Arguably the most important U.S.-bound Mazda in a long time, the CX-90 goes above and beyond the CX-9 in terms of interior design. Not only does the cabin feel much fresher, but the perceived quality is way better than that of the CX-9.
The latest teaser video for the family-sized utility vehicle stars film star Hiroyuki Sanada, interior designer Becki Owens, and senior designer Yasutake Tsuchida. The production-spec prototype in this clip is equipped with superb-looking white leather upholstery, metal trim here and there, as well as wood on the door cards and center console.
Maple wood and white ambient lighting is a very tasteful combo, reflecting the Japanese aesthetic of Hacho, which can be summed up as intentional unevenness. High-quality woven fabrics also need to be mentioned, along with Kakenui. The latter is a Japanese stitching technique comprising a hanging stitch that leaves a seam with spaces between the fabrics, revealing a bit of the material beneath.
A shifter inspired by that of the CX-60 for Europe is also featured, with the steering wheel seemingly lifted from the CX-60 as well. These similarities aren’t exactly surprising because both of them are built around Mazda’s new rear- and all-wheel-drive platform, a platform developed for combustion-only, mild-hybrid, and plug-in powertrains, too.
A landscape-oriented touchscreen infotainment system is present as well, and the instrument cluster is fully digital. Rather than messing around with digital controls, the Japanese automaker from Hiroshima decided on physical buttons for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
The aforementioned platform was developed with four- and six-cylinder lumps in mind, plus an eight-speed automatic that premiered in the CX-60 for Europe. It will carry over to the CX-80 three-row SUV and five-seat CX-70.
To be joined by the CX-70 in the near future, the CX-90 has already been confirmed with two powertrains. A turbocharged inline-six mild hybrid and a naturally-aspirated PHEV built around a four-pot engine, to be more precise.
e-Skyactiv G is how Mazda refers to the 3.3-liter sixer, which sounds a bit unimpressive. On the other hand, it develops 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) of torque right off the bat. It’s hard to understand why Mazda refrained from giving this inline-six mill a few more ponies to compete with the 3.0-liter BMW B58 on equal footing.
The numbers for the plug-in 2.5 aren’t currently available, but we do know the numbers for the CX-60 with this fuel-sipping powertrain. On full song, it makes 323 horsepower and the same peak torque as the 3.3 mentioned above. Under the WLTP, the plug-in hybrid offers a zero-emission driving range of 63 kilometers, which converts to 39 miles. Given that EPA’s test cycle is a bit closer to real-world scenarios, and the CX-90’s increased weight over the CX-60, expect the EPA rating for the CX-90 PHEV to be a little worse.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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