First sight: the new Mazda CX-90

This week in Malibu, CA, Mazda unveiled the CX-90, a three-row, large crossover that elevates the brand’s design aesthetic and takes a step closer toward electrification. Built on an all-new platform, the CX-90 will replace the CX-9 for the 2024 model year and will be the brand’s first large SUV available as a plug-in hybrid.

In addition (and something we didn’t think we’d be writing in the year 2023), Mazda is also debuting a new, 340 hp, 3.3-litre, inline six-cylinder ICE engine with a mild hybrid system, which Mazda says is its most powerful ever in a mass-produced car.

In its price range, Mazda has long reigned supreme in terms of alluring design and sporty driving dynamics. The CX-90 takes this to the next level with a more sophisticated look and upgraded materials with the goal of competing against spendier competitors.

“The CX-90 has a substantial, dynamic proportion that appeals to the premium segment,” says Yasutake Tsuchida, senior director of design at Mazda North America. In a walkaround of the six-cylinder ICE model, Tsuchida points out how the designers were able to achieve a more “mature” look, while maintaining the brand’s sporty characteristics. There’s a taller, more upright front end, with a grille insert inspired by Japanese woodcraft and chrome garnish on the lower components. At the same time, the CX-90 keeps an aggressive RWD stance with massive 21-inch diamond-cut wheels and shorter overhangs in front and back.

The body side is much cleaner compared with its predecessor, which Tsuchida says is in line with the second generation of the brand’s “Kodo” design language, set forth by the RX-Vision concept, and later the Mazda Vision Coupe. “The key theme is to make a beautiful reflection on the body side,” Tsuchida explains. “You don’t see the sharp character line as in the previous generation. We didn’t do too much because the proportion speaks for itself.”

Headlamps have also been redesigned, with a horizontal DRL integrated into the front grille. In the rear, wide horizontal tail lamps accent a curvaceous liftgate. Tsuchida says he is particularly proud of the section of the roofline that runs from the C pillar to the D pillar and into the rear glass. “It was a lot of effort to get this combination of a spacious cabin with a sporty design,” he says. “Normally to do a sporty look you have a wedge shape. And a spacious car can look too boxy.”

The exterior colour, dubbed Artisan Red, is a multi-layer paint that looks nearly black in low light, but glows a luminous shade of metallic wine in the sun. Tsuchida tells us Mazda works with its suppliers on unique flecks and clear coats to achieve this look, and also employs a painting process that minimises overspray, requires less paint and reduces environmental impact.

A sense of spaciousness was important for the CX-90’s cabin, says senior design manager Ian Hedge, whose interior theme was chosen for the project. “The CX-9 was a fantastic vehicle for us, but interior space was compromised,” Hedge says. “For the CX-90 we wanted to provide a bigger cabin and we highlight that with chrome going all the way across the IP to convey this sense of spaciousness and openness.”

Hedge (pictured in the second image of the gallery above) says his favourite elements are the upgraded materials, including curly maple wood trim and fabric accents decorated with a “hanging” stitch. “A few years ago you wouldn’t see anything like this in production,” Hedge says of the latter. “I love how you see the material underneath and how everything is connected.”

In a time when even serious sportscar manufacturers are giving in to demands for large touch screens, Mazda holds out with a relatively compact horizontal screen, controlled by a rotary knob on the centre console. The rationale, Hedge says, is that a Mazda is first and foremost a driver’s car. “This is always a big discussion philosophy-wise for Mazda,” he admits.

“The HMI is to support driving, so that dictates a lot about the format and position of the screen. If you’re looking ahead, the screen should be as high as possible, so we go for something horizontal with a wide aspect ratio. For ergonomics, that sets up the command interface with the rotary controller.” Hedge adds that the CX-90’s new, larger head-up display also reduces the need to look down or over at a screen. “We were able to add a lot of functionality, as well as nav info from CarPlay and Android Auto, so we will see that continue to develop.”

With a lineup ranging from a BEV MX-30 to the iconic Miata MX-5, Mazda aims to straddle the world between EV nerds and hardcore enthusiasts. In its attempt to serve two masters, will the brand lose its driver-oriented, Zoom-Zoom mentality? Not anytime soon, Tsuchida says. “Mazda won’t change its philosophy. We still believe a car has to be fun to drive.”