Respect to Jay Chen, you can tell the engineers actually care about how the car feels to drive. It’s not just a numbers game but satisfaction from the seat of the pants dynamics.
I've driven about half a dozen modern BMWs with electric power steering, including an M8 Comp. My ma's CX5 turbo (also electric power steering) has much better feel and feedback than any of them. That's when I realized wow Mazda does care.
@@icculus yeah it's why I'll never buy anything past 2010 from them. Unless they decide to have a change of heart now 13 years later lol I've heard GTS or CS steering maps (yeah u flash steering feel now...) fix the last M3 but who knows. A lot of those forums are just pure cope.
@@Josh-cw8byOk so maybe in different words.... Too much nagging and blowing things out of proportion and expectation bar set way higher than it should be for a vehicle priced as this is. Something opposite to Honda vehicles done at this channel. Why?
@@kdomster9141 As professional reviewers they have to be very careful what they say or they lose press vehicles and invites to reviles. Let me red between the lines of the video and give you a summary: The CX-90 is the wrong vehicle for this segment. It is unrefined and never should have been released. Go back and design the real vehicle for this segment.
My wife owns an Inline 6 CX-90 and I think you are dead on in your criticism. That being said, after test driving the competition including the MDX and the Highlander this was what she chose and a lot of it came down to those secondary motions gave her a sense of motion sickness. She realized that the additional isolation and floatiness wasn't for her. I don't know if there's enough of an audience like us to make the vehicle a success, but we are happy it exists and so far after 4 months and 5000 miles we are happy with it. We'll see how it does long run.
Beautiful comment. It really does come down to target demographic and what the customer ranks priority. I personally think every other 3-row on the market is on the floaty side. A sacrificial compromise the CX-90 takes, which is both odd and very unique in the 3-row segment. I love it personally. Cheers!
Huge respect for Dave Coleman. Love that guy and all the contributions he’s made to Mazda… not to mention he’s a wealth of knowledge in driving dynamics. What a great video too. Appreciate your persistence in editing this project together despite it getting on your nerves at times.
@@Bigern2998 That's what I am saying tho too everyone else just feels scripted Jack and Mark just feel like two guys discussing a car having fun doing it. Then they hit us with in depth talks with the engineers and its the chefs kiss.
I'm in a CX-90 owner group, and absolutely everyone is in love with it. The ones with the PHEV says they can easily do all their daily commuting in EV mode only, while the ones with the inline 6 like the character of the engine. People seem to have chosen the Mazda for the way it drives and feels, they don't like floaty vehicles but still need the space.
Exactly, I need 6 seater but hate floating cars and light steering. At this size, it should be RWD based and the only option at this price range is CX90.
@@GooseVan Don’t forget about the Explorer! Although the Mazda can be considered a different league in terms of interior design, materials, and quality.
The one thing I hate in car reviews is focusing of what a vehicle is not. To me it's a good thing when a vehicle isn't a Toyota. Toyotas are legendary for reliability but when it comes to driving dynamics they are just plain boring. I have four grown kids so I have either owned or test driven or rented every three row vehicle over the years and I never really liked driving any of them until we went to Mazda. We are on our second CX-9, haven't driven the CX-90 yet but glad to hear Mazda is still committed to building Mazdas. To the reviewers... Be mindful of crawling down the "this vehicle isn't this or that rabbit hole" or you will end up with what Consumer Reports puts out where they focus way too much on the metrics. Every vehicle is a series of compromises and the decisions made by the engineers determine who the final product is aimed at. Some of your comments seem to imply Every 3-row vehicle should be the same boring design. No thanks.
I feel the same! We purchased the PHEV CX90 in May and absolutely love it. The only complaint from my wife is that it is a bit harder to park, but we knew that going in. I am a huge fan of Savagegeese, but many of their criticisms of the CX90 did not ring true to me. I get the whole "3 rows should be boats" opinion, that is what is popular. However, that is not what I want and I feel so lucky this car exists. I come from a BMW lineage and this car suits me quite well. We drive on winding roads a lot where I live, so I suppose geography plays a role in us loving it. I have never once felt a shudder like they described and it is so smooth in EV mode in traffic.
I can tell you that when I first drove our CX-90 Turbo S, I was not entirely comfortable. The feel vs our previous 2021 CX-9 was completely different. After a recent cross country round trip of 4500 miles, I am very comfortable in it. I have noticed most of the same things that were mentioned in the video and I am hopeful that some firmware updates can correct the issues. on the mileage front, I averaged 29.7 mpg across the trip while driving at 75-80 for the majority of the drive.
Long post, but I've been looking forward to this review for a while, so I'll nerd dump my thoughts as an actual buyer of a CX-90. I agree with some of the stuff in the video, but will offer a few caveats on some of the points made. TLDR version - CX-90 with 19" wheels drove much better than the Korean twins, and Highlander. Highlander was very disappointing, I cannot believe people are paying a markup on this. New Pilot honestly felt non-descript but fine (we had a 2013 Pilot for 10 years, so it was top of our list). Interior on the CX-90 gets a huge nod, it's slightly behind competitors on gadget features at a given pricepoint. 1. Steering - I do wish it were about 10% faster. I get where they were going with it on linearity, and it really is, but it is a bit cumbersome to put in so much steering input on daily driving. Weird comparison, but I felt it was close to my AP1 S2000 on linearity of always giving more front traction with steering input. So that's actually pretty high praise with a caveat that the feel isn't super engaging, but I feel they could have gotten the job with with something like a 15.5:1 ratio vs. the current 17.x:1 ratio and the car would be better for it. 2. Suspension harshness - I agree it's honestly tuned a tiny bit on the stiff side on initial impact harshness, but again, I see where they were going with a single damper setting. The 21" wheels on both variants tested make the impact harshness MUCH worse than the 19" wheels of the lower trims. We happened to just drive a vehicle with the 19" wheels and it was a revelation on how much better the car felt everywhere. The PHEV in particular is 550 lbs HEAVIER than the I6 version, so that plus 21" wheels really made the impact harshness noticeable. IMO, the 21" wheel size choice was a mistake on the CX-90 after feeling it with a tiny bit more sidewall to make the damper tuning feel so much better from the driver's seat. 3. Drivetrain refinement - I haven't noticed any drivetrain shuddering/rough vibration, but I agree it's not quite as smooth as a BMW B58 (I owned an E70 X5 with an N55 and a couple E36 M3s, so very well versed with the BMW I6). I've heard some people complain of this on the Turbo S, but our regular Turbo with 280 HP is 95% as smooth as a BMW I6 and it happily lugs along at 1200 RPM 90% of the time smoothly. The transmission does give some more distinct gear selection feeling since there is no torque converter to openup, and I've felt the occasional rougher downshift in daily driving when you confuse the transmission programming (light throttle after a decel event, then a sharp lift off, seems to get in "must upshift quick for fuel economy" mode with no load on the drivetrain, so there is a light shock). It's not something I'd call egregious, and I'd call it 10x more refined than the 10 year old Pilot everywhere, not a high bar, but I don't think ours is drastically behind the competition on transmission smoothness beyond a few quirks of the trans. 4. RWD bias - It honestly feels pretty apparent to me, moreso than the E70 X5 I owned. All competitors really feel very FWD biased/front weight biased in everything they do. 5. I6 vs. PHEV - I thought for sure we'd like the PHEV more given the gas savings, but the Mazda PHEV implementation is pretty weak IMO. The main motor is not sufficient to keep it in EV for most your driving (12+ sec 0-60 is what it felt like, very slow). The added 550 lbs really compromises everything the car does for the worse. The coarse I4 has to help out a lot due to the low EV motor power and low range, and it's coarse and cheap feeling. I actually felt the PHEV ICE kicking on during accel was pretty rough in the car I test drove. Definitely head bob of torque not coming in smoothly, and when it happens under only moderate acceleration it made the vehicle feel very labored. Digital I4 soundtrack was gross and only added to the feeling of cheapness (you can hear it in this vid). My current car is a Chevy Volt, and it does the PHEV thing far far better, and I felt like Mazda missed some basics that make a PHEV work well. Conversely, the I6 is buttery smooth most the time, makes great sounds, and overall just feels like a better package. We average 25-26 mpg just driving in mostly city, and it'll do close to 30 mpg on the highway near 80 mph easily. 6. How it drives - Honestly, the 280 HP version on 19" wheels (Preferred Plus trim) felt great with just a bit of prodding, and very comfortable otherwise. A quick drive down a twisty road converted me, and made me want to buy one for myself. The I6 makes great noises, and the car really does feel like it shrinks around you even though it's relatively huge. High compliments to Dave Coleman's team, as he did a superb job given the tools. Conclusion: I'm an engineering nerd, and this is my first Mazda, but test driving the CX-90 really made it click. Even my wife who doesn't really care about good driving cars really like the CX-90 the most. As a nod to the current car market, we got a little bit of cash off on the CX-90 cost, and all competitors were talking various degrees of egregious markups. That helped the decision as well. I honestly don't know why it the CX-90 isn't selling better, other than it doesn't compare well on a gadget spec sheet at a given price point. I do think Mazda should take a step back and examine how THEIR vision can also fit a bit better with how the buying public buys cars. E.g. I think the 21" wheels thing is a marketing manager decision, and not a suspension calibration engineer's decision who is working with a single passive spring damper setup. You can be firm/rigid on one side of the philosophy, then conversely giving a rough ride that interrupts the feeling the driver gets from the road by offering jarring impact harshness because "buyers demand big wheels." It all has to be cohesive. Overall, I love the car, and feel like my next car is definitely going to be from Mazda. The praise for the vehicle above is hard earned as someone who's done the same on his own race cars/street cars.
@@clarkkent9080 Yes, and I don't agree with many of his assessments. As a mechanical engineer, I also find his "technical" reasoning to be generally wrong as well. He's a mechanic, not sure what engineering knowledge that gives him. I also feel most modern cars are going very complex and difficult to service in general. Get an extended warranty if you don't want to roll the dice on longer term repair costs, as they can happen on any vehicle. I do think the Mazda will have better than average reliability based on their track record and drive across the company to engineer the best product they can.
@@DefSR7 An engineer designs a vehicle based on specifications and has absolutely no idea what is involved in accessing a part or how to troubleshoot. And those specifications may be based on a bean counter trying to save 50 cents per vehicle. A mechanic does what an engineer never does, every day and understands what tends to break and how a particular design will affect serviceability. They are two completely different professions. When I research a vehicle, test drive it, and review the construction I have an understanding of what the engineer did because it is there to test. However, only a mechanic can review the construction and tell you how serviceably it is, based on their experience. BTW, the CCN did not disassemble that CX-90 to find out how it was constructed. He just looked at the MAZDA repair database that shows exactly how every part fits together and WHAT has to be removed to access any part. That comes directly from MAZDA !
@@clarkkent9080 As an engineer who has spent many many hours more than I'd care to, doing human kinematic serviceability studies on my designs, I'll say your understanding of what modern design engineering entails is incomplete. My beef with CCN's take is he talks about DESIGN aspects like "why make serviceability hard?" - there's usually a really really good reason why. Modern ICE are complex, and servicing costs are high across the board. Reliability problems are usually insanely expensive. I think the Mazda 3.3 Turbo is actually pretty serviceable (minus rear 2 spark plug access, and 40k mi spark plug interval, that's the biggest issue I see with their servicing requirements). Reliability is a big question mark, but look at any modern, newly designed turbo ICE and it's pretty intimidating as even someone who has done pretty extensive work on vehicles before. I think only time will tell how the overall reliability of the Mazda 3.3 Turbo is, or the CX-90 at large, but I don't think it'll be drastically outside the norms of its competitors. I do plan to get an extended warranty in case I'm wrong, as warranty companies also think it's very reliable compared to European cars, so the cost is surprisingly cheap for coverage as long as I plan to keep the vehicle. I'll pay a couple hundred bucks a year to make it someone else's gamble and spend my wrenching time on my old MR2.
What drew me to my 2021 CX-9 Grand Touring was the simplicity and simple luxury. I didn't want 200" of LED screens, I wanted a solid audio system (it's meh after years of owning it) with incredible reliability, enough space to move a large box if need be and didn't feel like it was so top heavy i wanted to jump off of a bridge. Mazda has and is the best 'commodity' brand and I'm forever a loyalist after buying one.
We also have a 21 GT and 100% agree. We’ve had the cx5 then a 19 cx9 touring and now the 21 GT. I’ve alway been a honda guy and she liked Nissans and Mazda has definitely impressed us over the last few years. Looking forward to getting the cx90
Shoutout to Dave Coleman. I grew up reading Sport Compact Car magazine, and loved his technical articles. Even though I am a designer now (styling), SCC gave me a great framework for engineering and vehicle dynamics that has helped in my career in the auto industry. Great video as usual gents...really apppreciate that you include the interviews with the people involved in a new car.
