2023 Mazda CX-90 D50e GT review

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2023 Mazda CX-90 D50e GT

You might have noticed that Mazda has been making a concerted effort to move its brand into more premium territory in recent years. It started with the latest Mazda 3, which took a couple of big steps up in cabin quality and all-round design, coupled with some similar leaps in technology. Then along came cars like the MX-30 and CX-30 that followed the trend.

It’s fair to extrapolate the strategy and assume the Japanese brand will elevate all models in its family to more premium status, in an effort to give longstanding premium players a run for their money.

But the latest to follow the trend mightn’t be such a simple case of rinse and repeat. That’s because the CX-90 is not just an entirely new model for the Mazda line-up, it forms a new halo for the brand, and that means it has to go further and do more.

Not only does it take the mantle from the resoundingly good CX-9, but it also comes at a time when many brands are upping their prestige game with a comprehensive revision of technology, safety, performance, styling and efficiency.

But the new upper-large SUV goes into battle with a compelling list of features and promises to offer a vehicle unlike any Mazda before it.

How much does the Mazda CX-90 cost in Australia?

The CX-90 range arrives in three variants and a choice of petrol or diesel power effectively offering a six-vehicle range.

Opening the line-up is the entry Touring, the GT looks after the middle of the range, while the Azami has the poshest CX-90 level of specification. When paired with the six-cylinder petrol engine, the CX-90 G50e Touring is the most affordable at $74,400 with prices rising to $94,435 for the petrol Azami.

Go for the diesel equivalent and the CX-90 ranges from $76,400 to $93,320, while the GT we’re focusing on here offers a balance of tech and comfort features for $85,335 or $85,400 for petrol and diesel power respectively – all prices before options and on-road costs.

Unfortunately, the pair of Takumi and SP cabin luxury boosting options available for the Azami are not on offer for the Touring and GT. Other than a handful of $995 premium paint options, everything you see is what you get with no equipment options available.

The vehicle we jumped into for a week was the CX-90 D50e GT dressed up in no-cost Platinum Quartz metallic paint.

Included in the GT set of standard equipment are 21-inch wheels, leather upholstery with heaters for front and second-row occupants and electric adjustment for the front row, a huge cabin with room for up to seven, panoramic sunroof, Bose sound system, LED headlights, digital central and instrument screens, and a head-up display.

How much space does the Mazda CX-90 have inside?

Space is one of the Mazda CX-90’s main selling points – measuring 5.1m long and nearly 2m wide, it’s big on the outside but big on the inside too.

Front-row occupants are unsurprisingly well accommodated, but just as generous is the space in the second row where tilt and slide adjustment allows excellent comfort along with seat heating for the outer pair. There’s even three-zone climate control for all variants, which offers rear occupants their own control panel.

The CX-90 also has space for two in the third row, and is one of the more spacious seven-seaters in the rearmost seats. As with even the most comfortable versions, the third row is not quite adult-friendly for the longest road trips, but features such as easy-entry second-row folding, USB-C sockets, two cupholders on each side and air vents make life much more comfortable.

Thanks to the CX-90’s unusual high-sided profile, there’s also a surprising amount of head room in the third row, and it’s one of the best for seven-seat space in all rows.

As you might imagine, generous space in the rear two rows of seating also translates into lots of storage for cargo when the full passenger capacity is not required. With the third row folded into the boot floor, the CX-90 has a vast 608-litre luggage area, and if the second row is stowed that volume swells to a massive 2025L.

Even with the full seven-seat capacity instated, 275L of space remains at the back, which is respectable though that figure includes space under the small removable boot floor. Crucially, the third row stows flat to optimise the available space, although the boot floor is somewhat elevated as a byproduct.

You won’t find a full-size spare wheel but there is a space-saver, which is always a more favourable option than the dreaded inflator and sealant kit.

Stowage about the cabin is also generous with lots of cubbies to squirrel away items, including the areas surrounding the shift-by-wire gear selector, although the central bin located under the front-row armrest is surprisingly shallow as most of it is occupied by the second-row HVAC system.

All four doors have good-sized bottle holders and the rear doors are large and open at nearly 90-degree angles to the car, which makes access very easy.

