Mazda CX-90 (2026)

Redline Reviews is strongly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Sport. Its smooth, powerful inline-six, improved transmission, sporty handling, premium cabin, and appealing pricing make it a standout, BMW-like alternative among mainstream three-row SUVs. A week of driving returned 24 mpg combined and 31 highway, while acceleration reached about six seconds to 60 mph. The tradeoffs are meaningful: firm ride, limited storage, cramped third-row and below-average cargo space, awkward shifter, dated infotainment, and some engine noise. Still, for buyers prioritizing driving enjoyment over maximum practicality, it earns a strong recommendation.

The Car Care Nut is sharply skeptical of the CX-90, despite admiring its beautiful styling and appealing price. He praises the comfortable interior, 90-degree rear doors, useful spare tire, strong brakes, and quality construction, but considers the inline-six powertrain needlessly complex, laggy, and insufficiently refined for a premium SUV. The rear-mounted timing chains, difficult service access, hydraulic-clutch transmission, extensive underbody covers, and questionable long-term repair costs are major concerns. He sees the lower trims as compelling value around $40,000, while recommending an extended warranty and viewing higher trims as harder to justify.

Roman and Jen are clearly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, naming it the more stylish, powerful, engaging, and fuel-efficient SUV. They especially enjoy its 340-hp Turbo S inline-six, refined materials, direct steering, comfortable seats, and sporty handling, awarding it the overall win. Still, the praise is balanced: the CX-90 rides more harshly on gravel than the Palisade, has less cargo and third-row space, dated infotainment, poorly placed rear vents, and a slightly higher price. It also lacks the Hyundai’s more serious off-road capability.

Brian Makse is highly impressed by the CX-90’s driver-focused character, while questioning its family-SUV compromises. Its smooth, powerful turbo inline-6, rear-biased i-ACTIV AWD, precise steering, strong brakes, and limited body roll make it unusually engaging for a three-row SUV, with an upscale cabin that undercuts luxury rivals. However, the ride on 21-inch wheels is busy, low-speed transmission behavior can still be imperfect, and the longitudinal layout constrains third-row comfort and cargo space. Makse’s verdict is sharply conditional: it is an excellent choice for drivers who refuse to accept a numb family hauler, but a frustrating one for buyers prioritizing maximum practicality.

Micah Muzio is warmly positive about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, calling it a “nearly almost kind of premium SUV king.” He praises its smooth, effortlessly powerful inline-6, stable freeway composure, predictable handling, comfortable front seats, practical cabin, and easy-to-use cargo area. Still, the review is balanced: rough pavement can feel chattery, low-speed engine stop-start behavior is clunky, third-row access and legroom are limited, and the gear selector takes care. He also remains wary of the PHEV’s powertrain refinement. Overall, Micah recommends the base Select trim as the best value.

Downshift is strongly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-90, calling it the best-driving three-row SUV they’ve experienced. They praise its smooth, powerful Turbo S inline-six, strong real-world fuel economy, engaging steering, nimble turning circle, handsome styling, and near-luxury cabin. The review is especially enthusiastic about its value and Mazda-like driving character. Still, the enthusiasm comes with meaningful caveats: the third row is cramped for adults, cargo space trails rivals, cupholders and console storage are poorly designed, and the eight-speed transmission can feel hesitant and vibrate at higher revs. Overall, it’s highly recommended for families prioritizing driving enjoyment over maximum practicality.

Kirk Kreifels remains highly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-90, calling it an A-tier family SUV and unusually fun to drive. He praises its smooth, characterful inline-six, rear-biased AWD, sharp steering, strong ride quality, upscale build, thoughtful controls, and excellent transmission programming. His real-world test returned 24.6 mpg, below the computer’s estimate and less impressive than expected. He also criticizes intrusive i-STOP behavior, weak lane-centering capability, awkward third-row ventilation, and garish Premium Plus interior trim. Despite those flaws, he prefers the inline-six’s handling and personality to the PHEV’s superior efficiency.

Motormouth is clearly positive about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, especially after Mazda’s transmission updates. The inline-six feels powerful and sounds good, the cabin is quiet and upscale, and pricing offers strong value against larger mainstream rivals. They particularly appreciate the newly expanded seating flexibility, available bench seat, useful cargo space, and polished materials. Still, the CX-90’s steering and firm seats may not suit every family, low-speed first-to-second shifts can remain clunky when cold, and base trims frustratingly lack wireless smartphone integration. Overall, it feels 98% sorted and a compelling premium-minded three-row SUV.

Joe Raiti is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, calling it a compelling, driver-focused alternative to the Acura MDX. He praises its rear-biased AWD, smooth and energetic 3.3-liter turbo inline-six, polished ride, responsive handling, upscale materials, excellent cameras, and thoughtful physical controls. The cabin feels premium for the roughly $59,000 price, though he criticizes the yellowish open-pore wood, cloth dashboard trim, fake fender vent, awkward styling, and cramped third row. Overall, Raiti views the CX-90 as a stylish, engaging SUV that punches above its mainstream positioning.

