Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) has been slow to produce battery electric vehicles because the manufacturer believes that further development and efficiency can be found in the humble internal combustion engine.
So much so that Mazda recently reinstated a rotary engine (RE) development group in its powertrain development division. It is developing the rotary engine to be used as a generator for future electrified products, such as the application in the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactive R-EV plug-in hybrid in the Japanese and European markets.
For its new large platform products such as the seven-seat CX-90 Takami which went on sale in New Zealand in September, Mazda has developed its most powerful production petrol engine yet with some electrification, to reduce both consumption and emissions for its flagship model.
Known as the e-Skyactive G 3.3 Hybrid, this six-cylinder 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48-volt mild hybrid technology produces 254kW of power and 500Nm from as low as 2000 rpm.
Unlike Australia, Mazda New Zealand has chosen not to offer the 3.3-litre six-cylinder Skyactiv turbodiesel that is available in other markets and consumes 5.4L/100km.
The CX-90 blends the familiar Kodo design language into a large executive SUV that looks like a Mazda but sounds and drives very much like a BMW six-cylinder car, right down to the rear-wheel-drive bias and the somewhat heavier steering feel which was unexpected for a Japanese marque.
It might be optimistic to say the new CX-90 is a competitor for the German marques but it certainly is on par with the equivalent seven-seat offerings from Nissan, Toyota, Lexus and Jaguar Land Rover.
The CX-90 much like the Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota Highlander feels like an SUV that was very much designed for the North American market.
There is a lot of technology and specification in the new CX-90 to justify the retail price of $92,990, so we’ve highlighted the most important details that buyers need to know about its fuel efficiency, space, equipment, technology, safety and the MazdaCare programme.
Overall, in spite of its large presence and footprint, the CX-90 was an enjoyable yet comfortable drive for a large family-focussed SUV and this was made much easier by some of the unique technologies that we are going to unpack below.
Please also note that the images used in this review reflect international specifications and may differ from the local offering, except the Artisan Red metallic paint shown.
Fuel efficiency
The e-Skyactiv G 3.3 Hybrid is capable of returning 8.2L/100 km and CO2 emissions of 189 g/km.
During our week-long review, we sat on a steady 9L/100km in a mixture of urban running and short motorway dashes around Auckland.
To achieve this feat, base torque and mid to low engine speeds were optimised by the size of the 3.3-litre engine’s displacement. Mazda says it’s engineers leveraged the increased air intake resulting from the higher engine displacement and large turbocharger to increase output, and the speed range at which the engine uses the Miller cycle.
The result is brisk acceleration and impressive fuel efficiency thanks in part to its relatively high compression ratio.
Distributing the power on tap is an eight-speed automatic transmission, which sends drive to all four wheels via full-time i-Activ All-Wheel Drive – a rear-biased drive system that affords the CX-90 its neutral handling characteristics.
Drivers can also tailor their experience to suit the journey, with four different switchable driving modes, ranging from Normal, Sport, Off-Road and Towing*. The latter optimises the powertrain to accommodate the increased weight when a towing hitch is mounted to pull a trailer or a bike carrier, and the AWD system is optimised for trailer towing to improve straight-line stability.
Space
At 5,100mm in length and 1,994mm wide, and with a 3,120mm wheelbase, the CX-90 has road presence and offers more capacious interior dimensions in virtually every area compared to the CX-9, with matched or even greater shoulder room and headroom in every row.
The CX-90 offers a larger load space capacity than the CX-9, totalling 608 litres overall (including under-floor stage space). This is with both the second and third-row seating in position. Folding both seating rows flat increases this capacity to 2,025 litres.
Consideration has been given to the ease of loading and unloading long objects with the third- and second-row seats folded down. To make it easier to transport long items such as furniture and surfboards with the second-and third-row seats folded flat, Mazda has created a flat tailgate opening by creating a cargo floor area with a 5-degree incline to remove any height difference between the boot floor and the rear trim.
The height of the tailgate opening also makes it easy to load items, such as weekly shopping and sporting equipment.
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 uses the same one-touch walk-in switch as used on the CX-9, for ease of access.
While Mazda proclaims up to seven occupants can enjoy every journey in comfort, we found the third row is more suitable for small children rather than large adults.
Equipment
Mazda describes the aesthetic of the flagship Takami grade as ‘Japanese Premium’. It is characterised by the interior’s woven textile fabrics and Black Nappa leather upholstery for the New Zealand specification cars amongst various other premium materials and detailed finishes.
Key specification highlights include 21-inch black metallic machined alloy wheels;
7 seats with one-touch walk-in function for 3rd row seats; heated and ventilated front seats, heated outer rear seats (2nd row); Bright roof rails with bright exterior trim and window mouldings; and mesh metal door and console trim inlays.
Technology and safety
The human-centric cockpit in the CX-90 gives the driver a layout for the steering wheel and pedals that are less stressful on their joints, requiring only moderate muscle strength to operate them according to the manufacturer.
The CX-90 is fitted with Mazda’s Driver Personalisation System. This feature adjusts the cockpit setup to achieve an ideal driving position for each driver. The system automatically adjusts the driver’s seat to the ideal position by estimating the position of their eyes using the driver monitoring camera, as well as the driver’s height information, which is manually entered by the driver.
Mazda’s Driver Personalisation System comprises three functions that combine to optimise the connection between car and driver, and facilitate safer and more stress-free driving for each driver:
- Automatic driving position guidance
- Automatic setting recovery
- Driver entry/exit assist
These functions make it simple for drivers to achieve their ideal driving position. The system uses facial recognition to remember each driver’s preferences. When the driver is detected, the CX-90 automatically restores more than 250 stored settings to match their preferences, including vehicle, audio and climate control settings.
An array of i-Activesense driver assistance systems also deliver safety performance for occupants and other road users, including pedestrians.
These include Smart Brake Support (SBS): Turn Across Traffic, Smart Brake Support (SBS): Turn Across Traffic: Front with pedestrian and cycle detection, Emergency Lane Keep Assist (ELK), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) with Vehicle Exit Warning, Adaptive LED headlamps (ALH), Enhanced collision safety performance, Secondary Collision Reduction System.
In addition, the Takami is fitted with See-through View. It offers a further evolution of Mazda’s 360° View Monitor and provides a large monitor display that helps the driver see the situation ahead and to the sides of the vehicle (around the wheels) in the direction of travel, even in tight spaces, showing obstacles they might strike when fully turning the steering wheel – all at once on the screen.
This aids in quickly confirming objects the vehicle might come into contact with when starting or slowing down in tight spaces, such as parking lots or narrow alleys.
The See-through View also shows the outline of the CX-90’s body, making it easier to understand the orientation of the car about the obstacles and spaces around it.
Warranty package
As with all new Mazda vehicles, the CX-90 features wide-ranging coverage from the Mazdacare programme.
The Mazdacare programme includes a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, five-year scheduled servicing (up to 100,000km) and five years of roadside assist coverage at no extra cost.