Does the Mazda CX-90 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

As this is the new flagship of the Mazda family, the CX-90 must up its technology game along with a decent offering of luxury touches included as well. Subsequently, both Android and Apple phone mirroring are supported wirelessly by all three variants and supplemented by wireless device charging in the front row.

Complementing the plethora of USB-C ports dotted throughout the cabin are a 12-volt power and 150-watt mains power outlet – perfect for powering up auxiliary equipment such as a fridge or compressor, for example.

Digital displays are also well represented with three in total for all variants. As this is the GT, its central screen measures 12.3 inches but is a narrower letterbox proportion, while the driver’s instrument is another 12.3-inch unit. A large head-up display completes the set of displays.

Unlike some previous Mazda models, the central screen does not become touch-sensitive for the native menu system when the vehicle is at a standstill, but the BMW iDrive-style controls are excellent and easy to use – phone mirroring can be tapped onscreen when stopped. Only the graphics were a slight disappointment.

While Mazda might have capitalised on one of its larger infotainment screens with a fresh look and more info squeezed in, the appearance seems to be like any other Mazda but enlarged a few per cent.

Despite the slightly dated-looking presentation, the system is easy to use and has a good range of genuinely useful applications, including native navigation and a driver personalisation system that recognises the driver and sets seating and entertainment choices as required.

Is the Mazda CX-90 a safe car?

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) had not evaluated the Mazda CX-90 at the time of writing.

However, with a generous level of standard safety equipment for all three grades, we would be very surprised if it weren’t capable of earning the full five-star rating, especially as it has all the technology ANCAP is particularly strict about.

This includes a 360-degree manoeuvring camera, AEB with vulnerable road-user detection and curtain airbags that protect passengers in all three rows of seating, although only the Azami grade gets adaptive cruise control that works down to stop/start traffic.

It’s also worth considering that the CX-90’s closely related CX-60 sibling has been assessed by ANCAP and achieved a five-star result. As the model shares much of the larger CX-90’s safety and engineering, it wouldn’t be foolish to assume it’s as safe, if not more so.

What safety technology does the Mazda CX-90 have?

All CX-90 grades include a 360-degree manoeuvring camera, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with vulnerable road-user detection and curtain airbags that protect passengers in all three rows of seating.

It’s also worth considering that the CX-90’s closely related CX-60 sibling has been assessed by ANCAP and achieved a five-star result. As the model shares much of the larger CX-90’s safety and engineering, it wouldn’t be foolish to assume it’s as safe, if not more so.

The CX-90 comes with standard 360-degree cameras to see all sides of the car or any hazards that may have moved in the way when parking. A cool ‘invisible’ car mode for the 360-degree camera is for the flagship Azami only, however. Same goes for traffic jam assist, though adaptive cruise control is offered on the rest of the range.

It’s in addition to a respectable set of safety features such as LED headlights, although the entry Touring misses out on adaptive lighting technology. Also standard across the board are lane-keep assistance, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and driver monitoring to name a few.

How much does the Mazda CX-90 cost to maintain?

Mazda offers capped-price servicing for the CX-90, which fixes the price each time scheduled maintenance is required for five years.

The first visit is the cheapest at $478, while the third is the most expensive costing $975, which is a little above average for something in its class. Also, servicing intervals for the diesel are every 12 months or 10,000km, which is not the longest in the market.

Full comprehensive insurance for the Mazda CX-90 costs $2249 per year based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates will vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Is the Mazda CX-90 fuel-efficient?

Officially, Mazda claims the D50e can return fuel economy as good as 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres and is Euro 5 rated for emissions with 143g of CO2 per kilometre – very good for a vehicle that weighs more than 2.2 tonnes.

During our time we didn’t manage quite such an impressive number, but a figure of 7.1L/100km is still very respectable given our predominantly suburban testing.

The diesel is by far the more efficient of the two six-cylinder powertrains, but there’s no plug-in hybrid version of the cars at this stage for a true hyper-miler. That said, with a large 74L fuel tank, the D50e will easily do the Sydney to Melbourne run without stopping for fuel – although you might want to pull in for a sandwich.

Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp

What is the Mazda CX-90 like to drive?