I wondering if he was the same Dave Coleman. His articles were my favorite and the reason SCC was my favorite magazine as a kid. Glad to see he’s still out there making great things
Damn? Sport compact car. You sir are old. So am I 😂. Best mag hands down. Still miss the street challenge. Not even in video in this age has something like that been done(yes but not as fun)
Yep, Dave Coleman is the one who got me into trackday driving with his suspension articles. So glad he found a job at a company that focuses on driving excitement! Technobabble and Dear Dave were my bible as a budding trackday car building enthusiast on a shoe string budget, built an old S13 240sx from his articles before they became popular, (and before drifting became a thing and they were all destroyed!) since they shared so much of their suspension and rear drive with the 300ZX and Skyline at the time.
I've had mine since April. Loaded 6 cylinder. Low speed clutch engagement is jerky and annoying, i-stop is annoying, driver personalization system is super annoying, but the positives more than make up for it. Incredible performance and handling, beautiful inside and out, and shockingly good fuel economy. I'm getting 8.5L/100km in mostly city driving. Better than my 2015 Camry got. What it needs most is software refinement, particularly with low speed clutch engagement.
@@RayBrown-u2n yes I've begun doing that, but here's where it gets super annoying: It will recognize me and put in my settings but then the Android auto will pair with my wife's phone instead of mine. Then you have to go back through several menus to unpair and connect a different device. They could have at least tied the driver personalization system to the driver's device.
Low speed clutch engagement sucks on my Mazda 3 as well. However after that it’s a really nice feeling automatic. Haven’t had the opportunity to drive the cx90 and the 8 speed yet.
They updated the dampers and recalibrated the electric power-assist steering on the CX-50 for 2024 (See Press Release) after complaints during it's launch. I wonder if we'll see a similar change for the 2025 CX-90... Great in-depth video as always, looking forward to CX-70.
Thanks for the very informative review on the CX-90. I appreciate all the effort you and Jack put into these videos rather than pump out something half-baked just to be one of the first reviews out there. Listening to the Mazda engineers talk about their philosophies on the handling made me think this is the effort they should be putting into the next RX vehicle. I agree that on a 3-row suv this is lost on the majority of customers. I appreciate that Mazda tries to think independently and stick to their guns on what they want to achieve, but in this case it seems they just missed the mark a bit. It looks great inside and out though. I hope they can make some improvements down the road to address the small issues. Keep up the great work boys! Cheers
if you toook the interviews, especially dave's out of context you would think they're talking about a miata or an RX car or even just a 6 but not some excuse for a minivan
The reviews are consistent when it comes to the overall feelings and powertrain inconsistencies. I hope Mazda will tweak this and straighten it out. I would also love if they offered the shorter version in the USA. Another great review guys. You’re an asset to the automotive community with this honest content!!
I have the PHEV and the drivetrain has been incredibly smooth. I am not sure if some firmware has been updated, or if it is because I have the PHEV. EV mode in traffic is fantastically easy/smooth. I drive on winding roads a lot and this is the only affordable 3-row option for me.
@@logansteele3236 My parents are in the market for an SUV in this class. I am going to show them the Telluride and Pilot in person. I really want them to check out the mazda but the 60k I6 version is too steep. I think the PHEV may suit them well if it can hold up long term. Thank you for this comment! i've been hearing much good about the PHEV.
I have so much respect for Mazda these days. While brands like BMW and Mercedes are being ambitious in all the wrong ways (specifically styling), Mazda just keeps setting the bar for what’s possible at each of its price points.
WTF are these two crying about one thing Steering dah. A bmw time X3 is over 50K and it junk... Mazda puts out an inline six turbo that has real leather. I drove the new CX90 and the interior is as good as an 80K Benz and it drives good LOL. Stop being so dramatic.
@@JohnAvantiBK Like a soul mate, every vehicle will find a buyer. The problem with the CX-90 is not the design or dynamics but the fact that it is a 3 row soccer mom SUV. It is not what most people shopping that segment want. I said MOST. Give it 3 years and the consumer will decide
Clarkkent I see you've gone from flogging your carcarenut reliability and expensive repairs concerns to now a great vehicle for the wrong market haha. There are plenty of buyers for this cx90 platform and likely only a few are soccer moms. Please try not to dissuade every mazda buyer with your negativity. As my kids would say you're a tryhard at this point.
@@Kdd-pt2bt I see that you are attacking anyone with negative comments on multiple channels. That is what I call obsessive. People watch YT videos to learn about a vehicle BEFORE purchase and you are against any YT video that provides negative information about the CX-90? I wonder why? Are you another Mazda PR guy directed to attack me? The CCN provides information on what to expect if something fails and since every Mazda dealership has a service center I think things do fail even in a Mazda. You have the right to use that information as you please but if you read the comments, you know many many people like me, have taken the CX-90 off their consideration list. The CX-90 has been out for a few months and the CX-60 (powertrain clone) has been out for many more months and is experiencing the same problems noted for the CX-90. I am a car guy but not an expert. If you don't think the vehicle is designed for the wrong market, the Savage Geese who is a highly respected professional reviewer agrees with me. Professional reviewer's livelihood depends on manufacturers for press vehicles and invites to new releases and the Savage Geese is putting his relationship with Mazda on the line to say exactly what I have been saying.
Now they need to do the same to Honda so they can get rid of CVT, cheesy designs and finish and touches , average driving dynamics ...but somehow they don't 🤔
@@seafooddiablo5686 Agreed. I was somewhat disappointed to see what Honda has become when we were searching between options. My impressions of their current offerings is less enthusiastic than what savagegeese thinks of them. They used to be a great driver's option for everyday transportation, with good control feel and driveability at a mainstream pricepoint, with reliability to make long term ownership attractive. Modern stuff like the Pilot felt cheap as the first impression. Like the only design goal was "make it cheap."
Mazda's been doing weird stuff lately and I also worry about them. I actually really like the "linearity" of the pedal inputs on the 3 but a LOT of people hate it. They actually want to drive like shit, so they want to know why the gas and especially brake don't just come on full force the way they do in other cars. So yes, though I appreciate their philosophy, I don't want it to bankrupt the company!
Well considered and presented. I'm also a Mazda sympathizer. I appreciate their place and focus in a commodity based environment and why I keep coming back to the brand. However as a loyalist, its difficult to accept the limitations so regularly. If they could just shift 10% of that focus on driving dynamics into real world real driver focus, there simply wouldn't be any competition. I've been hemming and hawing over a new car and Mazda sits at the top from a design and alignment to my personality and focus. however the reality is to follow that is to sacrifice some key day-to-day expectations that are very challenging to justify. For me, its too much focus on steering dynamics at the cost of performance and cost. The NA CX-50 is absolutely gorgeous to look at, but like all Mazda products hard to enjoy it when its moving. They turbo is packaged with the higher trims but really shouldn't even be an option, but the standard. Mazda for so many is about feeling something when you drive, and so much of what I feel now is unsatisfied. Big outside small inside, under powered. I spent time in a rental Rogue and was gloriously happy to have no opinion of it from a driving stand point. It just delivered. Its not attractive or special but for a purpose built segment, its felt spacious, adequately powered, and viable. I want the Mazda. I want to be a Mazda person who has those priorities, but vision vs the reality are hard choices when dollars drive the choice.
This!!!! It makes me sad for the brand. I really hope they change their approach to this specific car cuz I know they have so much more potential if they just shift a tiny bit of there philosophy to the real world
@@AmanRajput01 it's "because." Stop doing the "cuz" thing. You have an intelligent comment above which is ruined by the unwillingness to type a few more characters.
So basically, Mazda needs to follow everyone else and focus on joining the monotony AI-designed CUVs and vehicles. What a sad time. I feel like they could've used a ZF 8-speed and spent the dev money on more suspension tuning.
WHY IS MAZDA BETTER.... Dave Coleman is the only representative of a car maker I have ever heard of... most other companies have a revolving door. Mazda has true dedicated employees.
I would have bought that instead of the Outback. I came from a Prius, only got rid of it because it's too low to the ground. I miss the size, fuel economy, and general hybrid-ness. Subaru's Auto stop/start is awful (the rest of the car is great, though). The hybrid system was just smooth.
@@CristianHernandez-xh7bz The Toyota Crown and Mazda CX-90 aren’t even close in concept. The Crown is a lifted sedan with a trunk. Its interior isn’t even as large as the Avalon it replaced. The CX-90 is an SUV with a large cargo area in back which will carry more people and more stuff. The Crown is a polarizing style. Personally, I think the Crown is incredibly ugly, but styling is totally up to the buyer. Some people might like it. The Mazda CX-90 is a conservatively styled, sleeker looking vehicle. Frankly to me, the Crown is a big failure. The Avalon was a better big Toyota sedan. The CX-90 looks desirable. JMO. Others may disagree with me.
Thanks for actually letting Dave and the other engineers speak, it's so annoying when other channels cut them off right as they start getting to the thinking behind the setups they chose.
From the looks of this video, the CX-90 is the only SUV, that is cheaper than a BMW or Porsche, that isn’t lobotomized like the Tellu-whatever-the-fucc.
Hats off to you guys. The fact people had to wait for this video is a GOOD thing. If you were like most other reviewers out there, you'd simply do some shots of the interior, make some comments, sit in the seats, drive it a bit, and then punch out another video. I and I think most of your audience appreciates your perspective and the thought that goes into your content. Again, well done!
Wonder if it’s moreso to KEEP people watching minute-by-minute. By way of comparison, I have half a mind that people immediately clock out out of a certain mainstream videographer’s vids the very instant that the test drive is over and the static Doug Score comes into play.
@@schwenda3727 I really don't think so. As mentioned, they could have released this video much sooner, but didn't. If they were interested in keeping you watch, they probably would have released much sooner.
umm yeah this video is DRASTICALLY different & way more detailed than any other video about this car. everyone else raves about it & makes more or less the same canned remarks about it, but Mark & Jack were much more [appropriately] critical of the car & how certain things about it could translate to the TYPICAL 3-row CUV buyer/leaser. I personally don't think I ever would've looked @ this car any other way other than 100% positive until I watched this video
I really hope Mazda decides to put this drivetrain into a sedan form factor as BMW has gone the way of luxury and tech. I miss the honest sports sedan.
I would like too. I have an accord and I don’t have a car to upgrade from the accord 2021. I would like a new Mazda 6 in soul red with the inline 6 with 280hp mild hybrid. It would be enough for me and the fuel economy if is good in the cx90, I can’t imagine it in a medium sedan.
@@TheRotorious13b Not one Mazda exec. International.. has said anything about a new Mazda6 sedan. The head dude from Australia confirmed as much. He would know..
How do you do this? Your reviews are so consistently intelligent, so clear of thought and pure in attention, that you really have no peer in this business. Auto Review meets Wharton School of Business? Or Harvard Graduate School? Stunning reporting. And stunning car! You are right, the deep doors and swept appearance really set this vehicle apart. It's hauntingly beautiful, and a worthy flagship for the Mazda brand. Bravo!
Cornering a market starving for quality content is such an underappreciated business move. The passion these two put into their work is just the icing on the cake!
Loved the engineer interviews. Lots of insight into their philosophy with this car and platform. The video transmitted how hard it was for you to make this video and say some of the things that had to be said about the CX-90. Much appreciation for being brave and transparent regarding your experience with this car. Thank you for pushing through and releasing the video. Enjoyed it very much.
Mazda is now what BMW used to be. The fun, simple, and attention to driving dynamics. In my household, we have a CX9 GT and a Mazda 6 turbo. I drove the cx90 PHEV. It was a nice vehicle, and it was awesome not to feel the engine while at a stop light, even when the electric range was at 0. I drove it for about 50 miles, and when I returned it, I didn’t even use 1 galón of gas. That being said, it does feel bigger than the cx9. We are going to keep the cx9 until they streamline the options. Adaptive lights are now only in the top trim. I love those in my Mazda 6 and Cx9. We need a GT equivalent package, including the adaptive lights and Apple car play takeover, including the dash. Let’s see how they tempt me in year two or 3 :) Mark and Jack, thanks for the in-depth technical review. I was part of a focus group for the Mazda 6, and I said you were the best reviewer. I’m a Mazda fanboy after drinking the BMW Cool Aid for many years. And by the way, the New Honda Accord has nothing on my 2021 Mazda 6 Carbon :)
Props for the production on this. You probably see this enough but you guys go so far to push some of these videos out it is extremely impressive. I don't think I see other reviewers go to the lengths to talk to the people behind the car and what they are thinking when making said car. It is so nice to get an better idea of what they are thinking when the car was in development.
This video is probably the best customer feedback Mazda is going to get. They can probably ignore the rest of us and build a better CX-70 using this review alone.
