2026 Mazda CX-90 Review: Can A Big Family SUV Really Be Fun To Drive?

Back in 2023, Mazda dropped its previous flagship SUV, the CX-9, for the new CX-90. This wasn't just appending a zero to the name, either. Instead, the new flagship would ride upon a platform built for rear-wheel drive than the previous flagship's front-wheel drive architecture, anchored by an all-new 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six. 

Thus, it seemed as if the automaker wanted to build an MX-5 for the family, one that could also tow an MX-5 to the track for a weekend of competition, while offering a lot of more comfort and a lot more space for people and their belongings than the iconic roadster could ever hope to aspire towards. Or, for that matter, the upscale SUV experience the CX-9 couldn't keep up with.

Big ambitions, then, for the 2026 Mazda CX-90 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport — wearing its finest Soul Red Crystal Metallic (a $595 paint option) — that arrived at the tail end of my birthday week. Does the CX-90 deliver both fun and luxury? Only one way to be sure. Let's hit the open road!

For 2026, the Mazda CX-90 comes in six varieties, each with varying people-carrying capacities based on trim and options selected. Here's what you can expect to pay before the $1,530 destination fee:

• 3.3 Turbo Select: $39,300
• 3.3 Turbo Preferred: $43,450
• 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport: $47,480, $56,065 total sticker as-tested
• 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus: $50,270
• 3.3 Turbo S Premium Sport: $54,140
• 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus: $57,570

If your cargo-holding needs are bigger, the Mazda CX-70 ($42,250 – $56,670) is the same vehicle as the CX-90 minus the third row (and both have plug-in hybrid versions, which we review separately), though it has a higher starting base price.

Outside of the Mazda family, the fully redesigned Hyundai Palisade ($39,435 – $56,560) amps up the comfort with plusher seating for up to eight, and is competitively priced (and comes in hybrid form, too). The new, second-generation 2027 Kia Telluride ($39,190 – $56,790) offers something for nearly everyone at around the same price points as the Mazda with nine trim levels, including three off-road-capable trims (and also offers a hybrid variant for the first time).

Speaking of off-roading and the great outdoors, though, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L ($40,920 – $62,600) gains a new turbocharged four-cylinder for 2026, and comes with available four-wheel drive and air suspension to climb over most obstacles in woodsy comfort for up to seven occupants. Finally, the Toyota Grand Highlander ($41,360 – $54,545) has room for up to eight, with the third row gaining more rear legroom than the standard Highlander (and, like most of the competitors here, has a hybrid version we review separately).

No matter which 2026 Mazda CX-90 you opt for, the same engine will be waiting for you and yours under its long hood: a turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six hidden away under a big plastic engine cover. This turbo-six plants its strength upon the road through an eight-speed automatic and rear-biased all-wheel drive, augmented by a 48-volt mild hybrid setup to help with acceleration and fuel economy. 

The big difference is in said power. The first four trim levels — including my 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport — makes 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. The two top-level Turbo S trims, though, come with a more powerful setup to deliver 340 horses and 369 lb-ft of torque to the corners... as long as there's premium-grade fuel in the 19.6-gallon tank (the lower trims use a smaller 18.5-gallon unit filled with regular-grade gas). 

If you put regular-grade in there, it drops the herd down to 319 horsepower; torque remains the same. Either way, all trims deliver a combined EPA estimate of 25 mpg (23 city/28 highway), though driving habits tend to prevail over what's on the window sticker.

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Every trim level of the 2026 Mazda CX-90 comes with its own unique set of wheels. The base 3.3 Turbo Select wears a set of 19-inch aluminum alloys in a silver finish, while the rest use 21-inch wheels to get around. My 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport and the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Sport both opt for blacked-out aluminum alloy wheels to give the midsize SUV a more sporty appearance. No matter which set of wheels are on your CX-90, they'll all be wearing all-season rubber.

Slide behind the wheel of the 2026 Mazda CX-90, and you're greeted with either a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster and 10.25-inch touchscreen if you choose the base 3.3 Turbo Select, or a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 12.3-inch touchscreen on the remaining five trim levels. And yes! Those screens are touchable, especially when Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are in use. 

Mazda would still prefer you use their rotary dial on the center console to get around (all the better to minimize fingerprints). There are also plenty of buttons to push on every part of the dash, steering wheel, and center console, eschewing the trend of hiding every possible function within the touchscreen itself. Mazda is all about the driving experience, after all.

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That doesn't mean the 2026 CX-90 is lacking tech: the list includes the aforementioned Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired on the 3.3 Turbo Select, wireless on the rest), Bluetooth, HD Radio, a base eight-speaker stereo system or available 12-speaker Bose setup, available satellite radio, available navigation, and available wireless device charging.

