The Mazda CX-90 Hybrid SUV Is Comparable To A Lexus For Less

American dealership showrooms are flooded with SUVs. The vehicle type has become the best-selling category in the US market because of its family-friendly size and comfort. Now, automakers are starting to put hybrid powertrains into popular vehicles to make them more fuel-efficient.

However, as hybrid SUVs grow in popularity, one mid-size Japanese SUV blends some surprising benefits into one vehicle. The car has luxury design elements, premium materials, and fuel efficiency at a price that undercuts the other best-selling suspects. It doesn’t wear a Lexus badge, but this Japanese plug-in is a high-riding marvel.

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The 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Is Comparable To A Lexus Without The Price Tag

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For a long time, Mazda built its brand on fun-to-drive cars. Past icons like the Miata, Mazda 3, and the RX-7 synonymized the company with sporty, low-cost coupes and sedans. But now, the brand has grown into a family-centric automaker with dealerships full of SUVs. Mazda’s lineup still optimizes the coupe-like racer DNA in its SUVs.

One of its most convincing efforts at this blend is the CX-90 PHEV. The hybrid SUV offers incredible luxury for the price point, quirky powertrain features, and creature comforts for all passengers in the car’s three rows. The CX-90 is the biggest car Mazda has ever produced. Somehow, it still maintains the youthful elegance found in past icons while competing with luxury behemoths. If you like the styling but don’t want a third row, you can also check out the nearly identical CX-70 (though some of the two-row trims actually cost more).

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Starts At $50,495

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The CX-90 punches above its weight in the mid-size hybrid game. At first glance, onlookers might mistake the car’s simple, elegant body lines for a car priced $20,000 more. However, the 2026 CX-90 PHEV starts at just under $50,500, putting it in direct pricing competition with the hybrid Toyota Highlander (starting MSRP of $47,770) and the gas-only Honda Pilot (starting MSRP of $40,200). There is a slight increment in price compared to its predecessor. For reference, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV was priced from $47,445. Mazda’s pricing strategy is simple: deliver Lexus-measurable equipment without the high-end price tag.

For 2026, all PHEV models come with 21-inch wheels, have ventilated front seats, heated first and second row seats, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s and passenger seats with two-position memory settings for the former and a heated steering wheel as standard.

Inside the cabin, Mazda excels at luxury with various high-quality features. For example, the car has three-zone automatic climate control and a pollen filter for seasonal allergens, keeping all seven or eight passengers comfortable on long-haul trips. The extra-wide front seats provide optimal comfort with their eight-way power-adjustable controls and lumbar support. The Premium Sport trim sits in a sweet spot, with black-out styling and standard premium audio that echoes what you’d find in higher-end Acura cabins.

The Mazda CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid Looks Similar To Its Gas-Only Twin

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The CX-90 hybrid doesn’t project tree-hugger energy, unlike other electrified cars and hybrids. Mazda keeps the plug-in look elegant and understated. The PHEV shares nearly identical styling with its gas-only sibling, and unless you’re looking at the charge port, you’d never know there’s a 17.8-kWh battery tucked inside.

2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Specifications

That stealthiness extends to the driving experience, too. Mazda includes miniature lags inside its battery propulsion, which mimic gear shifting from a gas-only car. Because of this nifty powertrain add-on, the Mazda CX 90 PHEV doesn’t feel jerky as it shifts between electric and gas-powered torque.

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The Mazda CX-90 PHEV Is A Big SUV With Luxurious Styling

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Mazda calls its design language “Kodo,” a Japanese word that roughly translates to “heartbeat.” The company says their aesthetics illicit energy and movement in its cars, even when they’re parked. The CX-90 uses that design focus to dress appropriately for fancy occasions. A thin black line of cladding encircles the car’s body, giving it some Land Rover vibes. Swoopy, deliberate body curves resemble styling cues ripped from the impressive Infiniti QX60​​.

The sculpting makes the Mazda CX 90 a standout in a class that too often leans toward generic, truck-like looks. Instead of the brawny features of the Chevy Traverse or the wildly unconventional stylings of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda made the CX-90 look less like a boxy suburban shuttle and more like a luxury ute.