I have a cx30, and i can relate to Marks' feelings. It's a compromise. There are occasional interior rattles, the throttle response lags here and there. Blindspot system is a joke. But then you chuck it in a corner and you feel it all, the horse and rider shit. You just accept the flaws. It's like a toxic relationship with a really hot gf🤣.
Its why the BMW X3 sells so well. Better put together without the rattles, lag and more roomier interior. Everybody copies it for a reason. Luckily I got a fully loaded one in 2019 out the door for 7K off (47K out the door). Today same car is 65K without discounts. CX 90 is poorly engineered. To replace most components on the motor you have to pull the engine out. The amount of lag on this on the road when passing is borderline dangerous. Not sure why they even used a wimpy hybrid motor which causes that issue. Its screws everything up the way they implemented it. I appreciate Mazda made a inline six but anyone considering should just get the better setup with BMW with their B58 inline six with real ZF 8 speed rear drive transmission. My X3 is very reliable and never had a single issue with it. Made in South Carolina they also are the biggest exporter of cars in the US. I have no shame buying one. But the CX-90 is completely over engineered making serving this thing a nightmare. At current labor rates you don't want to be stuck with this out of warranty.
once you sit in its competitors, yeah its small. its also not cheaper than its competitors either, so yeah we can be discerning of space while voting with our wallet
If you've sat in a CX-9, MDX, Highlander or Pilot you would understand. The CX-9 is cramped inside compared to those. My Porsche Macan has more front seat room than the Cx-9.
You guys are truly first class reviewers. The anguish you went through to give a true guide as to what the platform delivers is genuinely appreciated by true car people like myself.
Really like Mazda and their products. Beautiful, simple, understated and elegant design inside and out. Practicality is an issue and I wish they'd take a page out of Honda's book for that.
Yeah, unfortunately Mazdas interior packaging has never been the best. We knew it was only going to get worse when switching to a rear-wheel drive platform.
@@keithck3720 part of that is its just a smaller car compared to a civic. small vs large is not really a positive or a negative. some would say a smaller package is more practical for them and where they live
@@mbenton6 I knew what I was getting when I bought it but other compacts, like the Civic and Corolla, have noticeably larger, better packaged and brighter interior spaces. *It's not a complaint. More an observation. The car works perfectly fine for our needs and I'm happy with it but it could be a dealbreaker for some people.*
Between savage geese and the car care nut reviews of this car, it doesn't interest me as much. But! It is new and Mazda has time to improve it. I have faith in this company. Telluride owner at the moment and it's been pretty great except that the viscous couple may need to be replaced soon. Hopefully no warranty drama.
Whether or not their products are for you, you really have to appreciate the passion and focus behind Mazda's vehicles. I'd love to see this linear/progressive philosophy put to work with the i6 in a new sports sedan or coupe, but I reckon that's a pipedream lol.
I found in Japanese article about CX-60 using rose joints for suspension bushings. It stated that the harshness of the ride mostly comes from those and once they break in, The car actually drives like how Mazda designed. I’m surprised that the engineers didn’t mention it in the interview.
As a novice, my take is that their is an element of snobbery here . They won't admit it but everyone essentially is using BMW as a benchmark. This is a luxury vehicle with power. Mazda will take notes and adjust accordingly and fix/ fine tune what has to be done. This word "linear" that was used constantly here was a way of saying predictable. Again, a snobbish attitude. Bravo to Mazda for producing a high end quality product that has alot to offer. Just not for the snobs.
Amazing review, after I finished watching it I can’t think of anything more than that quote Steve Jobs said many years ago. “You've got to start with the customer experience and work backward to the technology. You can't start with the technology then try to figure out where to sell it.” - Steve Jobs
It'd be cool if the suspension & tuning philosophy section could get more slides or animation/footage demonstrating what Dave describes. Ik this was a tough vid to produce
Inline-6 turbo rear wheel biased full time awd two door 4 seater sports coupe with nice interior and good handling that isn’t a massive boat that people can actually buy. BMW M4 is that, so can Mazda make a competing car that is slightly lower price and looks more like the RX-7?
man I love when you can tell how much passion goes into the cars. Mazda is the definition of car people building cars for car people. Congrats to everyone on the team!
@@thothkemet-lv8wq According to Mazda engineers, the CX-90 is NOT a luxury vehicle but a sporty 8 seater. I really don't know what eight people would be driving around in a sporty vehicle? Luxury means comfort not a hard stiff ride
@@clarkkent9080as an owner I can tell you it’s not a bad ride. Just a lot “professionals” out here trying to nit pick but I come from sporty vehicles so I expect them to behave certain way and that’s why I like it.
That's why the brand will go in the crapper. They waste money and resources into things that go nowhere like rotary before, sky-activ x, and this 3 row suv that completely defeats purpose of people who want a 3 row suv.
@@gilbomanThis. They have no direction and have reinvented the brand many times which tells me they don't even know their true purpose and where they're supposed to fit in.
There is no way a small company like Mazda can develop a completely new engine, transmission, hybrid system, and platform in house. Some things (i.e. BMW engine) must have been outsourced
@@clarkkent9080 I mean even BMW does not develop the ZF and Aisin transmissions they use, so not sure what your point is. From what I understand, the engine and transmission are, at least, bespoke to the CX-90 for now.
Would love a new Mazda 6 sedan (which I know was cancelled, maybe one day un-cancelled) with the I6 drivetrain after a few updates and tweaks to improve its behavior. I have zero interest in SUVs, I don't want to drive a barge, but everything about the powertrain (after some tweaks to handle the initial hiccups) seems like it'd be one hell of a great daily driver in a well-tuned sedan (or wagon!). There are probably... at least 5 or 6 of us which would buy it, which is exactly why Mazda won't make it. Too many yuks who want big, awful boats that are perfectly adequate for getting from A to B with minimal fuss and pretty much nothing else.
The 21 inch wheels may be why you feel all the bumps. The height of a tire sidewall is part of the suspension. I did the calculations. There are 2 tire sizes. 19 inch wheels use P265/65 tires, the width of the tire is 10.43307 inches, the height is 6.78149 inches. 21 inch wheels use P275/45 tires, the width of the tire is 10.82677 inches, the height is 4.87204 inches. The higher end vehicles with 21 inch wheels have tires that only have a 4.87 inch side wall. I'd rather have the 19 inch wheels with the higher side wall.
A couple of weeks ago i saw this car at the Mazda dealer and i must say i'm very impressed by its looks and overall quality feel. And Mazdas are very reliable, so...if you can afford it, it's a good buy!
I appreciate your thoughtful review (and I have been waiting for your review as well) Not the most favorable review… but very honest and fair in my opinion. I agree with your rather constructive criticisms, however, my reasonings for still purchasing my Mazda PHEV are: - Gas mileage - Performance - Handling - Useable 3rd row (not the best, but still useable) - High quality interior - Beautiful exterior - Able to purchase without any mark ups AND I got $1500.00 off) - Gas mileage (did I say that twice😂) Other top contenders were the Acura MDX, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade Appearance and interior with the MDX were great ( with MUCH better interior options). Problems with the Acura were the gas mileage as well as the model with a 360 deg camera was around 6,000.00 more ( not including mark ups.) - Kia/Hyundai twins have superior lane centering/larger interior etc. however their “luxury interiors” look less luxurious when you look a little closer. Also, dealers all have $4,000.00 or higher mark ups. So for me, despite the flaws, the CX90 was still the best vehicle and I have no regrets. I am about to go fill up with gas for the first time in around 10 days (I have a 50 mile commute each day) and my gas usage has been cut in half. In addition, yes, it DOESN’T drive like a normal three row family SUV. However, that is WHY I bought it. I didn’t want cushy or floaty. I also really appreciate the heavier steering especially driving on the highway above 70 mph, I feel more in control. The incredibly light steering on my wife’s 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee infuriates me at highway speeds and I just don’t feel as safe driving it fast.
I was going to ask why not a grand Cherokee L but realized they don’t have 4xe in that model. Also is a more luxury ride vs the sporty ride of the Mazda.
@@sheldonduffy9442 and you get more. Less room yes, but a 5 link rear suspension, a virtual ball joint setup, all aluminum components, and none of the weirdness pointed out here. However, you are dealing with a rattle box 4 cyl in the Jeep. So pros and cons. The ride quality of this Mazda would immediately make me say Jeep!!
I see this vehicle as all about perspective. Quality driving dynamics make 2/10ths driving (like a chauffeur) far more enjoyable. This inline 6 is proving to be insanely efficient for the power output as well. I would love a base model 6 cylinder. Excited for the CX-70 we should see pretty soon. These things are selling very well btw, surprising even Mazda NA. There are fresh rumors out of Japan that this platform will underpin an executive RWD sedan. Exciting times.
What I love most about this video is the interviews. I absolutely love when passionate people get to speak to what they're driven towards. Little moments like "I think that's fun though, I'm a rally driver," in the middle of that only emphasize the way these people are driven towards particular goals, and builds confidence in what the final product will look like. This vehicle is not for me at all, and I'm only watching this for entertainment, but hot damn, that's compelling, those interviews.
I've been waiting for this review from you guys for a long time. I appreciate the in-depth coverage, and it clearly pained you to have as many negative reactions as you did. It sounds like the majority of the issues that popped up can be attributed to this being a first model year on a brand new platform from a company that has never had RWD based architecture on anything but tiny sports cars. If Mazda is listening, which past experiences say they absolutely are (center console changes for the 2017 CX-3 for example), I would be surprised if they didn't make some tweaks to the chassis and software to address the complaints that have been coming in from everywhere. I was considering getting a 2024 Turbo S, but I'm going to wait for the '25 models and see what Mazda is able to fix.
I own a 2.5 turbo Mazda 6. My only gripe about it is it's FWD. Now that it had been discontinued in the US market, if they bring the 6 back with this powertrain and RWD then I'm all in. Don't wanna get my hopes high though
1st...because I'm #1 fan. Honestly, whenever people sit inside my 2021 Mazda 6, they always mention how it feels like a luxury car. So for me, Mazda is basically Luxury at this point now with this new Volvo XC-90.....opps I mean Mazda CX-90 =P
First off. I’m glad you waited. As usual a fantastic outcome. Second. After watching this and experiencing the T24 turbo in the highlander for the last few months and the issues that powertrain has. I really feel I should have bought this. Mazda has always been tuned better and far more rewarding to drive. Third. Chen and Coleman are absolute geniuses. Absolutely stellar work and knowledge from them
@@pushkar2911 the 2.4 turbo was taken from the NX which was tuned for 91 or 93. They basically pet it on the head told it was a good boy and now I can run 87. That is not the case for the most part. In colder weather when the AC is not on or you were driving extremely conservatively, there’s no problem. But if you’re driving like a normal human with the AC on, for example it surges and bucks like crazy under 2300 RPM with moderate load. There is also a significant hesitation on takeoff. Toyota does not acknowledge the problem, putting 91+ in solves every single issue.
@@fortheloveofnoise I only owe 12k on it. Not interested in starting over. Plus, this does tow more and Toyota retains more resale overtime. Don’t get me wrong I love my Mazdas. But right now the highlander makes more sense for me. I’m sure they’ll fix it eventually. For now using 89/91/93 fixes everything anyhow
I bought a 2013 ex37 for my daughter last fall (65k miles for $12k). It is an incredibly solid, reliable and sporty vehicle. Everyone loves the look too. I am actually looking for an older fx for myself now rather than a new vehicle.
I bought a 2017 QX50 with the 3.7 six months ago. Didn't care that it doesn't look modern and doesn't have the latest tech, even if it has 80% of the latest tech. Everything works, screen and navigation boot up instantly, everything has physical buttons, all driving aids can be disabled PERMANENTLY. Engine is fantastic, pulls hard all the way to the 7800rpm redline, power never dips or feels inconsistent like a modern turbocharged engine. Transmission is responsive and adapts to your driving almost instantly, drop it into ''S" for a more aggressive preload. Handling is soft initially so it stays comfortable over rough roads but push the car and the chassis behavior is astonishing. Very predictable and stable, has a RWD biased feel. The power steering is hydraulic, the ratio isn't over-boosted like modern cars, it's heavy and you feel everything. I can tell when the tire sidewalls are starting to flex or when grip is being lost during aggressive cornering. Brakes are also not over-boosted like modern cars, very progressive bite and easy to modulate but powerful. Only negative is the fuel economy but I'll take it for having a proven, reliable and powerful engine. It really is a sleeper, most people mistake it for an old person's car. I drove a bunch of newer cars before buying: Audis, BMW, Lexus and I prefer the Infiniti. Newer cars in general feel sterile and generic, brands that used to have some sort of character have lost it to appeal to the masses. I'd love if Savagegeese would make quick reviews of used cars and if he could review older Infiniti's, in my opinion they were hidden gems.
