Mazda CX-90 – What you need to know

Like James Bond in Casino Royale, Mazda has gone ‘all-in’ with a range of premium SUVs to entice luxury car buyers to the Japanese brand.

Top of the heap is the Mazda CX-90 seven seater, sitting on an all-new platform and powered by newly-developed, six-cylinder petrol or diesel engines, both with mild-hybrid assistance.

Three grades across six models comprise the CX-90 range, priced between $74,385 and $93,865 (plus on-road costs). So if you are in the market for a plush family SUV, let’s look at which model offers what features, to find the right one for you.

Entry to the Mazda CX-90 range is the $74,550 (plus ORCs) Touring variant with its turbocharged, mild hybrid, inline six-cylinder petrol engine, mated to an eight speed auto and all-wheel drive. It comes with the following as standard.

All Mazda CX-90 variants are well stacked with standard features, but oddly it’s the top model where you’ll need to fork out for a couple of option packs.

First is the $6500 Takumi pack that includes pure white nappa leather seats, bright decoration panels, cloth dash panel with Kakenui stitching, white maplewood console and door trim inserts. The bench seat in the second row is replaced with a pair of captain’s seats with ventilation, plus a console between the seats.

Then there’s the SP pack, that’s also $6500 and features tan nappa leather seats, suede finish across the dash, a two-tone colour leather-wrapped steering wheel and a pair of ventilated captain’s seats in the second row, along with a centre console.

Premium paint, of which there are five in the eight colour palette, adds $995 to the bottom line on all models.

The Mazda CX-90 is the pinnacle of the Mazda family and as such comes with the latest safety and driver assist technologies.

Eight airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction and stability controls, blind-spot monitoring with vehicle exit warning and emergency brake assist, forward obstruction warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention monitoring and alert, emergency braking assist and G-Vectoring control-plus with Kinematic Posture Control that gently applies the brakes while cornering (when necessary), are standard on all models.

Adaptive cruise control, front cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree monitor, hill launch assist, hill descent control, autonomous braking with front pedestrian and cyclist detection, autonomous rear braking with rear traffic and turn across alerts are standard features for all models.

All models also come equipped with traffic sign recognition, an emergency stop signal, tyre pressure monitoring, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree monitor, a wide angle left door mirror, auto on off wipers, auto-dimming interior mirror and auto LED headlights with auto high beam, and auto dimming driver door and interior mirrors.

In addition to the usual dash display, all Mazda CX-90s offer head-up display and, for hassle-free driving, adaptive cruise control.

Go for the CX-90 GT models for adaptive LED headlights, and if you want a see-through view of the 360-degree monitor and cruising and traffic support, you’ll have to sign up for a CX-90 Azami. All Mazda CX-90 variants provide two ISOFIX child restraint anchor points and five top tethers.

The Mazda CX-90 hasn’t been tested yet by ANCAP for a safety rating.

Touring models kick off with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, but from the GT grade up the infotainment operates through a 12.3-inch screen.

A multi-function commander control operates the wireless and USB Apple CarPlay and Android auto. The AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio pumps out through eight speakers in the CX-90 Touring and 12 in the GT and Azami variants.

Satellite navigation is found in all models, along with wireless phone charging, steering wheel-mounted controls, USB-C ports in all three rows, plus Bluetooth music and phone connectivity.

If you opt for the GT and above, the multi-info digital dash is a 12.3-inch unit, rather than the seven-inch type. Furthermore, the audio system is a Premium Bose audio system with an amplifier and there’s auto restoration of settings.

All three grades of the Mazda CX-90 boast a leather-wrapped gearshift knob and steering wheel, with paddle shifts, audio and music controls for the wheel. There are also cargo area and map reading lights, ambient temperature display, ambient lighting, entry and exit delayed light fade, LED lit glovebox, auto up/down power windows, plus cup and door bottle holders.

Three-zone climate control with rear vents, 12-volt auxiliary plug, AC-power outlets, a centre console armrest in the first two rows, a fold down second row centre armrest, illuminated mirrors in the sunshades, remote window open to let the hot air out and sunglasses holder are standard for all models.

Are leather seats on the wish list?

Pick any model in the CX-90 range as all except the Azami have black leather seat trim. The Azami has softer nappa leather, in black and can be ordered with pure white or quilted tan nappa leather.

Are powered seats a must have?

A ten-way powered driver seat with two memory settings and lumbar adjustment, an eight-way powered front passenger seat, both with heating, are range wide standard features.

However, if you want heated outer seats in the second row, sign up for the CX-90 GT, and if ventilated or cooled front seats are also a must have, the Azami variant is the one to buy.

All models have a 60/40 split-fold second row and 50/50 split-fold third row seat with adjustable head restraints and a fold down centre armrest with storage in the second row.

Powered steering wheel adjustment?

Adjusting your steering wheel to your comfortable position electrically is a premium feature and comes with the GT grade and above.

Are you after selectable drive modes?

All Mazda CX-90 models have a mode for almost every occasion, with Sport, Off-Road and Towing available.

Stepping outside, every Mazda CX-90 features a rear spoiler, auto on/off LED headlights, LED day running lights, and LED tail lamps, and all glass is tinted green to minimise cabin heat. Matching the body colour door handles and bumpers are the door mirrors, with folding and heating functions standard. The driver’s door mirror has auto-dimming and tilt-reverse functions as well as two memory positions.

Do you want a tilt and sliding sunroof?

Pencil your name on the ownership papers of a GT and a panoramic, power sliding sunroof is yours.

How about a powered tailgate?

This very handy feature is fitted to all CX-90 models and comes with a remote open/close function.

Setting each model apart are the wheels, with Touring models rolling on 19-inch alloy wheels, while the GT and Azamis ride on 21-inch alloys; all come with a temporary spare steel wheel.

Two engines are available in the Mazda CX-90 lineup. First is a 3.3-litre, turbocharged, inline six-cylinder petrol engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, producing 254kW and 500Nm.

The other engine is a 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, also with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. This unit produces 187kW and 550Nm. Mazda’s i-stop, or auto stop/start, which kills the engine while sitting at the lights, is standard with both engines.

The two engines drive through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels.

Will the Mazda CX-90 fit in your garage? All models stop the tape measure at 5120mm long, 2157mm wide and 1745mm high. The Mazda CX-90 range rides on a 3120mm wheelbase and sits a minimum of 200mm above the ground.

Gross vehicle mass ranges from 2770kg to 2820kg, depending on the variant, while kerb weight similarly spans a 2190 – 2241kg range.

The maximum braked towing capacity is 2500kg; for an unbraked trailer it is 750kg with the towball download rated at 150kg. Luggage capacity in the seven-seat Mazda CX-90 is 257 litres with all seats up, 608 litres with the third row folded down and an expansive 2025 litres with the second two rows tucked away.

Slip behind the wheel of the CX-90 and it feels big and luxurious. Both the silky smooth turbo-petrol and punchy turbo-diesel engines deliver plenty of oomph, with the diesel also providing an outstanding range between refills.

So where will you put your hard earned? For me, whether I was being cautious with my sheckles or with my heart making the decisions, I’d go for the turbo-diesel GT.

This model is the gateway to a host of extra standard comfort, premium, safety and convenience features, along with larger display screens and the upgraded audio system for starters, lending it a higher level of exclusivity.

How much does the 2024 Mazda CX-90 cost?
G50e Touring turbo-petrol – $74,385
D50e Touring turbo-diesel – $75,800
G50e GT turbo-petrol – $86,085
D50e GT turbo-diesel – $84,800
G50e Azami turbo-petrol – $95,185
D50e Azami turbo-diesel – $93,965
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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