Mazda’s new 2024 CX-90 is the automaker’s replacement for its long-popular CX-9 and serves as the brand's flagship three-row model. It’s longer, wider, and lower than the earlier CX-9 and features many improvements relating to space, efficiency, power, and style. Importantly all engine options are now hybrids with one of them a plug-in hybrid variant.
The CX-90 employs a front-engine, rear-wheel-bias powertrain with Mazda’s i-Activ all-wheel-drive system standard across all trim levels. Its three hybrid engine choices start with an entry-level 3.3-liter inline-six turbo producing 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft torque. A more powerful 3.3-liter Turbo S delivers 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft torque. Both the Turbo and Turbo S utilize Mazda’s 48-volt M-Hybrid Boost mild-hybrid system. Those looking for an ability to drive exclusively on battery power should look to the CX-90’s turbocharged 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid version, which produces 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft torque using a 17.8 kWh battery.
All engines are rated at a combined 25 mpg, with the plug-in version topping out the range with a combined rating of 56 MPGe when running on battery power. The 2.5-liter PHEV option offers a total 490 mile driving range with the ability to drive exclusively in electric mode for 26 miles. Among the three engine options, 11 trim levels are available in total, ranging from the entry-level Select up to top-line Premium Plus. The availability of these trim levels depend on engine selection with the Turbo trim offering five and both the Turbo S and PHEV versions offering three.
A low-slung and hunkered-down appearance conveys a subtle sportiness in this crossover SUV that Mazda has been keen to showcase in the rest of its recent lineup. The front fascia is minimal when compared to other current full-size crossovers, but is in no way boring. A large black grille acts as a centerpiece and is accented with a chrome insert running beneath the grille, swooping up to meet the headlights at both ends.
The CX-90 features flared wheel arches and a muscular persona along its flanks. It’s complemented with a low roofline and smooth lines along the doors that reinforce a sporty and elegant demeanor. At the rear, two slim LED taillights extend toward the middle of the hatch while a discreet, curved spoiler sits at an upward angle above the rear window. A chrome accent sits at the bottom of the rear end, finishing its run around the entirety of the CX-90.
Mazda has taken great care to deliver a more accommodating interior than the earlier CX-9, with the CX-90 going above and beyond. A commanding and wide-set dash greets drivers with a large center console dividing the front seats and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen perched atop the dash. Traditional Japanese design and modern practicality blend together in a unique-to-Mazda fashion, exemplified by a sewing technique called Kumihimo, a classical Japanese book-binding practice that’s used to produce a hanging stitch pattern on the dash. Nappa leather and real-wood trim is an option throughout the cabin, along with tone-on-tone fabrics. Up to 75.2 cubic feet of carbo space is available with the second and third row seats folded flat.
The CX-90’s tech and safety options are ample with all trims receiving Mazda’s i-Activsense Safety package that includes Smart Brake Support, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Mazda Radar Cruise Control. Brand new for 2024 is Mazda’s See-Through View monitor that uses cameras positioned throughout the exterior to create a 360 degree perspective, allowing drivers to better park and maneuver in tight spots.
Mazda’s CX-90 is an exemplary replacement for the CX-9 and comes at an entry price of $39,595.
Mazda's CX-3, this automaker’s entry in the hot compact crossover SUV segment, aims to provide the style and functionality of a crossover SUV at a price approachable to a great many buyers, beginning at just $19,960. Sporting the unique front grill and fascia that speak the brand’s latest design language, the CX-3 shares its platform and much of its cabin with the 2016 Mazda 2 subcompact hatchback. While both ride on a 101.2 inch wheelbase, the CX-3 is slightly larger in all dimensions than the 2 in keeping with its small SUV mission of optimizing versatility and carrying five people plus cargo.