Wow, I was not expecting such a high level of sophistication from a car review. So much passion and in-depth evaluation. Much respect and thanks for the job done. I am waiting anxiously for CX70 PHEV. Will it need, though, a couple of years of follow up to reach a point of perfection?
I test drive most of 3 row suv in main stream brand. All of them are nice but not inspiring to drive When a drove the cx90 it was different than the others, more inspiring to drive Finally my choice stop on cx90 phev, i'm very happy of my choice,
NGL, despite the conclusions about this new CX-90, seeing the engineers speak (semi) candidly like this has me opening my first ever browser tab to their website, as I shop for my next ute. incredibly impressive work team.
I’m a Beamer to Mazda to Beamer guy that has been waiting for the CX-90 to get back into a Mazda. I test drove both the Turbo and Turbo S. I was very underwhelmed with the Turbo, but the Turbo S hit me in the feels. I’m a car guy and can appreciate a drivers car with personality. Hondas and Toyotas may do everything “right”, but there’s no emotion involved and this is where Mazda nails it. The CX-90 isn’t perfect but it has a special feeling that evokes emotion. The only area that Mazda really failed to hit was the technology. I personally couldn’t care less, but other buyers may notice that the competition offers more in terms of technological amenities. Well done Mazda, you’ve created yet another unique vehicle for Mazda fans that stands out from the crowd.
Yes, you go after your own sense of "utility," and not about the brand! That's really how we're supposed to choose our tools and toys, rather than just mainly the brand or cachet.
@@donrichter3523 We have a 2012 535gt as a family car, and we purchased it as a CPO with 29k miles in 2015. It currently has 75,xxx miles and I can honestly say it’s been a great car. I perform all the maintenance myself along with a few addressing a few mechanical issues that have occurred. It hasn’t been bad however, it would be a different story if we would have to pay for maintenance and fixes.
These new Mazda vehicles in a few years from now will be fantastic as the inevitable tweaks, changes resolving any reliability problems and refinements start making their way into the vehicles. New engines, transmissions and platforms is an ambitious undertaking for Mazda. I hope they can squeeze the i6 into the new Miata. Kudos to them!
Mazda could not possibly have designed a completely new engine, transmission, hybrid system, and platform in house. Some of it must have been outsourced (to BMW?)
@@michaelkovalsky4907 There was one commenter on a CX-90 video that knew a lot about the CX-90 and he said he worked on the project for 3 years and some components were outsourced. How else could Mazda do all that inhouse? Even Toyota used a BMW in their supra and they have all the resources possible.
@clarkkent9080 right like they didn't develop the 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, and 2.5T skyactive and 2.5 skyactive X engines or their rotary engines or their 5 and 6 speed transmissions. You're correct there's no way they could develop an engine.
Mazda cars connects your soul to the car and until you own, you will never understand. However, I respect your decision to say in hondas corning. Nothing about the honda pilot makes me want to buy over this. As you say pre-production car. Mazda is moving to a more luxurious brand space, so I choose mazda and have chosen mazda since my first 626. I curently have a mazda 6 2017 cannot bring myself to sell it. I also just biught a 2024 Cx-90 S Premium plus. Will continuecto only buy mazda
growth spirt years around the time of puberty are when you are on natural risk free steriods to grow to your potential size , as a guy that makes a big differene in wether you will have any sucess with women
Yes, go back to the 90's Millenia equip. More storage. No rear sway bar has the rear seasick. Steering needs to be quicker. Seats are still too firm. Rest should have been squared off for more luggage space. Especially since cx70 is coming. Please Do Not make cx70 a cat rear end clone. Try BMW X4 FOR CX70.
Other than from a practicality standpoint, the new CX-90 absolutely knocks it out of the park. I'm starting to see a few in Northern Virginia and they always get my attention.
@@singular9 Yes, because basic maintenance like oil changes and other fluid swaps are soooo expensive on Mazda products. /s Seriously, stop spamming the comment section.
This car is an epitome of Style and Engineering capability. Should be successful. Will be my next car. Hope the PHEV could bring an EV range of ~60 miles in next model change
Generally a mazda fan, but the price point here is just off for the feature set. You cant get a heated steering wheel until you are in the mid $50k range. That to me is just crazy. I just dont see why someone would choose this over a palisade, unless you need a vehicle the day you go shopping. Mazda dealers have a ton of these where as palisades normally have a wait time. I feel like they tried to match up with Europe and missed the mark but overshot the asain competition.
5:09 I love the look of the new Mazdas and the feel when they're new. However... I recently checked a brand new 3 and a 3 with 30-ish k km back to back and the difference was... Impossible to account for given the milage. The whole interior felt like it was going to fall apart if I sneezed inside. That was a huge disappointment and a reality check... Again, I still loved how it looked, the design is amazing, but the quality just doesn't stand the test of time for me.
@@aamirqz that's the thing... The ones in Poland are assembled in Japan. I specifically checked the VIN number. That's what shocked me. But the car is _very_ well put together when its new and, admittedly, that 30k km one it didn't even make any weird noises when driving. It's just that the interior felt loose and... flexible, for a lack of a better word, when touched.
I have a 3.3L CX-60 Turbo AWD, everything you guys said about the body and driving is the same as it’s basically a five seater CX-90 Minus electronic glitches. I love I though, grew on me. These aren’t really flaws but that’s the car’s character.
I think Mazda did a great job with balancing the car. It’s not the fastest, best handling or most luxurious. But… at its price point it balances those things better than anything else in its class.
a few year ago, I was seeing all kinds of YT videos talking about how amazing the regular 3-Series was. How well it handled, how it had a great interior, how the power delivery from the BMW engine was captivating and it was such a driver's car. Think big car magazine that reports the Trends on motors. Then I went to test drove a $50k 3 Series and was really excited for it. My honest thought was I'm in an underpowered go kart. If you put me into a 3 series from those YT videos blindfolded, and told me I was in a fiat, or geo prizm for that matter - i would have believed you. Maybe this CX-90 is really not as bad as your video suggests? Maybe this is the exact opposite of the 3-Series Fanboys from a few years ago? Prob best to test drive it and find out. These are the same folks that paid $70K for a civic ha ha ha ha. Oh wait, you got a it at MSRP ha ha ha ha ha. It all makes sense now.
@ Mark, I am an ardent fan of your content. I am sure most viewers cannot afford to own and drive all the cars you stars review. I have always liked yours and Jack’s objectively honest brutal opinion whether is it a vehicle you would buy? Your opening statements explained your predicament but that still doesn’t release you from stating your candid opinion- would you buy this if your money were on the line? We understand you would not like to burn bridges with Mazda but your diehard fans deserve your brutal Bruce Willis opinion 😅!
Professional reviewers MUST be very careful with their opinions and always seem to "beat around the bush" in the area of problems. Their livelihood depends on a good relationship with manufacturers. Let me summarize the video: wrong product for this segment. Work in progress. Not worth another review until there is a complete revision of the product.
Had the same jarring road experience with a new 2023 cx-9. It was horrible. Always heard these cars drive so well. Finally checked the pressure. Dealer overinflated the tires. Reduced it to the proper number and it rides much softer now. Less jarring over broken pavement.
Yep, just bought a new CX-90 and thought the firmness/harsh ride was what Mark was talking about, but the tires were overpressured by 15-20psi! Putting it back to Mazda’s recommendation and the firmness is much more subtle, but my roads aren’t as garbage as the Midwest’s. I definitely appreciate the philosophy in the CX-90 and it’s much much more entertaining to drive than all other three rows I test drove.
If this is the design philosophy that they're using for all of their future products, I'd imagine that starting with their biggest/heaviest vehicle is going help them work out most (or at least a lot of) kinks in the dynamics before they start implementing it in their smaller vehicles, which (I'd assume) are going to be much easier to tune in line with their design philosophy compared to this chonky boi.
As a passionate driver that grew on cars from 90-ties and engineer (not automotive) from the perspective of motion physics I am strongly convinced todays days cars run on tires with too low profile. This is quite extreme example of my point where you have very inconsistent elements combined from the engineering/design perspective. 1) SUV that is generally supposed to offer extra comfort on bad road due to longer travel of damping but has higher center of gravity, and total mass which translates to many undesirable effects when it comes to the car ability to turn at higher speeds/higher G. 2) Then maker follow the trend with low profile tires that actually does the very opposite and its contradictory to combine them with SUV. I see what mazda tried to do with this car and agree w Marks point this may be a wrong product for that. I think despite the damping being optimized for body control, going for R18 rims and higher profile tires would certainly help with high frequency bumps and car would still be able to change directions well. Just look at JGTC circuit racing cars they often use higher profile tires than normal cars and it dont seem to cause them to steer poorly, quite the opposite. Discovered your channel 2days ago, content you provide is extremely detailed and informative. Thank You for all the huge effort. Wish You the best.
Respect to Jay Chen, you can tell the engineers actually care about how the car feels to drive. It’s not just a numbers game but satisfaction from the seat of the pants dynamics.
This talk about transmission was really captivating.
Finally a proper interview on 6at and 8 speed gearbox
I've driven about half a dozen modern BMWs with electric power steering, including an M8 Comp.
My ma's CX5 turbo (also electric power steering) has much better feel and feedback than any of them. That's when I realized wow Mazda does care.
@@papa_pt Modern BMWs are notorious for poor steering, even some performance variants.
@@icculus yeah it's why I'll never buy anything past 2010 from them. Unless they decide to have a change of heart now 13 years later lol
I've heard GTS or CS steering maps (yeah u flash steering feel now...) fix the last M3 but who knows. A lot of those forums are just pure cope.
You guys deserve so much credit for offering in-depth reviews and balancing manufacturer interviews with honest evaluations.
Unfortunately it is not balanced at all .
@@kdomster9141 Can you elaborate?
@@Josh-cw8byOk so maybe in different words.... Too much nagging and blowing things out of proportion and expectation bar set way higher than it should be for a vehicle priced as this is. Something opposite to Honda vehicles done at this channel.
Why?
Whatever dude
@@kdomster9141 As professional reviewers they have to be very careful what they say or they lose press vehicles and invites to reviles.
Let me red between the lines of the video and give you a summary: The CX-90 is the wrong vehicle for this segment. It is unrefined and never should have been released. Go back and design the real vehicle for this segment.
My wife owns an Inline 6 CX-90 and I think you are dead on in your criticism. That being said, after test driving the competition including the MDX and the Highlander this was what she chose and a lot of it came down to those secondary motions gave her a sense of motion sickness. She realized that the additional isolation and floatiness wasn't for her. I don't know if there's enough of an audience like us to make the vehicle a success, but we are happy it exists and so far after 4 months and 5000 miles we are happy with it. We'll see how it does long run.
If you are only the 1% that will like it as mentioned in this video, then you have wasted your money and the resell value will be worthless!
perhaps a Lexus RX would have been better?
@@gosman949actually he's not 1% I just bought one
@@omaralkayal7598lexus is old and stale
Beautiful comment. It really does come down to target demographic and what the customer ranks priority. I personally think every other 3-row on the market is on the floaty side. A sacrificial compromise the CX-90 takes, which is both odd and very unique in the 3-row segment. I love it personally. Cheers!
Mad respect for Mark and Jack. You won’t find another channel that dissects a boring family hauler as if it was Verstappen’s RB19
Actually it ISN’T a boring family hauler… when you step on it it is fun and surprisingly engaging to drive, especially in the twisties.
@@sheldonduffy9442he’s talking in general compared to the channels reviewing $10 million dollar cars only 5 people on earth can afford.
They were boring before I subbed lmao, they've changed me
@@emilionaranjo5894true. Same here
@@L1ttlepsych0 Im the opposite, I was craving the technical stuff, now I'm overwhelmed ha.
Huge respect for Dave Coleman. Love that guy and all the contributions he’s made to Mazda… not to mention he’s a wealth of knowledge in driving dynamics.
What a great video too. Appreciate your persistence in editing this project together despite it getting on your nerves at times.
I don't understand how this channel isn't at 6 million subscribers, your reviews are in a league of their own!
Not even a close second in my opinion.
@@Bigern2998 That's what I am saying tho too everyone else just feels scripted Jack and Mark just feel like two guys discussing a car having fun doing it. Then they hit us with in depth talks with the engineers and its the chefs kiss.
We just need to start doing 30 second short reviews on tiktok and we'll have 1 billion followers in no time
@@savagegeese it must be hard for you guys to resist that.
Attention spans.
I'm in a CX-90 owner group, and absolutely everyone is in love with it. The ones with the PHEV says they can easily do all their daily commuting in EV mode only, while the ones with the inline 6 like the character of the engine. People seem to have chosen the Mazda for the way it drives and feels, they don't like floaty vehicles but still need the space.