Chrome Accents And Some Nifty LEDs

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Despite its conventional SUV looks, the CX-90 feels neither gaudy nor milquetoast. Detailing remains upscale, with a gloss-black grille, dark-chrome signature wing, and PHEV badge on the Premium Sport models. Piano black side mirrors and roof rails help elevate the aesthetic beyond its peers. The 2026 Premium Sport models also feature a blacked-out Mazda logo along with automatic power folding and auto-dimming side-view mirrors.

Standard LED headlights and taillights also add a cool factor. Mazda’s “heartbeat” turning signals illuminate in patterns, giving the car a clean, smooth touch. Unlike before, all trims of the 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV come with 21-inch wheels as standard.

Tech Onboard The Mazda CX-90 PHEV Is Both Upmarket And User-Friendly

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Mazda’s interior game has quietly crept into premium territory — the CX-90 PHEV is a perfect example of just how far the brand has come. The tech is tasteful, the screens are tactful, and very little feels plasticky or tacked-on (except the second-row cupholder in the seven-passenger models). While many mainstream brands rely on flashy displays or gimmicks, Mazda leans on quality and simplicity in the CX-90′ interior. Most seats in the three-row are plenty supple.

For 2026, the Premium Plus trim of the CX-90 PHEV is equipped with Mazda’s Driver Personalization system, which was previously reserved for the top-spec 3.3 Turbo S models. This allows users to save up to two settings for the steering position, seats, and outside rearview mirrors.

The 12.3-inch Infotainment Screen Is Big And Easy-To-Use

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Drivers get a 12.3-inch infotainment screen controlled by a click wheel on the center console as standard. The infotainment is not available by touch when the vehicle is in motion. The manual interface may not please every driver, but it keeps distractions to a minimum while offering a clear, logical menu structure. Plus, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard for all 2026 models.

A separate, easy-to-read 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard, as does built-in navigation on higher trims. Top trims will also implement a heads-up display that projects navigation and speed animations onto the windscreen. Audiophiles will appreciate the Premium Sport’s 12-speaker Bose stereo, which adds surprising richness and clarity for the price. Ample safety features are standard as well, including:

• Frontal collision mitigation
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention monitor
• Safe exit assist

The Mazda CX-90’s Interior Features Quilted Leather And Real Wood

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Drivers who opt for the Premium Sport trim and higher will unlock the Mazda CX-90’s gorgeous Nappa leather seats. They’ll also be treated to high-end interior materials like a leather-wrapped steering wheel, soft-touch dashboard, and real wood trim. That comfort extends through all three rows, with nary a hard plastic surface in sight. However, adult passengers should fight to stay in the first and second rows. The first and second rows have 41 and 39 inches of legroom, respectively. That number plunges close to 30 inches all the way in the back.

2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Interior Dimensions

Speaking of space, cargo capacity is decent. Behind the third row, there are 16 cubic feet of storage space. Fold down both the second and third rows, and front-seat passengers will ride ahead of 74 cubic feet.

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Hybrid Power On The Mazda CX-90 PHEV Helps Save Costs

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Mazda’s plug-in mid-size benefits from the obvious: Hybrids are cheaper to fuel than their all-gas counterparts, especially when the car runs on a full battery. Drivers typically get the best results when plugging their cars in overnight, when electricity is cheapest to disperse.

Mazda CX-90 PHEV Range And Charging Time

The CX-90 PHEV will take several hours to charge from zero to 100 percent on a 120-volt outlet or a little over an hour on a level-2 charger. Once the battery is filled, Mazda estimates the CX-90 PHEV can drive up to 26 miles without tapping into the gas tank. Overall, drivers can expect to spend less than $0.20 on fuel for every mile driven in the hybrid.

The CX-90’s Low-Cost Yearly Maintenance

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Like most Mazdas, the CX-90’s reliability track record improves every model year. The car, which hit American showrooms in 2023, has garnered a four-out-of-five-star rating from the mechanics site Repair Pal, good enough to achieve an “above average” rating.

The site predicted that owners should expect to pay around $462 in annual maintenance costs. Other car brands typically range in the mid-$600 range, and luxury competitors can balloon past $800 yearly. Throw in Mazda’s five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty and the additional eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on the hybrid components, and CX-90 PHEV drivers are likely saving boatloads of cash as they race past maintenance shops.

Source: Repair Pal and fueleconomy.gov