With impressive torque and fuel economy figures, you may expect the diesel version of the CX-90 to be the obvious choice, but it’s actually not that simple after driving both versions.

Yes, the diesel does lend itself to large SUV duties very effectively with excellent grunt off the mark, low turbo lag and the aforementioned economy, but it’s not such a good match when the CX-90’s ride and handling are thrown into consideration.

For a plus-size SUV, the Mazda has surprisingly sporty handling with minimal body roll, excellent steering and heaps of cornering grip. It also comes with a sporty ride that is perhaps a little too firm for our liking in a car of this type.

Either way, the power delivery of the 3.3-litre turbo petrol is a better match for a vehicle with such surprising dynamics – put simply, the petrol is a more sensible pairing. However, if you can tolerate the firm ride on road imperfections, the diesel is a superbly engineered power plant.

It’s just a shame there’s not an air-suspension or adaptive damper chassis, which would be a better match for the diesel’s effortless performance and relaxing nature.

With 48-volt mild hybrid technology, holes in the torque delivery are almost completely absent and it’s an extremely smooth unit. Mazda also dialled in a little augmented (read fake) engine sound, which is ‘based on the real sound’ but goes a little beyond what’s believable for our taste.

While the straight-six diesel is an outstanding engine, the gearbox it’s bolted to leaves a less positive impression. While the eight-speed transmission is strong and can be prompted to deliver fast and sporty gear changes, it comes across as a little too commercial in its nature.

With a quiet cabin, it’s easy to hear the transmission whining and whirring like a bus, while it occasionally drops a heavy downshift when slowing in the lower gears.

That aside, the CX-90 is fun to drive when you want it to be, with a positive and firm brake pedal and weight distribution that is ‘near 50:50’ says Mazda, but then also relaxing and confident on longer journeys – as long as the road is relatively smooth.

One final anomaly to consider is that the diesel, while able to haul up to 2000kg in tow, is not the towing hero of the line-up. That honour goes to the G50e petrol that can handle up to 2500kg braked.

Should I buy a Mazda CX-90?

Mazda’s newest model is a very impressive package. This large SUV bundles a beautiful power plant regardless of the fuel it uses into a large and spacious SUV body that is sophisticated in its design, quality and technology.

In the same way the smaller CX-60 has impressed, the CX-90 is another step into more premium territory for the brand. But while the models that came before it did an excellent job of elevating the brand, the latest arguably hasn’t broken much new ground.

Let’s not forget that the CX-90 is now the halo of the Mazda family, but in practice it feels much like any other model with the scale dialled up a few per cent. A silky and advanced drivetrain certainly helps the new hero stand out, but its interior is much like any other Mazda unless you opt for the flagship variant and then drop another $6500 to upgrade to one of the SP or Takumi packs.

In reality, the entry-level Touring with its softer and smaller 19-inch wheels rolls a little more comfortably and still has the choices of excellent engines but at a far more accessible price.

Ordering a version of the CX-90 that feels like a true flagship model is an expensive exercise, so the more affordable Touring and GT make much more sense from a bang-for-buck perspective while feeling on a comparable level with anything else in the Mazda family – if not rising above any either.

How do I buy a Mazda CX-90 – next steps?

While the flagship variants complete with optional interior packs might be hard to justify from a value perspective, the entry-level Touring and mid-range GT stack up a little better.

There is still a lot of shared equipment and likeable features as offered in the Azami, but at a price that’s not so close to the $100,000 milestone. If the stiff ride doesn’t bother you too much, the 21-inch wheels of the GT add a premium look while still including a reasonable amount of kit for the price.

That’s why the GT will probably stand out as the most compelling.

The good news is that Mazda is reporting stock and supply returning to pre-COVID levels for all models including the CX-90. If you’re after an example right now, there is a good range of variants and engines throughout Mazda’s national network, so searching here is a good place to start looking for the correct version for you. You can also find Mazdas for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.

If you’re after something specific, such as a specification grade in a particular colour, Mazda is reporting short lead times with customers waiting about three to four months for their vehicle after ordering.

For more information about the CX-90 and rival models you might also consider, all the latest coverage, reviews and news can be found here.

The post 2023 Mazda CX-90 D50e GT review appeared first on Drive.

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