Exactly, I need 6 seater but hate floating cars and light steering. At this size, it should be RWD based and the only option at this price range is CX90.
@@GooseVan Don’t forget about the Explorer! Although the Mazda can be considered a different league in terms of interior design, materials, and quality.
@@GooseVan It's fun how we all still want the Family Truckster now that it's gone heheh
The one thing I hate in car reviews is focusing of what a vehicle is not. To me it's a good thing when a vehicle isn't a Toyota. Toyotas are legendary for reliability but when it comes to driving dynamics they are just plain boring. I have four grown kids so I have either owned or test driven or rented every three row vehicle over the years and I never really liked driving any of them until we went to Mazda. We are on our second CX-9, haven't driven the CX-90 yet but glad to hear Mazda is still committed to building Mazdas. To the reviewers... Be mindful of crawling down the "this vehicle isn't this or that rabbit hole" or you will end up with what Consumer Reports puts out where they focus way too much on the metrics. Every vehicle is a series of compromises and the decisions made by the engineers determine who the final product is aimed at. Some of your comments seem to imply Every 3-row vehicle should be the same boring design. No thanks.
I feel the same! We purchased the PHEV CX90 in May and absolutely love it. The only complaint from my wife is that it is a bit harder to park, but we knew that going in. I am a huge fan of Savagegeese, but many of their criticisms of the CX90 did not ring true to me. I get the whole "3 rows should be boats" opinion, that is what is popular. However, that is not what I want and I feel so lucky this car exists. I come from a BMW lineage and this car suits me quite well. We drive on winding roads a lot where I live, so I suppose geography plays a role in us loving it. I have never once felt a shudder like they described and it is so smooth in EV mode in traffic.
I can tell you that when I first drove our CX-90 Turbo S, I was not entirely comfortable. The feel vs our previous 2021 CX-9 was completely different. After a recent cross country round trip of 4500 miles, I am very comfortable in it. I have noticed most of the same things that were mentioned in the video and I am hopeful that some firmware updates can correct the issues. on the mileage front, I averaged 29.7 mpg across the trip while driving at 75-80 for the majority of the drive.
Good to know! We have a ‘21 CX9 Signature and are looking at a 90 Turbo S as a replacement.
Apples to oranges but I drove my 2005 Prius with 250,000 mile across country at 80-85mph and averaged 52.1 mpg
Cost me $90 get from Dallas to NYC.
@@maxboya why did u make this comment its a 3 row suv vs a prius
Your cx9 was way better
@@maxboyaand it's cramped
Long post, but I've been looking forward to this review for a while, so I'll nerd dump my thoughts as an actual buyer of a CX-90. I agree with some of the stuff in the video, but will offer a few caveats on some of the points made. TLDR version - CX-90 with 19" wheels drove much better than the Korean twins, and Highlander. Highlander was very disappointing, I cannot believe people are paying a markup on this. New Pilot honestly felt non-descript but fine (we had a 2013 Pilot for 10 years, so it was top of our list). Interior on the CX-90 gets a huge nod, it's slightly behind competitors on gadget features at a given pricepoint.
1. Steering - I do wish it were about 10% faster. I get where they were going with it on linearity, and it really is, but it is a bit cumbersome to put in so much steering input on daily driving. Weird comparison, but I felt it was close to my AP1 S2000 on linearity of always giving more front traction with steering input. So that's actually pretty high praise with a caveat that the feel isn't super engaging, but I feel they could have gotten the job with with something like a 15.5:1 ratio vs. the current 17.x:1 ratio and the car would be better for it.
2. Suspension harshness - I agree it's honestly tuned a tiny bit on the stiff side on initial impact harshness, but again, I see where they were going with a single damper setting. The 21" wheels on both variants tested make the impact harshness MUCH worse than the 19" wheels of the lower trims. We happened to just drive a vehicle with the 19" wheels and it was a revelation on how much better the car felt everywhere. The PHEV in particular is 550 lbs HEAVIER than the I6 version, so that plus 21" wheels really made the impact harshness noticeable. IMO, the 21" wheel size choice was a mistake on the CX-90 after feeling it with a tiny bit more sidewall to make the damper tuning feel so much better from the driver's seat.
3. Drivetrain refinement - I haven't noticed any drivetrain shuddering/rough vibration, but I agree it's not quite as smooth as a BMW B58 (I owned an E70 X5 with an N55 and a couple E36 M3s, so very well versed with the BMW I6). I've heard some people complain of this on the Turbo S, but our regular Turbo with 280 HP is 95% as smooth as a BMW I6 and it happily lugs along at 1200 RPM 90% of the time smoothly. The transmission does give some more distinct gear selection feeling since there is no torque converter to openup, and I've felt the occasional rougher downshift in daily driving when you confuse the transmission programming (light throttle after a decel event, then a sharp lift off, seems to get in "must upshift quick for fuel economy" mode with no load on the drivetrain, so there is a light shock). It's not something I'd call egregious, and I'd call it 10x more refined than the 10 year old Pilot everywhere, not a high bar, but I don't think ours is drastically behind the competition on transmission smoothness beyond a few quirks of the trans.
4. RWD bias - It honestly feels pretty apparent to me, moreso than the E70 X5 I owned. All competitors really feel very FWD biased/front weight biased in everything they do.
5. I6 vs. PHEV - I thought for sure we'd like the PHEV more given the gas savings, but the Mazda PHEV implementation is pretty weak IMO. The main motor is not sufficient to keep it in EV for most your driving (12+ sec 0-60 is what it felt like, very slow). The added 550 lbs really compromises everything the car does for the worse. The coarse I4 has to help out a lot due to the low EV motor power and low range, and it's coarse and cheap feeling. I actually felt the PHEV ICE kicking on during accel was pretty rough in the car I test drove. Definitely head bob of torque not coming in smoothly, and when it happens under only moderate acceleration it made the vehicle feel very labored. Digital I4 soundtrack was gross and only added to the feeling of cheapness (you can hear it in this vid).
My current car is a Chevy Volt, and it does the PHEV thing far far better, and I felt like Mazda missed some basics that make a PHEV work well. Conversely, the I6 is buttery smooth most the time, makes great sounds, and overall just feels like a better package. We average 25-26 mpg just driving in mostly city, and it'll do close to 30 mpg on the highway near 80 mph easily.
6. How it drives - Honestly, the 280 HP version on 19" wheels (Preferred Plus trim) felt great with just a bit of prodding, and very comfortable otherwise. A quick drive down a twisty road converted me, and made me want to buy one for myself. The I6 makes great noises, and the car really does feel like it shrinks around you even though it's relatively huge. High compliments to Dave Coleman's team, as he did a superb job given the tools.
Conclusion:
I'm an engineering nerd, and this is my first Mazda, but test driving the CX-90 really made it click. Even my wife who doesn't really care about good driving cars really like the CX-90 the most. As a nod to the current car market, we got a little bit of cash off on the CX-90 cost, and all competitors were talking various degrees of egregious markups. That helped the decision as well. I honestly don't know why it the CX-90 isn't selling better, other than it doesn't compare well on a gadget spec sheet at a given price point.
I do think Mazda should take a step back and examine how THEIR vision can also fit a bit better with how the buying public buys cars. E.g. I think the 21" wheels thing is a marketing manager decision, and not a suspension calibration engineer's decision who is working with a single passive spring damper setup. You can be firm/rigid on one side of the philosophy, then conversely giving a rough ride that interrupts the feeling the driver gets from the road by offering jarring impact harshness because "buyers demand big wheels." It all has to be cohesive.
Overall, I love the car, and feel like my next car is definitely going to be from Mazda. The praise for the vehicle above is hard earned as someone who's done the same on his own race cars/street cars.
Have you watched the Car Care Nut on the vehicle's lack of serviceability?
@@clarkkent9080 Yes, and I don't agree with many of his assessments. As a mechanical engineer, I also find his "technical" reasoning to be generally wrong as well. He's a mechanic, not sure what engineering knowledge that gives him. I also feel most modern cars are going very complex and difficult to service in general. Get an extended warranty if you don't want to roll the dice on longer term repair costs, as they can happen on any vehicle. I do think the Mazda will have better than average reliability based on their track record and drive across the company to engineer the best product they can.
@@DefSR7 An engineer designs a vehicle based on specifications and has absolutely no idea what is involved in accessing a part or how to troubleshoot. And those specifications may be based on a bean counter trying to save 50 cents per vehicle.
A mechanic does what an engineer never does, every day and understands what tends to break and how a particular design will affect serviceability.
They are two completely different professions.
When I research a vehicle, test drive it, and review the construction I have an understanding of what the engineer did because it is there to test.
However, only a mechanic can review the construction and tell you how serviceably it is, based on their experience.
BTW, the CCN did not disassemble that CX-90 to find out how it was constructed. He just looked at the MAZDA repair database that shows exactly how every part fits together and WHAT has to be removed to access any part. That comes directly from MAZDA !
@@clarkkent9080 As an engineer who has spent many many hours more than I'd care to, doing human kinematic serviceability studies on my designs, I'll say your understanding of what modern design engineering entails is incomplete.
My beef with CCN's take is he talks about DESIGN aspects like "why make serviceability hard?" - there's usually a really really good reason why.
Modern ICE are complex, and servicing costs are high across the board. Reliability problems are usually insanely expensive. I think the Mazda 3.3 Turbo is actually pretty serviceable (minus rear 2 spark plug access, and 40k mi spark plug interval, that's the biggest issue I see with their servicing requirements). Reliability is a big question mark, but look at any modern, newly designed turbo ICE and it's pretty intimidating as even someone who has done pretty extensive work on vehicles before.
I think only time will tell how the overall reliability of the Mazda 3.3 Turbo is, or the CX-90 at large, but I don't think it'll be drastically outside the norms of its competitors. I do plan to get an extended warranty in case I'm wrong, as warranty companies also think it's very reliable compared to European cars, so the cost is surprisingly cheap for coverage as long as I plan to keep the vehicle. I'll pay a couple hundred bucks a year to make it someone else's gamble and spend my wrenching time on my old MR2.
Wow. Thanks for sharing. This is a serious contribution.
What drew me to my 2021 CX-9 Grand Touring was the simplicity and simple luxury. I didn't want 200" of LED screens, I wanted a solid audio system (it's meh after years of owning it) with incredible reliability, enough space to move a large box if need be and didn't feel like it was so top heavy i wanted to jump off of a bridge.
Mazda has and is the best 'commodity' brand and I'm forever a loyalist after buying one.
We also have a 21 GT and 100% agree. We’ve had the cx5 then a 19 cx9 touring and now the 21 GT. I’ve alway been a honda guy and she liked Nissans and Mazda has definitely impressed us over the last few years. Looking forward to getting the cx90
We had a CX9 i loved that vehicle. And we test drove a CX90, i personally prefer the ride quality of the cx9 over the cx90
My dad has a CX5 and he hates the outdated infotainment, so hes buying a Tesla soon
What is with people using the word "commodity" on this channel. Mark started saying it a bunch and now people are saying it in the comments.
@@666cemetaryslut In the olden days, they called it a "buzz" word or term. Reinvention of the wheel.
Shoutout to Dave Coleman. I grew up reading Sport Compact Car magazine, and loved his technical articles. Even though I am a designer now (styling), SCC gave me a great framework for engineering and vehicle dynamics that has helped in my career in the auto industry. Great video as usual gents...really apppreciate that you include the interviews with the people involved in a new car.
I wondering if he was the same Dave Coleman. His articles were my favorite and the reason SCC was my favorite magazine as a kid. Glad to see he’s still out there making great things
Damn? Sport compact car. You sir are old.
So am I 😂. Best mag hands down. Still miss the street challenge. Not even in video in this age has something like that been done(yes but not as fun)
Absolutely, thats why there is so much passion and driver oriented strategy in Mazda products!
Long live Dave Coleman!
@@blue_lancer_es Yeah, for sure am getting old..lol
Yep, Dave Coleman is the one who got me into trackday driving with his suspension articles. So glad he found a job at a company that focuses on driving excitement! Technobabble and Dear Dave were my bible as a budding trackday car building enthusiast on a shoe string budget, built an old S13 240sx from his articles before they became popular, (and before drifting became a thing and they were all destroyed!) since they shared so much of their suspension and rear drive with the 300ZX and Skyline at the time.
I've had mine since April. Loaded 6 cylinder. Low speed clutch engagement is jerky and annoying, i-stop is annoying, driver personalization system is super annoying, but the positives more than make up for it. Incredible performance and handling, beautiful inside and out, and shockingly good fuel economy. I'm getting 8.5L/100km in mostly city driving. Better than my 2015 Camry got.
What it needs most is software refinement, particularly with low speed clutch engagement.
Try letting the car recognize you before hitting the start button. Once the screen says welcome hit the start while the car is finishing set up.