The CX-3 is comfortable, capable, and responsive, getting its power from a 146 horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Its SKYACTIV-G engine uses direct injection, variable valve timing, and a high 13:1 compression ratio to eke the most power out of its engine displacement, along the way producing satisfying low-to-mid-range torque and lower emissions while consuming less fuel. The engine connects to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trim levels are available, each with standard front-wheel-drive or optional i-ACTIV all-wheel-drive. Mazda's predictive all-wheel drive system optimizes performance and stability by taking many real-time factors into account like road conditions, steering-angle, temperature, and weather as it intelligently routes power to specific wheels in response to these conditions.
The Mazda CX-3 is available with an array of electronics features including a rearview camera, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, adaptive headlights, and headlight control. Mazda Connect comes standard, offering a seven-inch color touchscreen infotainment suite with Bluetooth audio streaming, phone controls, and internet radio like Pandora and Aha by Harmon, all integrated with a commander control knob. Pushbutton start is also standard.
Available as options or with the Touring and Grand Touring trim levels are navigation, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, head-up display, Bose premium audio with SiriusXM satellite and HD radio, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and LED headlights. When equipped with the Grand Touring i-ACTIVSENSE package, CX-3 packs features unavailable in rival vehicles like Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Smart City Brake Support, High Beam Control System, Lane Departure Warning System, rain-sensing wipers, and auto on/off headlights.
As one would expect with Mazda’s efficient and sprightly SKYACTIV-equipped new models, the CX-3 achieves a welcome 29 city mpg and 35 mpg in the front-wheel drive version, with the AWD model sacrificing just a bit of efficiency with 27/32 mpg numbers. Importantly, unlike most engines with high compression that require high octane fuel, the 2.0-liter SKYACTIV powerplant is designed to run on less expensive regular gas, offering fuel savings that adds up over time.
Considering the sheer number of SUVs and crossover vehicles seen in any given parking lot these days, there’s no doubt this is a crowded field with many relevant players. The key is finding the one amid the crowd that best promises to meet your needs and speak to your sensibilities. If ‘green’ takes a top spot in your playbook along with sportiness, functionality, and value, then you’re a candidate for Mazda’s CX-5.
Our initial experience with the all-new 2013 Mazda CX-5 last year was enlightening, and really, eye-opening. We’ve driven crossover SUVs for many years and can attest that for the most part, high fuel efficiency is not their game. Rather, it’s all about style, functionality, safety, and comfort. The ability to haul people and gear is important. That usually comes at the cost of fuel economy because these vehicles are typically larger and heavier than passenger vehicles by nature, which means greater power is required to move them.
But that changes with crossovers like the Mazda CX-5 SKYACTIV. A bit more compact in stature, the CX-5 is right-sized for most buyers wishing all the attributes of a crossover SUV but don’t want to wince at the pump. This model’s eye-catching style is a good opener for drawing potential buyers, as is its surprisingly accommodating interior, comfortable five-place seating, and approachable price.
Cinching the deal is this vehicle’s fun-to-drive nature and admirable fuel efficiency. Two fuel-efficient engines are available. The base Sport model comes standard with Mazda’s 2.0-liter, 155 horsepower SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder powerplant. Uplevel Touring and Grand Touring models are motivated by a new-for-2014 2.5-liter, 184 horsepower SKYACTIV-G engine.
While perfectly fine with 2.0-liter CX-5 variants driven before, we do enjoy the extra 29 horsepower provided by this model’s 184 hp 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G engine. Acceleration and gear transitions are crisp, as expected of the Mazda marque.
Cars of Change editors have been living with a 2014 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring long-term test car for some months now to get an in-depth sense of the model. During our time with the car to date, editors have come to appreciate the CX-5’s stylish design and its notable functionality. Over the first 8,000 miles of our year-long test, we have experienced the CX-5 under conditions familiar to most of our readers – daily commuting, running errands around town, and road trips that allow long-distance evaluation – with the latter often finding us folding the rear seats down and stuffing the cargo area with an amazing array of gear for our travels.
