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I drove the Mazda CX-90 PHEV for a week and no other EV I’ve tested can match its range

Harry November 3, 2024

Besides cost, another big factor that makes car buyers hesitant about purchasing an electric vehicle is range. Even with the most efficient EVs I’ve tested Lucid Air Pure And Chevrolet Equinox EVthey still can’t match the range you get from all-gas-powered hybrids.

There’s still a huge gap between electric vehicles and gas campers, so I think PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) exist to fill that gap. they offer the best of both worldsAccording to me. And after driving Mazda’s first PHEV, I still believe PHEVs are a happy medium.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV has an MSRP of around $50,000, but the Premium Plus trim I drove for a week comes in at around $61,000 when configured with all the features I found inside. One of the most popular points of PHEVs is that they offer pure electric power as well as gas. The Mazda CX-90 can be driven up to 42 kilometers on all-electric power.

What’s important is that I took it farther than any other electric vehicle I’ve tested this year. And this is very important.

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus: Features

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Row 0 – Cell 0	2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus
Battery	17.8kWh
Fuel Tank	18.5 gallons
Engine	2.5L engine / 68 kW electric motor
Range	26 miles (all electric) / 490 miles (combined)
Fuel Economy	25 mpg / 56 mpg
Horsepower	323 hp
wheels	19 inch
MSRP	$61,000

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus: Test summary

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus test drive.

(Image credit: Future)

As I mentioned earlier, I drove the Mazda CX-90 farther than any other vehicle I’ve tested this year; I covered a total of 520.6 miles, largely because I drove from the Jersey Shore area to Montauk at the end of Long. Island in New York. Even with all that driving, there was still over a quarter of a tank left. I can only imagine where he would end up if I pushed him closer to the void.

They reported that the CX-90 achieved fuel economy of approximately 27.8 mpg. This is much lower than the 50.8 mpg fuel economy I had Hyundai Elantra Hybridbut the CX-90 is a three-row SUV with a huge payload capacity – so it’s understandable why it has lower fuel economy.

In terms of driving performance, it provides a smooth ride for the most part, but it felt very heavy on the road at first. After getting used to it for a while, I had no problems using it. However, I must admit that its acceleration leaves much to be desired. But still this is typical for most hybrids.

As for charging, I only had the chance to do it twice. On my first try at the ChargePoint station, it added 12 miles of range in 1 hour and 17 minutes; It roughly reached about 15.37 kilometers per hour, which is pretty fast. I tried using Level 1 charging at home, but neglected to notice that the CX-90 was set to not exceed 60%, so it’s hard to tell exactly when it stopped charging. Either way, it added 13 miles of range.

520.6 miles of total driving
Average fuel economy of 27.8 mpg overall
Added 19 kilometers of range in 1.28 hours with Level 2 charging
9.37 mph charging speed with Level 2 charging

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus: What I Like

Extended long range

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus test drive.

(Image credit: Future)

While I love the long-term savings offered by all-electric vehicles, PHEVs like the Mazda CX-90 are still proving what a difference there is. After traveling 520.6 miles, I wasn’t even at the ¼ mark on a full tank of gas. This is even more impressive considering it is a huge vehicle that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. You won’t have to stop as much as an EV with the CX-90 because it can keep going for longer.

lots of space

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus trunk.

(Image credit: Future)

Nothing is worse than feeling trapped in a confined space when driving long distances. Fortunately, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus offers a spacious cabin that eases the pain of long-distance driving. I love the roomy feel of the driver’s seat, which allows me to rest both arms on the armrests without having to stretch too much to reach the steering wheel. Thanks to the ability to pull down the entire rear seat, you’ll have extra space to carry larger packages.

Second row captain’s chairs

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus second-row captain's chairs.

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of passengers, the second row offers dual captain’s chairs, giving passengers a more comfortable experience. Think of them more like recliners than regular fixed chairs, with the ability to pull down the armrests and recline the seat further back. They’re so comfortable I could probably take a long nap without waking up.

Ultra-wide backup camera

2024 Mazda CX-90 backup camera.

(Image credit: Future)

When driving a huge vehicle like the CX-90, it’s nearly impossible to see everything behind you when reversing; That’s why I like that it has an ultra-wide backup camera. It covers the entire 180-degree field of view, allowing me to see pedestrians and vehicles in my blind spots.

traditional modifier

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus shifter.

(Image credit: Future)

One of the changes I had to make while driving electric vehicles was getting to know their shifters. They’re not all the same, but the CX-90 has a traditional structure that I’m sure everyone can easily get a feel for. It’s located on the center console, and you need to swipe it to the right to switch to the mode you want. Parking requires you to move it to the far left position to lock it in place.

Foot operated tailgate

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus rear trunk open.

(Image credit: Future)

Every vehicle I’ve tested this year offers a power liftgate for trunk access, but only a few have foot-operated ones. The CX-90 PHEV is one of them, and I can’t tell you how useful it is in some situations, like when both my hands get full while carrying groceries. When you kick directly towards the rear bumper, the trunk will open automatically.

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus: Things I Don’t Like

The screen is not a touch screen

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus main console display.

(Image credit: Future)

Not only is the CX-90’s main console screen a tiny 12.3-inch screen, what’s worse is that it’s a non-touch screen. Since I’ve gotten so old Android Auto And Car Play During my week of driving, I miss the convenience of tapping the screen to perform actions rather than using the navigation dial next to the shifter.

No lane keeping assist

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus instrument cluster display.

(Image credit: Future)

There were moments towards the end of my trip to Montauk when I started to get a little tired. Usually I’d relax a bit, but I couldn’t really do that in the CX-90 because the smart cruise control system doesn’t offer a lane keeping assist feature to keep the car in the middle of the lane.

Therefore, I had to be alert at all times with full control, rather than having the vehicle assist driving by steering the steering wheel beyond my control. I understand that I shouldn’t be distracted while driving, but it’s also nice to have some help.

Purely electric battery discharges regardless of driving mode

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus plugged into charger.

(Image credit: Future)

And finally, I don’t like how the CX-90 PHEV forces you to drain the all-electric battery first instead of using it as a backup source. While the EV driving mode is strictly dependent on the vehicle’s 17.8 kWh battery, it will automatically use the charge from the battery for all other modes.

I was under the impression that the other mods wouldn’t benefit the battery at all, but that’s not the case. Because of this I couldn’t get through all the throttle before returning to battery.

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus: Bottom Line

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2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus test drive. — (Image credit: Future)

I understand the concerns drivers face when choosing their next vehicle. Should they stick with what they know about the traditional ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle, or should they take the leap and go all-electric? It’s tough, but PHEVs like the Mazda CX-90 PHEV can be a bridge to helping people understand the potential of electric vehicles.

But given that it’s all-electric, its cost will certainly require tougher consideration. Kia EV9 costs are almost the same. The base model of the EV9 starts at $55,000 and also offers seating for 7 people. Still, the CX-90’s long-distance range is really its biggest selling point, and that’s made even better because there’s 26 miles reserved for all-electric power alone.

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I drove the Mazda CX-90 PHEV for a week and no other EV I’ve tested can match its range

Harry

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I drove the Mazda CX-90 PHEV for a week and no other EV I’ve tested can match its range

Harry

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