Big on style, big on fuel economy

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/10/2023 (1106 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I am a big fan of Mazda vehicles. The engineering prowess that goes into even the tiniest details continues to impress on both my CX-5 crossover and Mazda3 Sport hatchback.

Having driven the relatively new CX-50, just a touch bigger than the CX-5, I like that vehicle, too.

The handling, the smooth power delivery, the interiors that punch well above their price class and the remarkable styling all impress.

So against that context, imagine my chagrin at being disappointed with the new CX-90.

The CX-90 is Mazda’s largest step yet towards electrification, with all models being at least a mild hybrid, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) also available. I drove both. I wanted to love them both. But couldn’t.

Mazda’s experience with electrification is limited relative to other heavyweights such as Toyota and Nissan. Its first careful steps into the field were with the MX-30 electric.

Aside from its oft-criticized range — tiny by competitor standards — the MX-30 was a very good EV. Good handling, good power… it just didn’t go far enough on one charge to really be competitive.

So perhaps it’s only fair we grant Mazda some growing pains with the CX-90, particularly the PHEV.

First, the good news: as a PHEV, it’s a massive, three-row, eight-seat SUV that registers fuel economy in the sub-seven litres per 100 kilometres range. From a fuel economy perspective, that’s outstanding. For some buyers, that may be all they need to know.

With its low centre of gravity, with the battery weight centred on the wheelbase under the rear seat, it handles very well. Tossing it at speed into a cloverleaf off-ramp, it holds the line far better than a vehicle its size should.

Mazda has employed its usual excellent work on the interior and exterior styling, so inside and out, it’s very attractive. It’s comfortable and even the lower trim level on the PHEV — the first CX-90 to arrive was the topline Signature mild hybrid — looks and feels like a luxury brand’s work, not that of a mainstream automaker.

Where the PHEV doesn’t meet Mazda’s usual standards, however, is in power delivery, particularly when the battery is exhausted and isn’t helping boost the gas motor. On acceleration, the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder gas motor is really working hard and sounds like it. Transitioning from deceleration to acceleration is particularly ragged, full of head bobbing and devoid of smoothness.

A full charge will take about 6.4 hours at 120 volts and 1.3 hours at 240 volts, Mazda says, but the “fuel gauge” that monitors the battery level depletes rather quickly. Mazda says the PHEV is good for about 42 kilometres of EV-only range. As with other hybrids, the CX-90 recharges during braking, using so-called regenerative braking. Unlike other hybrids, it doesn’t seem to ever divert power from propulsion to charging. This may make sense from an engineering standpoint: the laws of physics speak to this nicely. It’s not possible to have a lossless system, so any power diverted from propulsion to charging is lost at a greater rate than if power was devoted only to propulsion.

The mild hybrid was quite a bit better at power delivery, thanks largely to an inline six-cylinder motor, and as a six-cylinder and only a mild hybrid, it puts its three-row rivals to shame in fuel economy as well. It rivalled our much smaller CX-5, with averages in the 10 to 11 litres per 100 kilometre range used primarily in the city.

Until now, Mazda has resisted the urge to go beyond six gears in its automatic transmissions. With the CX-90, Mazda developed an eight-speed transmission, and in the process, made a very good case for its previous decisions to stick with six speeds. The transmissions in both the PHEV and the mild hybrid had episodes where they were hunting for torque, turning what would have been smooth transitions into moments of hesitation.

The Signature, the mild hybrid I drove, featured an attractive console, with the trim piece covered in front-to-back striations that made for a lovely look. Less successful, in my view, is the use of fabric covering a piece of dashboard trim. Looks nice when new but I’m not optimistic about long-term durability.

The third row isn’t limousine-like in its space, but the second row seats can move forward to give third row passengers more legroom.

As a three-row crossover, and as Mazda’s biggest vehicle sold here to date, the CX-90 has some redeeming values that buyers will appreciate: the fuel economy of both versions is excellent, the styling and execution of interior and exterior details are superb and its handling will run circles around similarly sized competitors.

Whether that’s enough to overcome some drivability issues will be up to potential buyers to decide.

kelly.taylor@freepress.mb.ca