Standard safety and driving aids include blind-spot monitoring, forward automatic emergency braking, vehicle-exit warning (so none of your family members get squished by a box truck), stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert. The amount of available features, though, are about the same as what you get out of the box, which include a surround-view camera system, a digital rearview mirror (for seeing past the third row occupants), head-up display, reverse automatic emergency braking, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic-jam assist. Considering how much money you're paying for one of these, perhaps a few more of these available features should go in the standard column.

The last time I tested a Mazda CX-90, it was the six-passenger 2025 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus model, which made for an interesting dilemma when I had intended to bring six of my family members with me (the third row only sat two, and the second row consisted of a pair of captain's chairs).

For 2026, though, that third row can now seat three, and — aside from the aforementioned top-tier trim level, which only offers second-row captain's chairs — the CX-90 can seat up to eight, thanks to the standard second-row bench; you can get captain's chairs instead at no cost on all but the base 3.3 Turbo Select. Seating materials begin with standard synthetic leather, followed by genuine leather on most trims, and Nappa leather on the Turbo and Turbo S Premium Plus trims.

It took me a moment to figure out how to get into the third row, with the 60/40-split bench, but once I did, I realized that that bench would need to be moved forward and a more upright in order for me to be okay back there. Legroom is 39.7 inches up front, 39.3 inches in the second row, and 36.9 inches for the third row. I suspect if your road trips were any longer, those over six-feet banished to the third-row will be calling for regular breaks to stretch out their legs.

Once past figuring out who's sitting where, though, the 2026 Mazda CX-90 comes with plenty of creature comforts. The base 3.3 Turbo Select alone comes standard with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, tri-zone climate control, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, a power liftgate, and heated side mirrors. 

The Turbo Preferred adds an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a moonroof, and privacy shades for the second row. By the time you get to the top-tier 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus, the second-row seats (which are, again, captain's chairs by default) are ventilated, there's a second-row center console, and a panoramic moonroof all help to make the midsize SUV a very premium experience.

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Cargo space is at a premium with the second- and third-row seatbacks upright, at just 14.9 cubic feet, which is pretty cozy for your groceries. Folding the 60/40-split third row down boosts space to 40.0 cubic feet, good for more items like desktop computers, monitors, maybe even a desk you have to put together. And once the second-row seatbacks are also down, a grand total of 74.2 cubic feet can accommodate a bicycle or two with the front wheels removed, some big piles of recycling, or a Christmas tree. The CX-90 can also tow up to 5,000 pounds (3,500 pounds on the 3.3 Turbo Select and 3.3 Turbo Preferred) and hold up to 210 pounds on the roof when properly equipped.

Arguably the best part of the 2026 Mazda CX-90 was waking up the turbocharged inline-six every morning, usually followed by putting it into Sport Mode to get up to interstate speeds and, after that, setting adaptive cruise control (which, sadly, also turns off Sport Mode). The CX-90 rode comfortably and quietly along the high-speed roadways, while its all-wheel drive system did remarkably well on the twistier roads coming down the mountain, though its size and heft was felt along the way. 

That size also made traversing through the narrower streets in my town a bit more exciting than I'd like, especially when passing by oncoming traffic.

Cameron Aubernon/SlashGear

As for what all that driving got me, I reached a peak of just over 24 mpg before falling down to a final combined average slightly shy of 22 mpg by the time my time with the Mazda drew to a close. That's an okay rating, but definitely not quite the 25 mpg combined the EPA says you could get out of it. The interior was cozy enough, if a bit dark for my liking; I'd say it's definitely worth picking a lighter finish for the Nappa leather, since that color extends across the dash to the seats and would do a great job of brightening the cabin overall.

After a week with the 2026 Mazda CX-90, it's fair to say the midsize SUV's done well in living up to its flagship status, and definitely one with the Mazda badge upon its grille and liftgate. It's not an MX-5, but it is MX-5-ish for the family, offering plenty of excitement while serving as the everyday town-runner ferrying children to and fro in between errands and weekly shopping trips. There's plenty to like here, from the aggressive sounds of the turbocharged inline-six and great handling abilities for its class, to carrying up to eight people in a well-crafted premium package.

Of course, there are some things that could be sorted out, like giving groceries a bit more space behind the third row and providing the two or three occupants seated in that row a bit more room to stretch out their legs over long road trips (or just even the short ones). Real-world fuel economy could be improved, too, though I suspect those who want that will seek out the CX-90 PHEV instead. And of course, making a few more tech and (especially) safety and ADAS features standard would be welcome; even at its most affordable, this isn't a cheap SUV.

All in all, though, the 2026 CX-90 is doing a great job in bringing something just a bit different to the midsize SUV category: a fun people-carrier that's equally at home at the back roads as it is at the park.