2026 Mazda CX-90 Road Test and Review

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Three-row crossover SUVs follow a familiar formula. They’re front-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive. They’re powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder or non-turbo V6 engine. They’re comfortable and roomy, but not much fun – basically minivans in SUV clothes. 

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 takes a different approach. With a starting price of $39,300 well equipped, it costs thousands of dollars less than a Honda Pilot or Toyota Grand Highlander. Yet it’s engineered like a luxury car, with a rear-wheel-drive-based platform (with standard AWD) and a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. And it focuses on sporty performance more than most similarly priced competitors. 

For this review, we just spent a week driving the CX-90 on a family road trip from Maryland to Massachusetts and back. Here are the pros and cons we discovered. 

Dynamic Design

The typical three-row crossover is a box on wheels in one of three flavors: rugged, glitzy, or aggressively sporty. The CX-90 steers well clear of rugged, but it doesn’t quite hit the others, either. It looks purposeful and muscular, but it’s also cleanly styled – without lots of flashy flourishes. It’s also longer and lower than the typical rival. Its inline engine gives it a longer hood, and its rear-drive architecture gives it a shorter front overhang than a front-wheel-drive-based competitor. 

Our test car is this year’s newly introduced Turbo S Premium Sport model, which has a blacked-out grille and wheels. It pairs nicely with the Soul Red Crystal paint job. To some tastes, the CX-90 will look too plain, but others will appreciate Mazda’s restrained approach to the details. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Standard Six-Cylinder Engine

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 comes standard with a 3.3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. On most models, it makes 280 horsepower and a zesty 332 lb-ft of torque. The Turbo S trim levels, like our test car, retune that engine to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque – using premium fuel. In the real world, expect both powertrains to deliver quick but not BMW-grade speed, hitting 60 mph in about 6.5 to 7 seconds. The six-cylinder engine has a richer note than competitors’ four-cylinders, but it roars to action rather than building speed unobtrusively. It’s the three-row SUV that wants to announce its speed, if that’s what interests you. Another quirk is that the transmission sometimes shifts harshly at low speeds.

Despite its speed, the CX-90 delivers great gas mileage. The six-cylinder model is a “mild hybrid.” That means it has a tiny electric motor, letting the gas engine switch off more easily. It’s not powerful enough to move the CX-90 on its own like a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, but gas mileage is great anyway: 23 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined with either the regular six-cylinder or the Turbo S. 

Across 1,000 miles of mostly highway driving, with four people and their luggage on board, we averaged a remarkable 29.5 mpg. We also averaged an excellent 26 mpg in mixed driving when we last tested the CX-90 a couple years ago. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Plug-In Hybrid Option

Folks who want to burn even less gas in their CX-90 can get the plug-in hybrid model. It can go an EPA-estimated 26 miles on a charge using no gasoline, then averages 26 mpg afterward (on premium fuel). Or if you want more speed, you can pair its electric motors with its four-cylinder gas engine to match or even beat the six-cylinder’s max acceleration. 

The CX-90 PHEV could make sense for someone who can recharge at home, typically drives less than 20 to 30 miles a day, and takes frequent long trips beyond the range of a fully electric car. Otherwise, we’d stick with the six-cylinder engine or opt for a more efficient EV. 

Pricing for the CX-90 PHEV starts at $50,695. That’s a steep $7,000 premium over an equivalently equipped 280-hp six-cylinder model. The 340-hp S is a similarly expensive upgrade, and you can only add it to top trim levels (which also add a few extra exclusive features). 

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Meet the CX-90 Lineup

Our favorite CX-90 value is the Turbo Preferred, the second-cheapest trim with the base six-cylinder engine ($43,450). It’s already packed with luxury features: genuine leather upholstery, 21-inch wheels, dual power front seats, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, retractable second-row window shades, front and rear parking sensors, a wireless smartphone charger, and a moonroof. Several of those features are new to the Preferred this year, making it a better deal than ever.

Even the base Turbo Select ($39,300) is well equipped with leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, an eight-speaker stereo, a power liftgate, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and advanced safety and driver-assistance tech like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. It has 19-inch wheels instead of the rest of the line’s 21-inchers, but while that looks less flashy, it could help smooth out the Mazda’s ride. 

Other models with the base engine are the Turbo Premium Sport ($47,480), which is styled like our test car and also adds a panoramic moonroof, a 12-speaker Bose stereo, GPS navigation, and emergency steering assistance; and the Turbo Premium Plus ($50,270), with upgraded Nappa leather and a surround-view parking camera. 

The PHEV is available in all but the Select trim levels at a roughly $7,000 premium, and the Turbo S is offered in the Premium Sport ($54,140) and Premium Plus ($57,570). All CX-90 models incur a $1,530 destination charge as well. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Upscale Interior That Goes Its Own Way

The CX-90 has an elegantly finished interior with a minimalist dashboard design. The low, slim dash stretches horizontally – even the 12.3-inch infotainment screen is unusually short and wide. (The base Select has a slightly smaller screen.) Upper trim levels have particularly rich materials, but every CX-90 is a high-end place to be. 

While most modern cars have been racing to focus their dashboards around an infotainment touchscreen, the CX-90 takes a different approach. The screen is about the same size as the competition, but it’s nestled into the dash rather than standing out from it. It also has muted graphics and few customization options. It’s not even a touchscreen (unless you’re using your phone apps via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto). Instead, Mazda provides plenty of physical controls – conventional switches and buttons for the climate system. And a set of buttons and knobs between the seats to adjust the radio, GPS system, and system settings. It’s easier to use than going through touchscreen menus for simple adjustments like setting the climate control to recirculate or changing the radio station. Touchscreens are easier for the complex settings you don't touch often, but you don't need to do those while driving anyway.

