The 2024 Mazda CX-90 is a 'big' deal with an interesting new engine
Brand's largest model ever has a straight-six engine
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mazda may be best-known for the teeny tiny MX-5 Miata sports car, but its new SUV is a very BIG deal.
The 2024 CX-90 is the largest vehicle the brand has ever made and is set to replace the CX-9 at the top of the lineup later this year.
The three-row SUV offers seating for up to eight passengers and an interior trimmed in upscale materials in line with the automaker's recent repositioning as a more premium, if not luxury brand.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The CX-90 is the first Mazda to offer a plug-in hybrid model in the U.S. and will be available with a performance-oriented turbocharged four-cylinder/electric motor combination rated at 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
REVOLUTIONARY: MAZDA BRINGS BACK THE ROTARY ENGINE … IN AN ELECTRIC CAR?
(Mazda)
It is also the debut model for Mazda's new turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assist, which is the first of the type that its ever built. The 3.3-liter puts out 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque and should deliver the smooth operation straight-six engines are known for.
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The engine's layout enabled the designers to give the vehicle a long hood for a sporty profile, good weight distribution and room for the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which sandwiches its electric motor longitudinally between the four-cylinder engine and eight-speed transmission.
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"We really think that for the majority of customers who are now interested in electric, they're thinking about electric, but really don't want to experience some of the compromises that electric has right now, the plug-in offers a great opportunity for them," Mazda North America CEO Jeff Guyton told Fox News Digital.
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The cabin will be offered in both eight-passenger and seven-passenger configurations, with the latter featuring second row captain's chairs.
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Full details including pricing have not been released, but the CX-90 will be available with a package of advanced driver assistance systems that indues radar cruise control and a 360-degree parking camera system.