We’ve found the CX-5 to be nimble and fun as a daily driver under all these conditions, blending efficient motoring with the sophistication we like in an SUV. The cabin is comfortable and the controls intuitive. We’re sold on the optional blind spot monitoring system and especially the rear-view camera, an indispensable feature in our parallel parking-focused town. While lightweight high-tensile steel is used prolifically to help lessen curb weight and contribute toward the CX-5 Grand Touring’s EPA estimated 32 highway mpg (35 mpg in the Sport variant with the smaller 2.0-liter engine), this model doesn’t feel like a lightweight with its satisfying and quiet ride.
Mazda’s CX-5 delivers big time for its very reasonable $21,195 to $28,870 price tag, offering an array of desirable features with the benefit of class-leading fuel economy. The real bottom line for most is how all this comes together in the daily driving experience, and in that regard we’ve found the CX-5 delivering as promised, consistently.
By mid-2013, Mazda will be offering a diesel engine sedan in the U.S. market, the first diesel car from an Asian manufacturer here in recent times. The Mazda 2.2-liter SkyACTIVE-D diesel engine will be available in the all-new 2014 Mazda6 along with a 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine, the latter coming first. Both engines can be mated with either the SkyACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic or SkyACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission.
Compared to the 2.2-liter MZR diesel engine already powering Mazda models in other markets, U.S. bound Madza6 variants get the more advanced – and 10 percent lighter – 2.2-liter SkyACTIV-D diesel that develops greater torque.
Other improvements include a 20 percent reduction in internal friction and improved fuel economy. The SkyACTIV-D features a new two-stage turbocharger and a 14:1 compression ratio, much lower compression than typical diesels.
Mazda says this low compression ratio results in cleaner burning with lower nitrogen oxides, producing virtually no soot. This means no additional NOx aftertreatment is needed, as is the case with many other modern diesel engines.
The 2014 Mazda6 is first production vehicle to feature Mazda’s unique i-ELOOP (‘Intelligent Energy Loop’) braking regeneration system. Unlike virtually every other regenerative braking system that uses batteries to store electrical energy created during braking or coast-down, i-ELOOP uses a capacitor for energy storage. The recouped electrical energy is used to power all Mazda6 electrical systems.
Among its advantages is that i-ELOOP avoids the need for a dedicated electric motor and battery, making the system more efficient, compact, and lighter than traditional regenerative braking systems. Also, capacitors can charge and discharge rapidly and are resistant to deterioration even in prolonged use.
Clean diesel keeps marching forward, even as American consumers continue to warm slowly to the idea of moving beyond familiar gasoline-powered vehicles. The slow pace is unfortunate considering advanced diesel variants are inherently more fuel efficient than their gasoline counterparts and, might we add, often more fun to drive because of diesel’s copious low-end torque.
How do you convince people to step up to diesel? One time-honored way to create believers in new technologies – and in some cases fuels – is proving them out on the race track. We’re seeing that today at various race venues where electric, hybrid, ethanol, and other alternative fuels or technologies are in competition.
In recent years, clean diesel has been pushed with vigor in racing, most notably with great success by German auto manufacturers. Diesel is not the exclusive domain of the Europeans, though. The latest evidence of this is Mazda’s recently-announced program to champion diesel in GRAND-AM racing’s new GX Class for advanced/clean technologies. Mazda is the only Asian automaker presently committed to bringing advanced diesel technology to the U.S.
Mazda’s 2.2-liter, stock-block SKYACTIV-D four-cylinder diesel engines feature a 14:1 compression ratio, new two-stage turbocharger, and a 5,200 rpm redline. The production engine’s improvements over Mazda's current 2.2-liter MZR-CD diesel engine are considerable, including a 10% weight reduction, 20% reduction in internal engine friction, and up 20% better fuel economy. The racing variant is being jointly developed by Mazda Motor Corporation, Mazda North American Operations, and SpeedSource Engineering.
The actual Mazda model to be powered by the SKYACTIV-D racing engine will be identified after the conclusion of the 2012 GRAND-AM racing season. Dyno testing is ongoing with track testing scheduled for later this year.