Mazda added Alexa-based hands-free commands this year. On our test car, Alexa periodically interrupted to report connectivity issues, which we did not appreciate. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Seats up to Eight People

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 isn’t the roomiest three-row crossover on the market. The third row is best left for kids. But we’ve heard some critics call it “unusable,” and that’s an exaggeration to us. In a pinch, the front and second rows can be slid forward to create adult-tolerable quarters in the far back. And unlike some of its competitors – especially from luxury brands – the CX-90 can fit up to eight people if you choose a second-row bench seat like on our test car. The available second-row captain’s chairs cut capacity to seven. We appreciate how most trim levels let you choose between captain’s chairs and the bench seat; many SUVs make you choose between maximum amenities and maximum seating capacity. 

When you’re not squeezing in extra passengers, you can slide back the second row and sit comfortably. A few rivals have even more rear legroom, but the CX-90 can fit three adults. And the front seats proved comfortable even during long drives. By the way, if you’re confident you’ll never need the third row, you can buy a CX-90 without one. It’s sold as the Mazda CX-70. But we’d advise sticking with the CX-90 and simply folding the third row down. 

As we mentioned, every CX-90 has heated front seats, and all but the base Select come with heated second-row seats, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The top Turbo S Premium Plus even has ventilated seats for the second row. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Reasonable Cargo Room

For cargo, the CX-90 has 15 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row. Folding the third row opens up 40 cubic feet of space, and you can get 74 cubic feet behind the front seats. Most competitors have more space, and the Mazda’s carpeting flipped up as we slid items across the folded seatbacks. What’s more, small-item storage is skimpy as well – the center console bin is particularly shallow. 

Still, unless you’re loading your CX-90 to the gills, you’ll find a reasonable amount of cargo room. We fit our grocery bags behind the third row. And for our trip to Massachusetts, we folded down the third row to have plenty of space for our suitcases, swim gear, cooler, air mattress, backpacks, and miscellany. 

The CX-90 can tow up to 5,000 pounds when equipped with a towing package, depending on the trim level. That’s the norm for three-row mainstream-brand crossovers. The PHEV, along with the six-cylinder Select and Preferred trims, top out at a less impressive 3,500 pounds. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Sporty Handling

We’ve covered the CX-90’s high-end styling, interior, amenities, and powertrains. Now let’s talk about how it rides and handles. 

Mazda is known for its sporty handling, and to us, the CX-90 hits that mark. With firm, responsive steering and composed handling, it’s a three-row SUV that can hustle. We’ve read some critics wish the CX-90 were lighter, but even when loaded with people and luggage, we had no complaints. Drive it to see how it feels to you – we liked it. And if you appreciate some extra zest, this is one more way that the CX-90 stands apart from the competition. 

You’ll also want to see how you feel about the ride quality. Our test car was steady and composed on smooth pavement, but bumps could punch through sharply. We suspect that the standard 19-inch wheels would be gentler than our test car’s 21-inchers, but you’re locked in to the bigger wheels on all but the base Select model. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt

CX-90 vs. the Competition

As a sporty, luxurious, competitively priced, and family-friendly three-row crossover, the 2026 Mazda CX-90 has a lot of competition. Here’s how it stacks up to some key rivals. 

Some of the most well-rounded competitors include the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Grand Highlander. They all have more room than the CX-90, smoother rides, and slicker infotainment systems. All but the Honda are available with economical gas-electric hybrids, too. But they cost more than the CX-90 – yes, even the Hyundai and Kia. And if you don’t get their hybrids, the Mazda is both quicker and more economical. 

If you’re looking for speed and sporty handling without upgrading to a luxury brand, we’d start with the Ford Explorer. Its standard 300-hp four-cylinder engine is punchy yet decently economical, and its optional 400-hp V6 is downright ferocious. It’s agile and fun to drive, yet comfortable and functional. However, the CX-90 has more features for the money, a more richly finished interior, and better gas mileage. 

A more value-focused competitor is the Volkswagen Atlas. It’s comfortable, agile, massively roomy, and attractively finished. But it’s not as quick or economical as the CX-90, and its touchscreen-based controls are fussy to use. And even with all its room, seating capacity maxes out at seven people. 

You could also compare a high-end CX-90 to a luxury-branded crossover like the Acura MDX, Genesis GV80, Infiniti QX60, Lexus TX, or Lincoln Aviator. In this crowd, it’s roomier and more economical than the Genesis or Lincoln; it has richer interior materials than the Acura or Lexus; and it has sportier performance than all of these but the Acura. Its main shortfall against a luxury car is its infotainment technology – if you’re interested in a flashy digital experience, the Mazda doesn’t come close. But all of these cars cost far more than a comparably equipped CX-90. 

2025 Ford Explorer ST ・ Photo by Brady Holt

A Special SUV for the Right Tastes

It makes sense that the typical three-row crossover is built for effortless ease of use. It can’t be too loud or too bumpy, and it can’t be too small. By those standards, it makes sense to buy something else instead of the 2026 Mazda CX-90. We also aren’t sold on the PHEV version unless you score a big discount; we’d go with a competing non-plug-in hybrid rival instead. 

But if you’re looking for lots of luxury features for the money, Mazda delivers. If you’re looking for a powerful, rich-sounding engine, Mazda delivers. If you’re looking for sporty handling, Mazda delivers – at least in our book. If you prefer buttons over touchscreen controls, Mazda delivers. And nobody is going to turn down great gas mileage, though hybrids do even better – especially in city driving. 

So if its unique appeal sounds appealing to you, try out the 2026 Mazda CX-90. There’s a chance you’ll fall in love – and you’ll score a well-priced, fuel-efficient family car in the bargain. 

2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport ・ Photo by Brady Holt