@@RayBrown-u2n 😂
@@RayBrown-u2n yes I've begun doing that, but here's where it gets super annoying: It will recognize me and put in my settings but then the Android auto will pair with my wife's phone instead of mine. Then you have to go back through several menus to unpair and connect a different device. They could have at least tied the driver personalization system to the driver's device.
Low speed clutch engagement sucks on my Mazda 3 as well. However after that it’s a really nice feeling automatic. Haven’t had the opportunity to drive the cx90 and the 8 speed yet.
oh god the low speed clutch engagement sucks in stop and go traffic is so annoying but once moving the overall experience is so good
They updated the dampers and recalibrated the electric power-assist steering on the CX-50 for 2024 (See Press Release) after complaints during it's launch. I wonder if we'll see a similar change for the 2025 CX-90... Great in-depth video as always, looking forward to CX-70.
i fear that car is not gonna deliver
I could listen to Dave Coleman talk about vehicle engineering all day long!
Me too, that guy is a genius.
Thanks for the very informative review on the CX-90. I appreciate all the effort you and Jack put into these videos rather than pump out something half-baked just to be one of the first reviews out there.
Listening to the Mazda engineers talk about their philosophies on the handling made me think this is the effort they should be putting into the next RX vehicle. I agree that on a 3-row suv this is lost on the majority of customers. I appreciate that Mazda tries to think independently and stick to their guns on what they want to achieve, but in this case it seems they just missed the mark a bit. It looks great inside and out though. I hope they can make some improvements down the road to address the small issues.
Keep up the great work boys! Cheers
if you toook the interviews, especially dave's out of context you would think they're talking about a miata or an RX car or even just a 6 but not some excuse for a minivan
@@ShaiyanHossain It's really a station wagon, and that's what I consider my CX-9 as.
It's not a van, it's a luxury vehicle competing with RDX and RX
It's just styled to look less of an SUV, like a big car
The reviews are consistent when it comes to the overall feelings and powertrain inconsistencies. I hope Mazda will tweak this and straighten it out. I would also love if they offered the shorter version in the USA. Another great review guys. You’re an asset to the automotive community with this honest content!!
They will. The North American version of the SWB car, the CX-70, will arrive early next year.
I have the PHEV and the drivetrain has been incredibly smooth. I am not sure if some firmware has been updated, or if it is because I have the PHEV. EV mode in traffic is fantastically easy/smooth. I drive on winding roads a lot and this is the only affordable 3-row option for me.
@@logansteele3236 My parents are in the market for an SUV in this class. I am going to show them the Telluride and Pilot in person. I really want them to check out the mazda but the 60k I6 version is too steep. I think the PHEV may suit them well if it can hold up long term. Thank you for this comment! i've been hearing much good about the PHEV.
Telluride lol
@@John-kx3ngRando two word reply lol
I have so much respect for Mazda these days. While brands like BMW and Mercedes are being ambitious in all the wrong ways (specifically styling), Mazda just keeps setting the bar for what’s possible at each of its price points.
Boring snoozefest vehicles
Great design horrible reliability and cost of ownership AND depreciation on par with germans.
@@povertyspec9651agreed, disappointing drivetrain&chassis
@@singular9horrible relia ilty for which car brand?
@@povertyspec9651mazdas are not boring cars. You must have not driven in one. This is not a toyota
WTF are these two crying about one thing Steering dah. A bmw time X3 is over 50K and it junk... Mazda puts out an inline six turbo that has real leather. I drove the new CX90 and the interior is as good as an 80K Benz and it drives good LOL. Stop being so dramatic.
then hopefully you will buy one because many will not
@@clarkkent9080 Many, or many buyers?
@@JohnAvantiBK Like a soul mate, every vehicle will find a buyer.
The problem with the CX-90 is not the design or dynamics but the fact that it is a 3 row soccer mom SUV. It is not what most people shopping that segment want. I said MOST.
Give it 3 years and the consumer will decide
Clarkkent I see you've gone from flogging your carcarenut reliability and expensive repairs concerns to now a great vehicle for the wrong market haha. There are plenty of buyers for this cx90 platform and likely only a few are soccer moms. Please try not to dissuade every mazda buyer with your negativity. As my kids would say you're a tryhard at this point.
@@Kdd-pt2bt I see that you are attacking anyone with negative comments on multiple channels. That is what I call obsessive.
People watch YT videos to learn about a vehicle BEFORE purchase and you are against any YT video that provides negative information about the CX-90? I wonder why? Are you another Mazda PR guy directed to attack me?
The CCN provides information on what to expect if something fails and since every Mazda dealership has a service center I think things do fail even in a Mazda. You have the right to use that information as you please but if you read the comments, you know many many people like me, have taken the CX-90 off their consideration list.
The CX-90 has been out for a few months and the CX-60 (powertrain clone) has been out for many more months and is experiencing the same problems noted for the CX-90.
I am a car guy but not an expert. If you don't think the vehicle is designed for the wrong market, the Savage Geese who is a highly respected professional reviewer agrees with me. Professional reviewer's livelihood depends on manufacturers for press vehicles and invites to new releases and the Savage Geese is putting his relationship with Mazda on the line to say exactly what I have been saying.
As a Mazda fanboy, thank you. This is the video the CX90 actually needed.
Now they need to do the same to Honda so they can get rid of CVT, cheesy designs and finish and touches , average driving dynamics ...but somehow they don't 🤔
@kdomster9141 because honda became the boring commodity brand. Like BMW they are not what they used to be.
@@seafooddiablo5686 Agreed. I was somewhat disappointed to see what Honda has become when we were searching between options. My impressions of their current offerings is less enthusiastic than what savagegeese thinks of them. They used to be a great driver's option for everyday transportation, with good control feel and driveability at a mainstream pricepoint, with reliability to make long term ownership attractive. Modern stuff like the Pilot felt cheap as the first impression. Like the only design goal was "make it cheap."
@@kdomster9141my question is like they can’t make a hybrid with the 10’speed or with electric motor to do the shifting etc
@@MrMlbfan6 They did use electric assist motor to start and help fuel economy while gas engine uses 8 speed not some cheesy easy CVT or eCVT
Mazda's been doing weird stuff lately and I also worry about them. I actually really like the "linearity" of the pedal inputs on the 3 but a LOT of people hate it. They actually want to drive like shit, so they want to know why the gas and especially brake don't just come on full force the way they do in other cars. So yes, though I appreciate their philosophy, I don't want it to bankrupt the company!
Um the company is doing better than ever. Mazdas used to be RATCHET 10 years ago and now they are quality cars.
face it we dont deserve mazda
@@jeffhobbs1729 Agreed. Mazda is crap.
Well considered and presented. I'm also a Mazda sympathizer. I appreciate their place and focus in a commodity based environment and why I keep coming back to the brand. However as a loyalist, its difficult to accept the limitations so regularly. If they could just shift 10% of that focus on driving dynamics into real world real driver focus, there simply wouldn't be any competition. I've been hemming and hawing over a new car and Mazda sits at the top from a design and alignment to my personality and focus. however the reality is to follow that is to sacrifice some key day-to-day expectations that are very challenging to justify. For me, its too much focus on steering dynamics at the cost of performance and cost. The NA CX-50 is absolutely gorgeous to look at, but like all Mazda products hard to enjoy it when its moving. They turbo is packaged with the higher trims but really shouldn't even be an option, but the standard. Mazda for so many is about feeling something when you drive, and so much of what I feel now is unsatisfied. Big outside small inside, under powered. I spent time in a rental Rogue and was gloriously happy to have no opinion of it from a driving stand point. It just delivered. Its not attractive or special but for a purpose built segment, its felt spacious, adequately powered, and viable. I want the Mazda. I want to be a Mazda person who has those priorities, but vision vs the reality are hard choices when dollars drive the choice.
This!!!! It makes me sad for the brand. I really hope they change their approach to this specific car cuz I know they have so much more potential if they just shift a tiny bit of there philosophy to the real world
@@AmanRajput01 it's "because." Stop doing the "cuz" thing. You have an intelligent comment above which is ruined by the unwillingness to type a few more characters.
@@misternordberg3675 k I get it what you meant by that lol. I’ll put in the effort next time
So basically, Mazda needs to follow everyone else and focus on joining the monotony AI-designed CUVs and vehicles. What a sad time.
I feel like they could've used a ZF 8-speed and spent the dev money on more suspension tuning.
@@SDBDUB personally the main issue with the vehicle is the suspension and transmission tuning after watching many reviews
WHY IS MAZDA BETTER.... Dave Coleman is the only representative of a car maker I have ever heard of... most other companies have a revolving door. Mazda has true dedicated employees.
Dave also races Miatas - ruclips.net/video/xSvIkIcPLjM/видео.html
We need a prius trim with 8 inch ground clearance
How does this differ from the Crown? Hatch instead of trunk?
@@CristianHernandez-xh7bzya
I would have bought that instead of the Outback. I came from a Prius, only got rid of it because it's too low to the ground. I miss the size, fuel economy, and general hybrid-ness. Subaru's Auto stop/start is awful (the rest of the car is great, though). The hybrid system was just smooth.
I want a GR Prius so bad
@@CristianHernandez-xh7bz The Toyota Crown and Mazda CX-90 aren’t even close in concept. The Crown is a lifted sedan with a trunk. Its interior isn’t even as large as the Avalon it replaced. The CX-90 is an SUV with a large cargo area in back which will carry more people and more stuff.
The Crown is a polarizing style. Personally, I think the Crown is incredibly ugly, but styling is totally up to the buyer. Some people might like it. The Mazda CX-90 is a conservatively styled, sleeker looking vehicle.
Frankly to me, the Crown is a big failure. The Avalon was a better big Toyota sedan. The CX-90 looks desirable.
JMO. Others may disagree with me.
Your team continues to make the best deep-dive car content on the planet. Thank you for your great work.
Thanks for actually letting Dave and the other engineers speak, it's so annoying when other channels cut them off right as they start getting to the thinking behind the setups they chose.
From the looks of this video, the CX-90 is the only SUV, that is cheaper than a BMW or Porsche, that isn’t lobotomized like the Tellu-whatever-the-fucc.
Hats off to you guys. The fact people had to wait for this video is a GOOD thing. If you were like most other reviewers out there, you'd simply do some shots of the interior, make some comments, sit in the seats, drive it a bit, and then punch out another video. I and I think most of your audience appreciates your perspective and the thought that goes into your content. Again, well done!
Wonder if it’s moreso to KEEP people watching minute-by-minute.
By way of comparison, I have half a mind that people immediately clock out out of a certain mainstream videographer’s vids the very instant that the test drive is over and the static Doug Score comes into play.
@@schwenda3727 I really don't think so. As mentioned, they could have released this video much sooner, but didn't. If they were interested in keeping you watch, they probably would have released much sooner.
Wish they would treat more cars like this, not just Mazdas and fancy sports cars...
umm yeah this video is DRASTICALLY different & way more detailed than any other video about this car. everyone else raves about it & makes more or less the same canned remarks about it, but Mark & Jack were much more [appropriately] critical of the car & how certain things about it could translate to the TYPICAL 3-row CUV buyer/leaser. I personally don't think I ever would've looked @ this car any other way other than 100% positive until I watched this video
y'know... they rly only put out THIS level of detail & passion for videos involving Mazdas & other luxury sports cars, don't they? 👁️👄👁️
I really hope Mazda decides to put this drivetrain into a sedan form factor as BMW has gone the way of luxury and tech. I miss the honest sports sedan.
So do I.. but unfortunately wishful thinking. Not happening.
I would like too. I have an accord and I don’t have a car to upgrade from the accord 2021. I would like a new Mazda 6 in soul red with the inline 6 with 280hp mild hybrid. It would be enough for me and the fuel economy if is good in the cx90, I can’t imagine it in a medium sedan.
Yeah, probably not going to happen. Considering SUVs is where the popularity is at.
@@lornestein7248How do you know?
@@TheRotorious13b Not one Mazda exec. International..
has said anything about a new Mazda6 sedan. The head dude from Australia confirmed as much. He would know..
I have been waiting for you guys take on the CX-90 👏👏
Edit: my morning toilet time just extended from an average 12mins to 48 😂
Eat more bran and fiber, StereoDude, that’ll make the 48 minutes more, um, productive! 🤣
(Well played, man. Well played indeed! 👍)
When are you going to re-drive now that updates are hitting to fix the trans' quirks?
How do you do this? Your reviews are so consistently intelligent, so clear of thought and pure in attention, that you really have no peer in this business. Auto Review meets Wharton School of Business? Or Harvard Graduate School? Stunning reporting. And stunning car! You are right, the deep doors and swept appearance really set this vehicle apart. It's hauntingly beautiful, and a worthy flagship for the Mazda brand. Bravo!
Cornering a market starving for quality content is such an underappreciated business move. The passion these two put into their work is just the icing on the cake!
