Best Mazda CX-90 Model Years (Ranked) in 2027

The outcome you should expect

Set expectations correctly before you shop, because the CX-90 is a nameplate with an unusually short history and an unusually large ambition behind it. Mazda launched the CX-90 for the 2024 model year as the replacement for the CX-9, and it was not a facelift or a re-skin — it moved the company's flagship three-row onto a new rear-biased Large Platform with a longitudinally mounted turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six, standard i-Activ all-wheel drive, and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. A plug-in hybrid variant using a 2.5-liter four and a 17.8 kWh battery arrived alongside it. That means only two model years exist as of this writing: 2024 and 2025. Any ranking of "best Mazda CX-90 model years" is therefore really a ranking of two years crossed against three powertrain families and a long trim ladder.

The practical outcome of that structure is that your decision has less to do with year and more to do with variant and service history than it would on a nameplate with a decade of production behind it. A 2025 does not look different from a 2024 in any way a passerby would notice. What it has is a year of running calibration work behind it, aimed at exactly the two things reviewers and owners flagged most often on the launch cars: low-speed hesitation from the eight-speed clutch-pack automatic, and stop-start roughness from the mild-hybrid system. Mazda addressed both through dealer software updates rather than hardware changes, which is genuinely good news for used buyers — it means a 2024 that has had its campaigns applied closes most of the gap to a 2025 for free.

So the outcome you should expect is a narrow spread. If you buy a 2025 Turbo S, you get the most polished version of the car: 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft on premium fuel, the richest interior in the lineup with available Nappa leather and real wood, and the smoothest low-speed drivability of any CX-90 built. If you buy a documented 2024 3.3 Turbo, you get 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft on regular fuel, the identical platform and cabin architecture, and a meaningful discount off original sticker — with the caveat that you must verify the updates yourself rather than assume them. If you buy an un-updated early 2024 build, you get a car whose hardware is sound but whose calibration is the version everyone complained about. That last case is the only genuinely bad outcome in the lineup, and it is entirely avoidable with a VIN lookup.

Broaden the frame slightly and the same logic shows up across the segment. Every three-row SUV launched on an all-new platform in the last several years — the Grand Highlander, the Telluride at its debut, the Pilot's redesign — has had a launch-year calibration tail. The CX-90's is more visible than most because its transmission is unconventional. Mazda skipped the torque converter in favor of a clutch-pack design to sharpen response and reduce parasitic loss, which is a defensible engineering choice that also removes the fluid coupling that normally hides a bit of driveline slop at crawl speeds. That is the trade, and it is a trade you can feel in a parking lot.

What drives that outcome

The ranking is driven by four independent variables, and understanding which one you are actually optimizing for is the whole exercise.

The first is engine tune. The 3.3-liter inline-six appears in two states: the 280-hp / 332 lb-ft version that runs on regular gasoline, and the 340-hp / 369 lb-ft Turbo S version that requires premium fuel to reach its rated output. These are the same physical engine. The difference is boost and calibration, not architecture. For a family hauler doing school runs and the occasional highway trip, 280 horsepower through a rear-biased AWD chassis is not slow — it is genuinely quick, and it saves you a per-gallon premium every fill for the life of the car. The 340-hp tune is for buyers who want the extra thrust and are content to pay for it at the pump. Neither is more or less reliable than the other.

The second is model year, which as established is a proxy for software maturity rather than for anything mechanical. The third is trim, which on the CX-90 spans an unusually wide ladder — from Select at the bottom through Preferred, Premium, and Premium Plus, with the Turbo S trims sitting at the top. Notably, every trim gets the inline-six and standard all-wheel drive, so a base 2025 Select is the cheapest route to the CX-90's defining characteristics. You are giving up leather and convenience tech, not the engine or the chassis.

The fourth is powertrain family — inline-six versus PHEV. The plug-in pairs a 2.5-liter four with an electric motor for a combined output near 323 horsepower and roughly 25 miles of electric range from its 17.8 kWh pack. If you can charge at home and your commute fits inside that range, the PHEV can cover most weekday driving on electricity and still do road trips on gasoline with three rows intact. The costs are a less characterful engine, a smaller under-floor cargo area, and a mode transition that early owners described as less seamless than some rivals.