Car Confections is positive on the CX-90 overall, but disappointed by this PHEV. They praise its upscale cabin, elegant styling, standard AWD, strong acceleration, and unusually engaging handling, calling its premium driving dynamics the standout advantage. The week-long test also revealed firm seats and ride quality, limited storage, a cramped third row, sensitive drowsiness detection, slow tech pairing, and mediocre PHEV behavior when the battery is depleted. With only 26 miles of electric range, 23.5 mpg in their uncharged testing, and less refinement than Mazda’s inline-6 engines, they would choose a 3.3 Turbo instead.

MotorWeek is clearly positive about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, especially its engaging road manners and premium new Turbo S Premium Sport trim. The high-output 3.3-liter inline-six, smooth eight-speed automatic, taut steering, and standard AWD make this three-row SUV feel more rewarding than typical family haulers. MotorWeek appreciates the physical controls, upscale Nappa leather, and improved cabin equipment, while acknowledging the CX-90 feels slightly softer and less “zoom-zoom” than earlier Mazdas. Fuel economy is merely adequate at 25 mpg combined, but the overall impression is refined, capable, and enthusiast-friendly.

The Driveway Auto Reviews is highly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-90. After a week of heavy rain, the reviewer praises its smooth Turbo S inline-six, relaxed yet driver-focused ride, excellent comfort, elegant styling, premium cabin, strong standard safety equipment, and practical cargo space. The mild-hybrid i-stop system feels unusual, frequently shutting off the engine while coasting. Still, fuel economy fell to 19.6 mpg, connectivity proved frustrating, some controls were hard to read, road and tire noise increased in bad weather, and the third row is cramped for adults. Overall, the reviewer would seriously consider owning one.

Drivers Only views the 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus favorably, but with meaningful reservations. They appreciate its upscale Nappa-leather cabin, useful third-row space, heated second-row seats, abundant outlets, 26-mile EV range, sporty handling, and reasonable entry price. However, the review criticizes the jerky low-speed acceleration and braking, confusing shifter, dated infotainment controls, cheap-feeling rotary dial and overhead plastics, road noise, firm ride, limited storage, and modest 3,500-pound towing capacity. Overall, it feels like a compelling $52,000 choice, while the $60,000 top trim seems harder to justify.

Scotty Kilmer is highly enthusiastic about the Mazda CX-90, calling it a luxury SUV that can outperform European rivals. He praises its smooth, powerful 3.3-liter turbo inline-six, mild-hybrid boost, responsive acceleration, comfortable seats, composed handling, upscale interior, useful space, advanced heads-up display, and impressive real-world 30.9-mpg highway economy. He also appreciates the eight-speed automatic, standard AWD, and Mazda’s perceived reliability advantage over BMW and Mercedes. His main criticism is the roughly $61,900 price, though he considers it justified for the features and capability.

Automotive Anonymous is highly impressed by the 2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium, calling it a luxurious, powerful alternative to pricier German SUVs. He praises its smooth 340-hp inline-six, rear-biased handling, comfortable heated and ventilated seats, quiet cabin, excellent Bose audio, and strong 7.06-second 0–60 run despite high elevation. Still, the CX-90 is not flawless: lane-centering can be overly aggressive, interior storage is limited, third-row space is tight for adults, and cargo capacity trails some rivals. Overall, he sees it as an upscale, compelling value, while encouraging shoppers to compare competitors and consider the price.

Sam CarLegion is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, admitting he initially underestimated its price and premium ambitions. After driving both inline-six engines multiple times, he considers Mazda’s rear-biased AWD platform, 340-hp Turbo S, upscale cabin, practical space, and competitive pricing compelling enough to challenge Acura, Lexus, and even BMW. He appreciates the blacked-out trim updates, added third-row USB-C ports, driver personalization, Canadian winter equipment, and cargo power outlet. The main improvements are software-based, including smoother low-speed transmission behavior and refined lane-assist functionality, though Alexa connectivity failed during testing and the changes otherwise feel relatively minor.

The Car Compass views the 2026 Mazda CX-90 favorably, presenting the Premium Plus as a worthwhile upscale step over the Premium Sport. The comparison is hands-on and unusually practical, measuring cargo openings and usable space rather than relying only on cubic-foot figures. For $3,200 more, the Plus adds Nappa leather, a 360-degree camera, signature lighting, chrome detailing, de-icer, a 150-watt outlet, and captain’s chairs, though the reviewer questions its missing navigation and finds the third row only moderately comfortable for adults. Overall, the tone is helpful and mildly enthusiastic, with the Plus appearing more refined but not essential.

Real Mom Car Tours is highly enthusiastic about the 2026 Mazda CX-90, calling it far more luxurious and appealing than many shoppers realize. She likes its upscale styling, 3.3-liter inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain, available plug-in hybrid, family-friendly storage, Nappa leather, sunshades, charging ports, and rear air vents. She also appreciates the seven- or eight-passenger flexibility and extensive safety technology. Her reservations are modest but useful, including the manual third-row folding mechanism, lack of car-seat tilt, and poorly placed lower air vents. Overall, she strongly recommends adding it to a three-row SUV shortlist.

CarBuzz views the 2026 Mazda CX-90 favorably, though its family practicality has clear compromises. The reviewer likes the powerful 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six, wide-opening doors, attractive leather, extensive physical controls, and especially the Bose audio system, calling it the best Bose setup they’ve heard in a car. However, storage is limited, the rotary controller is less appealing than a touchscreen, and the third row is difficult to access with cramped head- and legroom. Overall, it feels polished and capable, but not ideal for larger families.