They watched the rest of automotive youtube obsess over buying exotics and realzied this was actually the way. Brilliant stuff indeed.
Loved the engineer interviews. Lots of insight into their philosophy with this car and platform.
The video transmitted how hard it was for you to make this video and say some of the things that had to be said about the CX-90. Much appreciation for being brave and transparent regarding your experience with this car.
Thank you for pushing through and releasing the video. Enjoyed it very much.
Mazda is mazda. I have no doubt they will fix the small issues. Cx90 is gorgeous though, and 30mpg is just insane.
Mazda = BMW Wannabe
Mazda is now what BMW used to be. The fun, simple, and attention to driving dynamics.
In my household, we have a CX9 GT and a Mazda 6 turbo. I drove the cx90 PHEV. It was a nice vehicle, and it was awesome not to feel the engine while at a stop light, even when the electric range was at 0. I drove it for about 50 miles, and when I returned it, I didn’t even use 1 galón of gas. That being said, it does feel bigger than the cx9. We are going to keep the cx9 until they streamline the options. Adaptive lights are now only in the top trim. I love those in my Mazda 6 and Cx9. We need a GT equivalent package, including the adaptive lights and Apple car play takeover, including the dash. Let’s see how they tempt me in year two or 3 :) Mark and Jack, thanks for the in-depth technical review. I was part of a focus group for the Mazda 6, and I said you were the best reviewer. I’m a Mazda fanboy after drinking the BMW Cool Aid for many years. And by the way, the New Honda Accord has nothing on my 2021 Mazda 6 Carbon :)
😂
Props for the production on this. You probably see this enough but you guys go so far to push some of these videos out it is extremely impressive. I don't think I see other reviewers go to the lengths to talk to the people behind the car and what they are thinking when making said car. It is so nice to get an better idea of what they are thinking when the car was in development.
This video is probably the best customer feedback Mazda is going to get. They can probably ignore the rest of us and build a better CX-70 using this review alone.
I have a cx30, and i can relate to Marks' feelings. It's a compromise. There are occasional interior rattles, the throttle response lags here and there. Blindspot system is a joke. But then you chuck it in a corner and you feel it all, the horse and rider shit. You just accept the flaws. It's like a toxic relationship with a really hot gf🤣.
😂😂😂
Its why the BMW X3 sells so well. Better put together without the rattles, lag and more roomier interior. Everybody copies it for a reason. Luckily I got a fully loaded one in 2019 out the door for 7K off (47K out the door). Today same car is 65K without discounts. CX 90 is poorly engineered. To replace most components on the motor you have to pull the engine out. The amount of lag on this on the road when passing is borderline dangerous. Not sure why they even used a wimpy hybrid motor which causes that issue. Its screws everything up the way they implemented it. I appreciate Mazda made a inline six but anyone considering should just get the better setup with BMW with their B58 inline six with real ZF 8 speed rear drive transmission. My X3 is very reliable and never had a single issue with it. Made in South Carolina they also are the biggest exporter of cars in the US. I have no shame buying one. But the CX-90 is completely over engineered making serving this thing a nightmare. At current labor rates you don't want to be stuck with this out of warranty.
Cx-9 was a little small? America is crazy with its obsession of big cars
once you sit in its competitors, yeah its small. its also not cheaper than its competitors either, so yeah we can be discerning of space while voting with our wallet
If you've sat in a CX-9, MDX, Highlander or Pilot you would understand. The CX-9 is cramped inside compared to those. My Porsche Macan has more front seat room than the Cx-9.
What they mean is that for the size on the outside, there isn't much space on the inside
You guys are truly first class reviewers. The anguish you went through to give a true guide as to what the platform delivers is genuinely appreciated by true car people like myself.
Really like Mazda and their products. Beautiful, simple, understated and elegant design inside and out. Practicality is an issue and I wish they'd take a page out of Honda's book for that.
Yeah, unfortunately Mazdas interior packaging has never been the best. We knew it was only going to get worse when switching to a rear-wheel drive platform.
@@sleeksilver Tell me about it. I have a Mazda 3. More fun to drive than it has any right to be but it's pretty tight inside and not enough storage.
@@keithck3720it's called a compact car for a reason
@@keithck3720 part of that is its just a smaller car compared to a civic. small vs large is not really a positive or a negative. some would say a smaller package is more practical for them and where they live
@@mbenton6 I knew what I was getting when I bought it but other compacts, like the Civic and Corolla, have noticeably larger, better packaged and brighter interior spaces.
*It's not a complaint. More an observation. The car works perfectly fine for our needs and I'm happy with it but it could be a dealbreaker for some people.*
Between savage geese and the car care nut reviews of this car, it doesn't interest me as much. But! It is new and Mazda has time to improve it. I have faith in this company.
Telluride owner at the moment and it's been pretty great except that the viscous couple may need to be replaced soon. Hopefully no warranty drama.
Whether or not their products are for you, you really have to appreciate the passion and focus behind Mazda's vehicles. I'd love to see this linear/progressive philosophy put to work with the i6 in a new sports sedan or coupe, but I reckon that's a pipedream lol.
Jay Chen seems like one of the coolest reps i've seen. Very down to earth. No BS.
Your commitment to excellence is on show with this video. You're didn't put this out until you covered ALL the bases. Thank you
I found in Japanese article about CX-60 using rose joints for suspension bushings. It stated that the harshness of the ride mostly comes from those and once they break in, The car actually drives like how Mazda designed. I’m surprised that the engineers didn’t mention it in the interview.
That is good to know… CX90 ride is great… till you get on bumpy roads.
As a novice, my take is that their is an element of snobbery here . They won't admit it but everyone essentially is using BMW as a benchmark. This is a luxury vehicle with power. Mazda will take notes and adjust accordingly and fix/ fine tune what has to be done. This word "linear" that was used constantly here was a way of saying predictable. Again, a snobbish attitude. Bravo to Mazda for producing a high end quality product that has alot to offer. Just not for the snobs.
Amazing review, after I finished watching it I can’t think of anything more than that quote Steve Jobs said many years ago.
“You've got to start with the customer experience and work backward to the technology. You can't start with the technology then try to figure out where to sell it.”
- Steve Jobs
That's exactly what Mazda did.
It'd be cool if the suspension & tuning philosophy section could get more slides or animation/footage demonstrating what Dave describes. Ik this was a tough vid to produce
Inline-6 turbo rear wheel biased full time awd two door 4 seater sports coupe with nice interior and good handling that isn’t a massive boat that people can actually buy.
BMW M4 is that, so can Mazda make a competing car that is slightly lower price and looks more like the RX-7?
man I love when you can tell how much passion goes into the cars. Mazda is the definition of car people building cars for car people. Congrats to everyone on the team!
Passion doesn't matter when you design a vehicle like this for a soccer mom who could care less about linear driving dynamitic.
@@clarkkent9080 Right on, Is it supposed to be comfortable dependable transportation or a race car?
Soccer mom wouldnt be driving a luxury vehicle، but a van haha
@@thothkemet-lv8wq According to Mazda engineers, the CX-90 is NOT a luxury vehicle but a sporty 8 seater. I really don't know what eight people would be driving around in a sporty vehicle? Luxury means comfort not a hard stiff ride
@@clarkkent9080as an owner I can tell you it’s not a bad ride. Just a lot “professionals” out here trying to nit pick but I come from sporty vehicles so I expect them to behave certain way and that’s why I like it.
Dave Coleman discussed suspension needs, wants and operation better than any person I’ve seen interviewed with you guys.
These Mazda guys are passionate. Makes me rethink the brand. I would consider buying one in the future.
That's why the brand will go in the crapper. They waste money and resources into things that go nowhere like rotary before, sky-activ x, and this 3 row suv that completely defeats purpose of people who want a 3 row suv.
@@gilbomanThis. They have no direction and have reinvented the brand many times which tells me they don't even know their true purpose and where they're supposed to fit in.
@@gilbomanthey want to be a poor mans bmw, It’s not ment for normies
I’ll probably still consider one. Floaty boat is not my thing.
The engineer teasing us with the notion that some other manufacturer may buy this drivetrain for use in other vehicles us certainly interesting.
Interesting? When this drivetrain drives like shit?
There is no way a small company like Mazda can develop a completely new engine, transmission, hybrid system, and platform in house. Some things (i.e. BMW engine) must have been outsourced
Lexus is probably going to use this platform and drivetrain.
theres a rumour the a90 supra replacement will have a Mazda engine (IF there is an a90 successor...)
@@clarkkent9080 I mean even BMW does not develop the ZF and Aisin transmissions they use, so not sure what your point is. From what I understand, the engine and transmission are, at least, bespoke to the CX-90 for now.
Would love a new Mazda 6 sedan (which I know was cancelled, maybe one day un-cancelled) with the I6 drivetrain after a few updates and tweaks to improve its behavior.
I have zero interest in SUVs, I don't want to drive a barge, but everything about the powertrain (after some tweaks to handle the initial hiccups) seems like it'd be one hell of a great daily driver in a well-tuned sedan (or wagon!).
There are probably... at least 5 or 6 of us which would buy it, which is exactly why Mazda won't make it. Too many yuks who want big, awful boats that are perfectly adequate for getting from A to B with minimal fuss and pretty much nothing else.
A new platform Mazda 6 (ideally wagon, but I doubt that's coming back) would make me trade my manual Mazda 3 so fast.
@@SolMasterA manual Mazda 6 wagon with the inline 6 would be epic....but so would be throwing that engine in a Miata as an option.
The 21 inch wheels may be why you feel all the bumps. The height of a tire sidewall is part of the suspension. I did the calculations. There are 2 tire sizes.
19 inch wheels use P265/65 tires, the width of the tire is 10.43307 inches, the height is 6.78149 inches.
21 inch wheels use P275/45 tires, the width of the tire is 10.82677 inches, the height is 4.87204 inches.
The higher end vehicles with 21 inch wheels have tires that only have a 4.87 inch side wall. I'd rather have the 19 inch wheels with the higher side wall.
A couple of weeks ago i saw this car at the Mazda dealer and i must say i'm very impressed by its looks and overall quality feel. And Mazdas are very reliable, so...if you can afford it, it's a good buy!
Very high quality content. Thank you!
I appreciate your thoughtful review (and I have been waiting for your review as well) Not the most favorable review… but very honest and fair in my opinion.
I agree with your rather constructive criticisms, however, my reasonings for still purchasing my Mazda PHEV are:
- Gas mileage
- Performance
- Handling
- Useable 3rd row (not the best, but still useable)
- High quality interior
- Beautiful exterior
- Able to purchase without any mark ups AND I got $1500.00 off)
- Gas mileage (did I say that twice😂)
Other top contenders were the Acura MDX, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade
Appearance and interior with the MDX were great ( with MUCH better interior options). Problems with the Acura were the gas mileage as well as the model with a 360 deg camera was around 6,000.00 more ( not including mark ups.)
- Kia/Hyundai twins have superior lane centering/larger interior etc. however their “luxury interiors” look less luxurious when you look a little closer.
Also, dealers all have $4,000.00 or higher mark ups.
So for me, despite the flaws, the CX90 was still the best vehicle and I have no regrets. I am about to go fill up with gas for the first time in around 10 days (I have a 50 mile commute each day) and my gas usage has been cut in half.
In addition, yes, it DOESN’T drive like a normal three row family SUV. However, that is WHY I bought it. I didn’t want cushy or floaty.
I also really appreciate the heavier steering especially driving on the highway above 70 mph, I feel more in control. The incredibly light steering on my wife’s 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee infuriates me at highway speeds and I just don’t feel as safe driving it fast.
I was going to ask why not a grand Cherokee L but realized they don’t have 4xe in that model. Also is a more luxury ride vs the sporty ride of the Mazda.
@@Natethegreat200calso… the COST of an equivalent 4xE is MUCH HIGHER than a CX90 PHEV.
@@sheldonduffy9442 and you get more. Less room yes, but a 5 link rear suspension, a virtual ball joint setup, all aluminum components, and none of the weirdness pointed out here. However, you are dealing with a rattle box 4 cyl in the Jeep. So pros and cons. The ride quality of this Mazda would immediately make me say Jeep!!
I see this vehicle as all about perspective. Quality driving dynamics make 2/10ths driving (like a chauffeur) far more enjoyable. This inline 6 is proving to be insanely efficient for the power output as well. I would love a base model 6 cylinder. Excited for the CX-70 we should see pretty soon. These things are selling very well btw, surprising even Mazda NA. There are fresh rumors out of Japan that this platform will underpin an executive RWD sedan. Exciting times.