The interaction between these variables is what produces the ranking. A 2025 Turbo S wins on refinement. A 2024 3.3 Turbo wins on value. A 2025 3.3 Turbo is the rational middle — the sensible engine with the refined build, and the version that will age best because it has no premium-fuel dependency and no battery to degrade. A 2024 Turbo S is a strong performer at a discount if documented. The PHEVs sort below the sixes for most buyers not because they are bad, but because their advantage only materializes under a specific usage pattern.

Benchmarks and realistic ranges

Concrete numbers make the trade-offs legible, so here are the ones worth carrying into a dealership.

Power and torque. 280 hp / 332 lb-ft for the base six on regular; 340 hp / 369 lb-ft for the Turbo S on premium; approximately 323 hp combined for the PHEV. The gap between the two six-cylinder tunes is 60 horsepower — real, but not transformative in a vehicle this size. If you are towing near the upper end of the CX-90's capability with any regularity, the Turbo S earns its keep. If you are not, the base tune is the better everyday instrument.

Fuel economy. The 3.3 Turbo lands in the neighborhood of 25 mpg combined on EPA figures, which is competitive for a three-row AWD SUV with six cylinders and is materially helped by the 48-volt system smoothing stop-start and low-rpm response. The Turbo S gives up a little to its higher output. The PHEV's meaningful number is not its combined MPG rating but its electric range — roughly 25 miles — because that determines what fraction of your driving is electric. Confirm current figures on fueleconomy.gov for the exact trim and year you are considering; ratings move with wheel size and configuration.

Electric range in practice. Treat the 25-mile figure as a warm-weather, moderate-driving ceiling. Cold weather, sustained highway speed, and aggressive climate use all reduce it. A 12-mile each-way commute fits comfortably; a 15-mile each-way commute in January may not, and you will be running the gasoline engine more than the brochure implied. This is the single most common source of PHEV disappointment across every brand, not just Mazda.

Fuel-grade cost. The premium-fuel requirement on the Turbo S is a recurring cost that compounds. At a typical spread between regular and premium, over the miles a family SUV covers in a year, the difference is not trivial. Multiply your annual mileage by your expected economy and the local price gap before deciding that 60 extra horsepower is worth it — for many buyers the honest answer is that it is not.

Used pricing. Launch-year cars depreciate hardest, and 2024 CX-90s are now on the used market at a clear discount off original sticker. The exact spread varies by condition, mileage, region, and trim, and it moves month to month, so check KBB and Edmunds for current appraisals rather than trusting any static figure. The structural point holds regardless of the number: the 2024 is where the value is, because the depreciation has already happened and the software gap is closable at no cost.

Trim spread. The ladder from Select to Turbo S Premium Plus covers a wide price band for what is mechanically a very similar car. The single highest-leverage decision on that ladder is whether you want ventilated seats, the upgraded Bose audio, and second-row captain's chairs — because a Turbo Premium Plus delivers most of the cabin richness of a Turbo S while keeping the regular-fuel engine. That combination is quietly one of the smartest configurations in the lineup and gets overlooked because it sits in the middle of the sheet.

Cross-shop context. The CX-90 competes with the Telluride, Grand Highlander, Pilot, Palisade, and Explorer. Its differentiator is dynamics: the rear-biased platform and longitudinal six give it a steering and balance character none of those match. Its weaknesses relative to that set are third-row space and, for the PHEV, cargo volume. If your priority is maximum third-row habitability for adults, the CX-90 is not the class leader and you should be honest with yourself about that before falling for the interior.

Risks, edge cases, and failure modes

The dominant risk is buying an early 2024 build that never received its updates. The symptoms are consistent and well documented: hesitation when pulling away from a stop, occasional jerkiness at crawl speed, and a stop-start restart that feels coarser than it should. Mazda addressed these through software calibration, and a properly updated car behaves noticeably better. The failure mode is not mechanical destruction — the hardware is sound — it is that you buy a car that feels unfinished and then spend months wondering whether something is wrong with it.

How to eliminate that risk: run the VIN through Mazda's recall and service-campaign lookup and through the NHTSA database before you sign anything. Both are free and take minutes. A seller who cannot or will not provide a VIN in advance is telling you something. If campaigns are open, the fix is a dealer visit — so either negotiate the update into the deal or have it done immediately after purchase.

