are looking for a 3-row family vehicle are looking for more interior volume, more passenger room in the third row and more overall cargo space, i.e., Toyota Grand Highlander, Kia Telluride etc. Form and function over style and performance. It's not a minivan alternative nor is it going to sway BMW x5/x7 shoppers. Personally, I think they kind of missed the mark on this one, but I wish them well!

Pretty sure the engine noise is fake. Pump into the cabin through the sound speakers. Really sad the reviewer missed that.

As much as I am enjoying my CX-5, the “90” is too car much for me. I’m waiting for the “70” as I’m sure it will have similar characteristics. Perhaps like the Volkswagen Atlas/Atlas Cross Sport? BTW, Alex, it looks like you’ve trimmed up a bit!

Here in Canada, I would go for the Mazda CX-90 2024 in the base trim (GS) as I don't need all the BELLS AND WHISTLES or maybe just wait for the CX-70 as I don't really need a 3rd row. 😁

I just got done renting one of these cars and it was an absolute deal breaker the way the transmission and powertrain communicate with each other. The jerkiness of this car at low speeds cannot be understated, it is absolutely horrendous. Also the motor sounds like it's already blown a lifter or a valve seal or something. It is extremely noisy at idle.

The sound deadening at highway speeds is also not very good.
For the price point of this car I was expecting it to be a little quieter. The interior is very very nice. Very upscale for the price.

It's got your standard non touchscreen Mazda insanity. You literally can't use aspects of AA & ACP because the screen won't let you. The way it's programed as well is infuriating because it won't start automatically when plugged in. You have to scroll wheel down to your phone and select then click AA or AC. You can then unplug and use wireless if you want but you always need to plug in a select each drive.

Got mine exactly a month ago and my family loves it. 3 adults and 2 dogs:) .

THAT CAR IS SEXY AF!!

Alex, this method of testing legroom with seats all the way back will lead manufacturers to out smaller sliding rails. We need a better way, perhaps combined legroom like Lucid likes to measure.

Thank you for your review, Alex, but I do not agree with your critical position. Mazda still has a lot of features to approve, but I'd be surprised if you showed me such amazing progress between two next generation models at Toyota/Honda/VW/Mercedes. Small auto company made a huge spet ahead in comparasing with autogiant.

Why is a KIA/Hyundai fluff channel reviewing Mazdas 😂

This is what Lexus TX should’ve been if they want to compete with Germans and Genesis GV80.

None of the negative about this vehicle bothers me. I’m 5’7” & my wife is 5’6”. We are empty nesters with no grandkids. The 3rd row would stay folded down. Our Frenchie could stay in the back in his crate (wouldn’t let him get on that beautiful leather interior. 😂

Plenty of room for our taller friends in the second row. This thing is gorgeous inside and out in my opinion. Fun to drive and a great road trip vehicle for us. Perfect. Excellent review. This car is the sweet spot for us.

We have rented one fora out a week on a trip with 3 kids. Overall great looks, feel of materials is nice, interior is nice and easy to use. It is just that this vehicle is for max 4 people. You look at it from outside and wonder where all the space went. We had to keep one of the 3rd row seats folded at all times to fit stuff. And fortunately none of my kids wear size 11 right now. So we made it work.

Its the last hope for Mazda.

Happy new year 🎉

Big SUVs are such a waste of space. Could've been so much smaller externally if it was a minivan, for the same interior space.

Great review, spot on with your commentary.. i have the PHEV version, and so far very good but for a few issues. I also hasa CX-9, and I think it had a bit more room...

This engine and transmission has literally zero track record in terms of reliability, is that right?

That’s a tough sell. Mazda got caught with bad timing on this one, with mandates for electrification coming real soon. I wonder how they can recoup the R&D on this. They should have just paired the I6 with the plugin battery, and created a top trim with that. Maybe they’ll end up doing that so they can continue to sell this engine beyond 2030.

Cx90 looks amazing, but if youre not gonna make a proper third row don't bother. I get it won't have as much space as a second row, but you should be able to stick an average size adult back there and have just enough room not to be scrunched up.

Alex- I have had my CX90 (still the Signature in Canada) since the first week of July. You got what so many other reviewers missed. The driving dynamics is much better than all the competition not to mention styling. My only gripe is that reviewers always talk about head room in “family” 3 row SUV’s. In most families the parents are in the front seats and the kids sit in the 2nd or 3rd row to keep them separated. If you use it like that there is more than enough room in the 3rd row. I also owned a 2020 Explorer ST and traded it in for the Mazda. The CX90 handles better not to mention the fit, finish and materials of the interior. The Explorer interior is a joke. I think I also had 8 recalls with it over 3 years.

