Mazda unveils first-ever CX-90 premium 7-seater SUV

Space, performance and luxury in one.

Is there such a thing as a luxury car that’s not from a luxury brand?

Mazda certainly thinks so. 

After all, at the end of the day, a car is simply an assemblage of metal, plastic, glass, rubber, and leather (or fabric). It’s how you put together all these ingredients that will utlimately determine how luxurious a car truly is. Yes, even if you’re Rolls-Royce.

A true luxury car will make as few compromises as possible. It will not scrimp on cost, materials, power, and number of features. What may seem inconsequential for some—like using a super-smooth inline six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive instead of the more common and easier-to-package (but less refined) V6 configuration and front-wheel drive —may actually be a masterpiece of luxury and performance engineering.   

I will let Steven Tan, President and CEO of Mazda Philippines, state his case:

“The first-ever Mazda CX-90 is the pinnacle of Mazda Premium. It is our most advanced model ever with exceptional levels of sophistication all throughout that can be enjoyed not just by the driver, but by the whole family,” says Tan. “It offers powerful and responsive performance, alluring design, and intuitive technology. The CX-90 is a breakthrough vehicle not just in its segment, but in our quest to become a brand with premium aspirations,” he adds. 

The CX-90 is the second vehicle built on Mazda’s Large Product Platform. Its front-engine, rear-wheel-bias all-wheel drive layout elevates Mazda’s signature driving performance. It is also equipped with Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). KPC suppresses body roll when cornering to  enhance the feeling of grip and stability. Focus was put toward optimizing rigidity across the entire vehicle body, while meticulously designing the seats and suspension to provide better balance, control, and confidence in a range of driving situations.

Powering the CX-90 is an all-new e-Skyactiv-G 3.3-liter inline-6 turbo engine. This electrified engine makes 284ps and 450Nm (from as low as 2,000 rpm). The 48-volt Hybrid System enhances efficiency. An integrated electric motor that generates 16.9ps and 153Nm of torque is positioned between the engine and transmission, allowing the electric motor to directly power the CX-90 independently from the engine, resulting in smooth acceleration from a standstill and a more refined driving experience. When its lithium-ion battery has sufficient charge, the CX-90 is able to run solely on electric power with its engine disengaged to further improve fuel efficiency.

The engine is mated to a torque converter-less 8-speed multi-plate automatic transmission that achieves smooth and direct acceleration while improving drivetrain efficiency.

The drivetrain works with the Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-DRIVE) system. This allows the driver to select one of four switchable drive modes: Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing, helping the CX-90 deliver excellent performance and safety in the widest possible range of driving environments.

The large platform allows for a longer (5,120 mm) and wider (1,994 mm) body with a longer wheelbase (3,120 mm). Designers imbued it with sleek, crafted curves that give it ever-changing expressions created by the reflections of light and shadow. Carefully placed chrome garnishes emphasize its width and timeless styling, while available 21-inch diamond-cut wheels featuring a black metallic finish complement its powerful presence.

Headlining the available colors on the CX-90 is Mazda’s latest Takuminuri color, Artisan Red Premium. This available paint option has been developed specifically to suit the CX-90 and provides a deeply saturated color akin to mature fine wine, communicating the flagship SUV’s blend of performance and elegance.

The CX-90’s dignified design continues into the cabin with an interior that gives an expansive impression from the dashboard through the positioning of the vents and metallic accents, extending to the doors for a modern, linear appearance. Inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics, a luxurious and comfortable feel is experienced in all three rows. From the front seats to the available second row ventilated captain’s chairs, and into the third row, which is bestowed with its own ventilation louvres, there are multiple materials, such as supple Nappa leather and Leganu suede inserts.

Complementing the aesthetically pleasing interior, the CX-90 offers more capacious interior dimensions in virtually every area. The CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo offers seating for eight adults (2+3+3), while the top-of-the-line CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo Exclusive heightens the luxury with its six-seater configuration (2+2+2). In both variants, accessing the third-row seats is made easy by the design of the rear doors. They feature a larger step to make ingress and egress comfortable. The second-row bench seat also has a one-touch walk-in switch, for ease of access.

The CX-90 offers usable 257-liter space behind its second- and third-row seats–enough to stack two golf bags on top of each other horizontally. Folding the third row down increases cargo space to 1,163 liters, while folding the second and third rows flat increases this capacity to a massive 2,025 liters. A hands-free power tailgate makes loading and unloading of cargo easier.

The human-centric experience starts with three high-definition main displays: a 12.3-inch infotainment center display, a fully-digital 12.3-inch driver’s instrument panel, and a 10.4-inch heads-up display. The latest Mazda Connect system features wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and pumps audio through a 12-speaker Bose sound system. Other cabin amenities include tri-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, rear door sunshades, second- and third-row USB-C charging ports, ambient lighting, and many more.

Personalization is taken a step further with the Mazda Driver Personalization System. Using facial recognition technology, it automatically adjusts the seats, door mirrors, heads-up display, and steering wheel to suit the driver’s physique as well as restore more than 250 stored settings to match the driver’s preferences, including vehicle, audio, and climate settings. Driver Entry/Exit Assist automatically slides the seats and steering wheel back for recognized drivers for easier ingress and egress.

As with all Mazda vehicles, the Mazda CX-90 seeks to maintain the same top safety recognition as Mazda’s other products with its full suite of i-Activsense safety features, such as Front and Rear Smart Brake Support, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Cruising & Traffic Support, Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH), Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring with Vehicle Exit Warning, Front and Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Brake Support, and other assistance systems that will help enhance peace of mind for all occupants. The new See-Through View of the 360° View Monitor assists in a variety of parking situations by displaying obstacles in the vehicle’s blind spots on the large 12.3-inch center display.

“The Mazda CX-90 establishes a new dimension in luxury SUVs. This is more than Mazda’s new flagship SUV; it is an expression of exceptional craftsmanship and human-centric technologies, a sophisticated and dynamic vehicle for families and lovers of adventure,” concludes Tan.

The CX-90 comes in seven colors: Artisan Red Premium, Rhodium White Premium, Machine Gray, Platinum Quartz, Sonic Silver, Deep Crystal Blue, and Jet Black. It comes in two variants at the following prices inclusive of a 5-year Free Service Plan: the 8-seater Mazda CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo at P 3,680,000 and the 6-seater CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo Exclusive at P 3,780,000.