The test-drive edge case. Most test drives are highway loops, which is exactly the condition under which the CX-90's transmission behaves best. The behavior people complain about lives at 0–15 mph. Deliberately spend time in a parking lot: pull away from a full stop repeatedly, reverse, do a three-point turn, creep in simulated traffic. If the car feels right there, it will feel right everywhere. This is good practice on any clutch-pack or dual-clutch-adjacent transmission, not just this one.

PHEV-specific failure modes. Test the charging port with an actual charge session if at all possible, confirm the battery reaches a full state of charge, and verify the indicated electric range against the roughly 25-mile expectation. On a used PHEV, ask how the previous owner used it — a car that was never plugged in has been hauling a heavy battery around as dead weight, which is not a mechanical problem but does tell you the vehicle was mismatched to its owner. Also confirm what plug-in incentives, if any, applied to that specific vehicle and year, since eligibility has varied by year and by state and can affect both the price you paid and the price you can resell at.

Fuel-grade regret. A buyer who stretches for a Turbo S and then fills it with regular is not getting the 340 horsepower they paid for. This is an entirely self-inflicted failure mode and it happens constantly. Be honest at purchase time about whether you will actually buy premium for the next several years.

Third-row and cargo expectation gaps. The CX-90 is a three-row SUV that drives like a smaller vehicle, and that is its charm — but the third row and cargo area reflect that packaging priority. Load the car the way you actually use it before buying. Put the car seats in. Fold the seats down and put a stroller in the back. This is the most reliable way to avoid a slow-burning regret that no spec sheet will warn you about.

Deferred-service signals. An un-updated software campaign on a used car is rarely an isolated fact. It usually correlates with a car that skipped dealer visits generally. Treat an open campaign as a prompt to look harder at the full service history rather than as a single line item to close.

A practical rollout plan

Here is the sequence that turns the ranking above into an actual purchase.

Step one — decide your powertrain before you decide anything else. Answer one question honestly: can you charge at home, and does your daily driving fit inside about 25 miles? If yes, the PHEV is worth evaluating seriously. If no, the PHEV's entire advantage evaporates and you should filter it out immediately rather than letting a salesperson talk you into it. If you are on the six, answer the second question: will you buy premium fuel every fill, for years? If no, the 280-hp 3.3 Turbo is your engine and the Turbo S is off the list. Most buyers land here, and that is the correct place to land.

Step two — set your year based on budget, not fear. If your budget reaches a new or near-new 2025, take it; the second-year calibration is real and it comes with a warranty. If your budget favors a used 2024, that is a good decision too — the discount is meaningful and the software gap is closable. Do not let launch-year anxiety push you into overpaying for a 2025 when a documented 2024 is sitting there for less.

Step three — pick your trim by working backward from three features. Leather versus cloth, ventilated seats versus not, and captain's chairs versus bench. Those three decisions determine where you land on the ladder more than any other. A base 2025 Select still gets you the inline-six and standard AWD, so the entire ladder above it is comfort, not capability.

Step four — VIN-check every candidate before you drive it. Mazda's campaign lookup plus NHTSA. Two minutes each. This step is non-negotiable on any 2024 and is still worth doing on a 2025.

Step five — drive it at low speed, deliberately. Then drive it on the highway. Then load it.

Step six — negotiate on documentation, not just price. A car with closed campaigns, a clean history report, and complete service records is worth paying a bit more for than a cheaper car with gaps. This is the same logic that applies to any recently launched vehicle on a new platform.

The whole plan takes an afternoon of research and one thorough test drive. The reason it works is that the CX-90's variance is concentrated in things you can verify — a VIN lookup, a low-speed drive, a fuel-grade commitment — rather than in things you have to gamble on. That is a better position than most used-SUV shoppers are in, and it is worth using.

One adjacent note on the upstream decision: if you are cross-shopping the CX-90 against the CX-9 it replaced, understand that these are different vehicles in intent. The CX-9 is cheaper used and still spacious, but it lacks the rear-biased platform, the inline-six, and the plug-in option. The CX-90 is a deliberate move upmarket, and the price reflects that. If the dynamics are not what you are buying for, the CX-9 is the more rational spend.

Related questions

Is there a 2026 Mazda CX-90 worth waiting for?

