What's the difference?
When it comes to Mazda’s luxury aspirations, the CX-90 is it. The big Kahuna. Seven seats of what should be the Japanese brand’s exceptionalism amongst its mainstream rivals.
But does this more than five-metre-long Mazda have what it takes to elevate the brand beyond the likes of Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Kia?
Importantly, is this base version - which is closer to Mazda’s traditional price point - a bit of a luxury seven-seat SUV bargain?
We drove a CX-90 G50e Touring (the most affordable CX-90 of the lot) for a week to find out.
Despite the similar naming conventions, the new Mazda CX-80 large SUV isn’t a revamped version of the popular CX-8 model even though it technically replaces it.
The CX-80 is actually a seven-seat version of the mid-size CX-60. If you're confused, you're not the only one. The CX-80 joins a loooong list of SUVs that Mazda has brought to our market (including the CX-80 and 90) and while it offers more passenger space than its predecessor, does bigger mean better when it comes to family hauling?
My family of three have spent three weeks with the one-up-from-entry grade Touring G40e to find out for you.
There are many reasons I quite like this CX-90. It sells the plush luxury promise when it comes to its interior and design, it feels big and purposeful, and has a refreshingly minimalist approach to its cabin tech. As a seven-seat SUV it’s particularly impressive, with plenty of amenity and a third row that can genuinely fit an adult in comfort.
However, there are areas where it could use more polish, from the drivetrain to the ride, and it ultimately strikes an odd point for price and ownership which feels lost between the premium segment and the mainstream rivals.
If you’re a long-term Mazda owner, I still think you’ll love it, and this Touring grade is definitely the best value in the range. It offers the lion’s share of equipment at a price more comparable to Mazda’s traditional mainstream rivals.
The Mazda CX-80 Touring G40e will do everything you ask of it and outside of pricey ongoing costs, there’s not much to annoy. It’s too large for my small family of three and if it’s kid stowage that you’re looking for, a people mover might offer better practicality and comfort than what this does. Would it be a model that you jump through hoops to get? Maybe not, but it still has a place as family hauler and is easy to drive.