Alex, this is not a livery vehicle. The third row is for emergency or smaller children. Get over it.

That said, could not agree more with you that Mazda failed on the front seats regarding lumbar, massage and thigh extension.

The front end looks attractive the rear end is a mistake.

Did Alex lose weight or something? I can barely see him now 😂

Fun car to drive. Not fun to own. But Mazda is going in the right direction with this CX-90.

Everybody looking at my tight pants, tight pants, I got my tight pants on🤪

Alex, your reviews are always spot on… I found the interior of the higher trim level with the center console to be too small inside… Ended up buying a lower trim level with captains chairs for the roominess… I constantly bonk my head on the hatch when it is open 😂

Had a cx-90 when getting an oil change on my cx-9. Around town the cx-90 is so much rougher than the cx9. I was shocked at how disruptive the stop start was and how just unpolished it felt. Maybe it would have felt different if I took it out on the highway. Was not fun to drive around town.

I’m fairly certain Mazda couldn’t produce nearly enough of these to try to compete head on with the mass market competitors. That was never their goal. They’ve been selling over 5,000/month which equates to about 30-40% more than they ever managed with the CX-9. Pretty sure that’s about what their goal was.

Glad to see to you know the Lexus TX sucks.

If ultimate practicality is your goal, get a mini-van. My family will be looking stylish and traveling light with big smiles on our faces! 😁😁🐾🐾👍👍

The BMW X1 has more interior room, all the seat features Alex wants including the missing lumbar and thigh support. Better gas mileage, better everything.

Great review as usual. However, the typical CX90 customer will consider a Pilot or a Grand Highlander ( and to a lesser extent a Telluride). This is not a luxury product so Lexus and Acura will not be in the mix. I would also not touch a Ford product since they decided to go the Stellantis way on quality control.

👍 well done. It looked like you were having fun in a Miata 😊

It's funny that everyone is passionate about an inline six and RWD, but then criticizes the issues that come with that layout. Mazda is still not perfectly premium but very close. They also don't offer the very last tech, but the one you find are definitely working well.

Mazda is obsessed with making front hoods that are half the length of the vehicle and interior space that is cramped.

We really wanted to get the CX-90, but it’s simply just not big enough for our family, it was just as huge as the Grand Highlander but with significantly less space on the inside. On the upside it did handle amazingly but that wasn’t enough to sway us, we don’t really need our 3-rownfamily hauler to be a canyon carver, we need it to be comfortable in all 3-rows and we were gladly willing to sacrifice that handling for a much better packed interior. I knew the CX-90 was smaller on the inside but I didn’t know it was even smaller than the regular Highlander. We should be getting our Lexus TX soon which should handle better than the Grand Highlander while still providing enough space 😊

There is a channel called The Car Care Nut (if I'm not mistaken) that took a look at the CX-90 from a mechanical standpoint. The maintenance costs down the road will be insane due to how the engine is positioned, which this video very briefly touches on. I understand that cars are increasingly difficult to work on, but these are unnecessary or planned/greedy choices.

All longitudinal-placed rear-wheel drive platform is “small” in cabin place. That is just the intrinsic nature of a premium platform. People need a “big” car looks for Lexus ES (not GS), TX (not GX), Atlas (not Tourage).

They headlights are poorly designed, look like after thought 💭.

98% of buyers in this segment are looking for a comfortable ride, roomy interior and storage practicality. This totally misses the mark. Mazda needs to expand its customer base and this won't do it. Better suited for a 2 row like a CX70 perhaps, but needs adaptive dampers.

Alex, apologies if I missed it in the review, but can you comment on the quickness of the steering and how that feels? I've heard that Mazda gives the CX-90 a slower ratio to allow for a more adjustable feel in corners. Any thoughts on that?

For some shoppers you wouldn't be able to but people in the 3rd row and a stroller behind them the trunk will not close.

Can Mazda come up with a Mazda 6 speed with this very powertrain and sporty driving dynamics to boot. That would be cool

It’s amazing to see a company like Mazda with such limited resources, try so hard and produce such a great product like the CX90 and then on the other hand see Lexus, a company with all the money in the world and put in zero effort int here offerings/rebadging a Toyota. Really hope this sells well for Mazda, they deserve it

It takes Mazda to develop an Inline6 in this era.

The interior is definitely better than the list of competitors but the exterior, really? It's nicer than the MDX? No way

Exterior styling:
MDX
CX90
Grand Highlander
TX