Only the 2024 and 2025 model years are established at this writing. If you need a three-row now, a current, fully updated car is a sound buy. Waiting typically buys incremental refinement rather than a redesign, and you pay for that patience in continued use of whatever you drive today.

Does the Turbo S require premium fuel?

Yes, to reach its rated 340 hp and 369 lb-ft. The 280-hp 3.3 Turbo runs on regular. Filling a Turbo S with regular will not damage it, but you will not get the output you paid for — which makes the upcharge hard to justify.

Which CX-90 powertrain is likely to age best?

The 280-hp 3.3 Turbo. It is a relatively simple layout with no premium-fuel dependency and no traction battery to degrade over time. Both powertrains are too new for definitive long-term data, but on architecture alone the regular-fuel six carries the fewest future variables.

How much of the 2024-versus-2025 gap closes with software?

Most of it. The differences reviewers flagged — low-speed shift hesitation and mild-hybrid stop-start roughness — were addressed through calibration updates rather than hardware revisions. A 2024 with its campaigns closed drives materially closer to a 2025 than an un-serviced early build does.

Is the CX-90 a good tow vehicle?

It is capable within its rating, and the Turbo S's extra torque helps at the upper end. Confirm the specific rating for your trim and configuration in the owner's manual, and factor tongue weight and passenger load rather than trusting a headline maximum figure.

FAQ

What are the common issues with the 2024 Mazda CX-90?

Early 2024 models drew consistent comment for transmission hesitation at low speeds and occasional software quirks, including in the infotainment system. Mazda addressed much of this through dealer software updates and a revised transmission calibration that carried into the 2025 model year. A fully updated 2024 drives noticeably smoother than an un-serviced early build, which is why VIN-checking the campaign history matters more on this vehicle than on most.

Which CX-90 powertrain is the most reliable?

The 3.3-liter inline-six turbo, in both the 280-hp and 340-hp tunes, is the simpler and more conventional layout of the two, and it has been the more consistent performer so far. The plug-in hybrid's battery pack and dual-mode operation add complexity and therefore more potential points of failure. Both powertrains remain too new for definitive long-term reliability conclusions, so treat this as an architectural observation rather than a verdict.

Is the 2025 CX-90 worth the extra cost over a used 2024?

For most buyers, yes — the 2025 arrives from the factory with a year of refinement built in, so the transmission and mild-hybrid behavior feel more polished without any owner effort. But a well-maintained 2024 with documented software updates, bought at a genuine discount, can be the stronger financial move. The decision hinges on whether you are willing to do the VIN verification work yourself.

How does the CX-90 compare to the CX-9 it replaced?

The CX-90 is a substantial step up in driving dynamics and interior quality, thanks to the rear-biased Large Platform, the longitudinal inline-six, and a plug-in hybrid option the CX-9 never had. The discontinued CX-9 is cheaper on the used market and still a spacious, competent family SUV, but it feels less premium, less powerful, and less engaging from the driver's seat.

What is the best CX-90 trim for everyday family use?

A 3.3 Turbo in Preferred or Premium trim hits the best balance of equipment and price, and the 280-hp engine runs on regular fuel with ample muscle for daily driving. If you want a loaded cabin without the premium-fuel commitment, the Turbo Premium Plus is the quiet standout — it delivers most of a Turbo S's interior while keeping the regular-fuel engine and lower running costs.

Do plug-in hybrid incentives apply to the CX-90 PHEV?

The CX-90 PHEV has qualified for certain plug-in incentives depending on the model year and the state, which can improve its effective cost meaningfully. Eligibility rules change, so verify current federal and state programs for the specific vehicle and year before assuming any credit applies — and confirm whether a used purchase qualifies under different terms than a new one.

Sources

• https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/cx-90
• https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls
• https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.shtml
• https://www.caranddriver.com/mazda/cx-90
• https://www.edmunds.com/mazda/cx-90/
• https://www.kbb.com/mazda/cx-90/
• https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mazda/cx-90/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_CX-90
• https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/mazda/cx-90/

Related on PULSE

• [Best Mazda CX-9 Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0530)
• [Best Mazda CX-5 Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0529)
• [Best Mazda CX-50 Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0613)
• [Best Mazda CX-3 Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0614)
• [Best Mazda Tribute Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0616)
• [Best Mazda CX-9 and CX-90 Model Years (Ranked)](/knowledge/ca0398)