Mazda CX-90 to debut on February 1
Uprated 3.3-litre turbo-petrol six will be Mazda’s most powerful production engine to dateIt was only a matter of time, but Mazda has now detailed the second application of its new turbocharged 3.3-litre straight six-cylinder petrol engine, which was previously announced for the local CX-60 range, and there’s no surprise it will be the flagship 2023 Mazda CX-90.
But whereas the petrol CX-60 develops 209kW/450Nm, the bigger and more expensive CX-90 will have its wick turned up to 254kW/500Nm and feature a wider torque band compared to the mid-size SUV – its full 500Nm will be on tap over 2000-4500rpm (versus 2000-3500rpm in the CX-60).
The bigger and broader torque output will make the CX-90 the most powerful Mazda production vehicle to date when it debuts on February 1, comfortably outstripping the 241kW/500Nm outputs of the CX-60’s four-cylinder 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain, which previously held the crown – albeit briefly.
There’s been no word yet on what transmission will feature in the CX-90, but odds are it will be the same eight-speed automatic as seen in the CX-60 line-up.
Mazda has confirmed though that CX-90 variants will come standard with a reworked version of the Mazda MX-5’s Kinematic Posture Control (KPC) to help keep the big and inevitably heavy SUV’s body in check through the bends.
KPC is designed to reduce body roll and pitch during spirited cornering and does so by braking the inside rear wheel to counteract the outward lean of the vehicle.
The system should combine with the standard rear-wheel drive and rear-biased all-wheel drive configurations of the new large product platform to make the CX-90 far more dynamically gifted than the front-drive and aging CX-9 it will be sold alongside.
Confirmation of KPC’s inclusion in the package and the petrol engine’s outputs were released in conjunction with a fresh teaser image of the upcoming large SUV, which previews its enlarged cab-back CX-60-like stature and front lighting signature.
The squinting daytime running lights match the previously seen slimline tail-lights, while some not-so-subtly flared wheel-arches add an injection of intent to the package.
Mazda says the combination of the gutsy six-cylinder, 48V mild-hybrid system and KPC will provide “an engaging driving experience… accompanied by a rewarding exhaust note”.
Mazda Australia hasn’t nominated a launch date for the CX-90 yet, but it likely won’t be until the second half of the year to allow breathing room for the CX-60 – and more time for the local evaluation and tuning process.
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