What I love most about this video is the interviews. I absolutely love when passionate people get to speak to what they're driven towards. Little moments like "I think that's fun though, I'm a rally driver," in the middle of that only emphasize the way these people are driven towards particular goals, and builds confidence in what the final product will look like. This vehicle is not for me at all, and I'm only watching this for entertainment, but hot damn, that's compelling, those interviews.
I've been waiting for this review from you guys for a long time. I appreciate the in-depth coverage, and it clearly pained you to have as many negative reactions as you did. It sounds like the majority of the issues that popped up can be attributed to this being a first model year on a brand new platform from a company that has never had RWD based architecture on anything but tiny sports cars. If Mazda is listening, which past experiences say they absolutely are (center console changes for the 2017 CX-3 for example), I would be surprised if they didn't make some tweaks to the chassis and software to address the complaints that have been coming in from everywhere. I was considering getting a 2024 Turbo S, but I'm going to wait for the '25 models and see what Mazda is able to fix.
I own a 2.5 turbo Mazda 6. My only gripe about it is it's FWD. Now that it had been discontinued in the US market, if they bring the 6 back with this powertrain and RWD then I'm all in. Don't wanna get my hopes high though
Maybe the driver is the problem!
1st...because I'm #1 fan. Honestly, whenever people sit inside my 2021 Mazda 6, they always mention how it feels like a luxury car. So for me, Mazda is basically Luxury at this point now with this new Volvo XC-90.....opps I mean Mazda CX-90 =P
Everyone says the same about my 2021 cx5. How clean and uncluttered it feels.
This will cost luxury money to maintain.
@@singular9 you're trolling/spamming the comments at this point.
First off. I’m glad you waited. As usual a fantastic outcome.
Second. After watching this and experiencing the T24 turbo in the highlander for the last few months and the issues that powertrain has. I really feel I should have bought this. Mazda has always been tuned better and far more rewarding to drive.
Third. Chen and Coleman are absolute geniuses. Absolutely stellar work and knowledge from them
What are the issues with Highlander drivetrain?
@@pushkar2911 the 2.4 turbo was taken from the NX which was tuned for 91 or 93. They basically pet it on the head told it was a good boy and now I can run 87. That is not the case for the most part. In colder weather when the AC is not on or you were driving extremely conservatively, there’s no problem. But if you’re driving like a normal human with the AC on, for example it surges and bucks like crazy under 2300 RPM with moderate load. There is also a significant hesitation on takeoff. Toyota does not acknowledge the problem, putting 91+ in solves every single issue.
Thanks a lot@@Suction_
@@Suction_Sell it and switch.
@@fortheloveofnoise I only owe 12k on it. Not interested in starting over. Plus, this does tow more and Toyota retains more resale overtime. Don’t get me wrong I love my Mazdas. But right now the highlander makes more sense for me. I’m sure they’ll fix it eventually. For now using 89/91/93 fixes everything anyhow
Driving a bunch of this modern stuff I've come to realize how truly underrated the old Inifiti Fx/Ex were especially the later 3.7/5.0 variations.
I bought a 2013 ex37 for my daughter last fall (65k miles for $12k). It is an incredibly solid, reliable and sporty vehicle. Everyone loves the look too. I am actually looking for an older fx for myself now rather than a new vehicle.
Those FXs were really good looking for an early 2000s SUV. And VQs made em sound lit asf too.
I bought a 2017 QX50 with the 3.7 six months ago. Didn't care that it doesn't look modern and doesn't have the latest tech, even if it has 80% of the latest tech. Everything works, screen and navigation boot up instantly, everything has physical buttons, all driving aids can be disabled PERMANENTLY. Engine is fantastic, pulls hard all the way to the 7800rpm redline, power never dips or feels inconsistent like a modern turbocharged engine. Transmission is responsive and adapts to your driving almost instantly, drop it into ''S" for a more aggressive preload. Handling is soft initially so it stays comfortable over rough roads but push the car and the chassis behavior is astonishing. Very predictable and stable, has a RWD biased feel. The power steering is hydraulic, the ratio isn't over-boosted like modern cars, it's heavy and you feel everything. I can tell when the tire sidewalls are starting to flex or when grip is being lost during aggressive cornering. Brakes are also not over-boosted like modern cars, very progressive bite and easy to modulate but powerful. Only negative is the fuel economy but I'll take it for having a proven, reliable and powerful engine. It really is a sleeper, most people mistake it for an old person's car.
I drove a bunch of newer cars before buying: Audis, BMW, Lexus and I prefer the Infiniti. Newer cars in general feel sterile and generic, brands that used to have some sort of character have lost it to appeal to the masses.
I'd love if Savagegeese would make quick reviews of used cars and if he could review older Infiniti's, in my opinion they were hidden gems.
Also the M45/M56. My folks had an M35 years ago and I was impressed by that platform and interior
Nissan VKs are underrated
Wow, I was not expecting such a high level of sophistication from a car review. So much passion and in-depth evaluation. Much respect and thanks for the job done. I am waiting anxiously for CX70 PHEV. Will it need, though, a couple of years of follow up to reach a point of perfection?
Love the CX-90, now please bring over the CX-60 instead of the CX-70. 😁
It is foolish not to utilize the ZF 8-speed. It is, by FAR, the best transmission on the market. It elevates every vehicle its in to a higher level.
Arguably one of your most anticipated videos, the moment of truth~
Center console storage is shallow because THERE’S A TRANSMISSION UNDER THERE SENDING POWER TO THE CORRECT WHEELS.
The very reason MOST vehicles today are FWD. That is the main disadvantage of RWD vehicles so live with the bad as well as the good
I test drive most of 3 row suv in main stream brand. All of them are nice but not inspiring to drive When a drove the cx90 it was different than the others, more inspiring to drive Finally my choice stop on cx90 phev, i'm very happy of my choice,
Other than the interviews with the engineers, all I got out this was you guys want a soft, floaty handling three row?
soccer moms are not racing to pick up the kids and the 3rd row is useless
For the algorithm
NGL, despite the conclusions about this new CX-90, seeing the engineers speak (semi) candidly like this has me opening my first ever browser tab to their website, as I shop for my next ute. incredibly impressive work team.
I’m a Beamer to Mazda to Beamer guy that has been waiting for the CX-90 to get back into a Mazda. I test drove both the Turbo and Turbo S. I was very underwhelmed with the Turbo, but the Turbo S hit me in the feels. I’m a car guy and can appreciate a drivers car with personality. Hondas and Toyotas may do everything “right”, but there’s no emotion involved and this is where Mazda nails it. The CX-90 isn’t perfect but it has a special feeling that evokes emotion.
The only area that Mazda really failed to hit was the technology. I personally couldn’t care less, but other buyers may notice that the competition offers more in terms of technological amenities.
Well done Mazda, you’ve created yet another unique vehicle for Mazda fans that stands out from the crowd.
Yes, you go after your own sense of "utility," and not about the brand! That's really how we're supposed to choose our tools and toys, rather than just mainly the brand or cachet.
"Beamer" = BMW motorcycle. "Bimmer" = BMW automobile/SUV.
Exactly!!
@aamirqz, more like BMW=Busted My Wallet…🙄
@@donrichter3523 We have a 2012 535gt as a family car, and we purchased it as a CPO with 29k miles in 2015. It currently has 75,xxx miles and I can honestly say it’s been a great car. I perform all the maintenance myself along with a few addressing a few mechanical issues that have occurred. It hasn’t been bad however, it would be a different story if we would have to pay for maintenance and fixes.
Looks like a volvo suv
These new Mazda vehicles in a few years from now will be fantastic as the inevitable tweaks, changes resolving any reliability problems and refinements start making their way into the vehicles. New engines, transmissions and platforms is an ambitious undertaking for Mazda. I hope they can squeeze the i6 into the new Miata. Kudos to them!
Mazda could not possibly have designed a completely new engine, transmission, hybrid system, and platform in house. Some of it must have been outsourced (to BMW?)
Go watch car care nut bd see the nightmare to work on this after guaranteed lol
@@clarkkent9080 Pretty sure if they did do that then we would know it by now, those things are not easy to hide.
@@michaelkovalsky4907 There was one commenter on a CX-90 video that knew a lot about the CX-90 and he said he worked on the project for 3 years and some components were outsourced. How else could Mazda do all that inhouse? Even Toyota used a BMW in their supra and they have all the resources possible.
@clarkkent9080 right like they didn't develop the 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, and 2.5T skyactive and 2.5 skyactive X engines or their rotary engines or their 5 and 6 speed transmissions. You're correct there's no way they could develop an engine.
Mazda cars connects your soul to the car and until you own, you will never understand. However, I respect your decision to say in hondas corning. Nothing about the honda pilot makes me want to buy over this. As you say pre-production car. Mazda is moving to a more luxurious brand space, so I choose mazda and have chosen mazda since my first 626. I curently have a mazda 6 2017 cannot bring myself to sell it. I also just biught a 2024 Cx-90 S Premium plus. Will continuecto only buy mazda
I just hit puberty last night, thanks everyone for all the support and love.
Lmao what
growth spirt years around the time of puberty are when you are on natural risk free steriods to grow to your potential size , as a guy that makes a big differene in wether you will have any sucess with women
Yes, go back to the 90's Millenia equip. More storage. No rear sway bar has the rear seasick. Steering needs to be quicker. Seats are still too firm. Rest should have been squared off for more luggage space. Especially since cx70 is coming. Please Do Not make cx70 a cat rear end clone. Try BMW X4 FOR CX70.
Other than from a practicality standpoint, the new CX-90 absolutely knocks it out of the park. I'm starting to see a few in Northern Virginia and they always get my attention.
If it isn't practical, why buy one? Family haulers don't pick up chicks, LOL.
@@povertyspec9651 material quality, driving dynamics, styling, personal preference, the list goes on.
@@povertyspec9651Depends on your demo. Roll up to target in one of those and watch the single moms swoon 😎
Your wallet will hate you when you need basic maintenance or repair.
@@singular9 Yes, because basic maintenance like oil changes and other fluid swaps are soooo expensive on Mazda products. /s
Seriously, stop spamming the comment section.
Cool car Mazda but bring back the Mazdaspeed 3. Make Mazda great again. I promise my yearly pay at least 20k people first year will buy
I think Mr. Geese & Mr. B58 should have the CX-90 as a long term next.
The inline 6 version....but I think they should manual swap it.
This car is an epitome of Style and Engineering capability. Should be successful. Will be my next car. Hope the PHEV could bring an EV range of ~60 miles in next model change
Can it be an estate/wagon with a low rear deck instead of an SUV? I dont need to jump curbs or crash barriers.
Generally a mazda fan, but the price point here is just off for the feature set. You cant get a heated steering wheel until you are in the mid $50k range. That to me is just crazy. I just dont see why someone would choose this over a palisade, unless you need a vehicle the day you go shopping. Mazda dealers have a ton of these where as palisades normally have a wait time. I feel like they tried to match up with Europe and missed the mark but overshot the asain competition.
5:09 I love the look of the new Mazdas and the feel when they're new. However... I recently checked a brand new 3 and a 3 with 30-ish k km back to back and the difference was... Impossible to account for given the milage. The whole interior felt like it was going to fall apart if I sneezed inside. That was a huge disappointment and a reality check... Again, I still loved how it looked, the design is amazing, but the quality just doesn't stand the test of time for me.
Isn't the current Mazda 3 assembled in Mexico? That might have something to do with the poor build quality.
@@aamirqz that's the thing... The ones in Poland are assembled in Japan. I specifically checked the VIN number. That's what shocked me. But the car is _very_ well put together when its new and, admittedly, that 30k km one it didn't even make any weird noises when driving. It's just that the interior felt loose and... flexible, for a lack of a better word, when touched.
Meanwhile Honda and Toyota are like "It a Car! U buy Now!!" and build whatever they want with the Most boring or oldest platforms ever lol
After watching this, I feel like I can do my PhD in CX90.
Thanks geese. Never change 👍
I have a 3.3L CX-60 Turbo AWD, everything you guys said about the body and driving is the same as it’s basically a five seater CX-90 Minus electronic glitches. I love I though, grew on me. These aren’t really flaws but that’s the car’s character.
I think Mazda did a great job with balancing the car. It’s not the fastest, best handling or most luxurious. But… at its price point it balances those things better than anything else in its class.
I really miss the Alan Fowler outro
so mazda just buttered up the problems they didn't solve with is car and called it their philosophy 😂
a few year ago, I was seeing all kinds of YT videos talking about how amazing the regular 3-Series was. How well it handled, how it had a great interior, how the power delivery from the BMW engine was captivating and it was such a driver's car. Think big car magazine that reports the Trends on motors. Then I went to test drove a $50k 3 Series and was really excited for it. My honest thought was I'm in an underpowered go kart. If you put me into a 3 series from those YT videos blindfolded, and told me I was in a fiat, or geo prizm for that matter - i would have believed you. Maybe this CX-90 is really not as bad as your video suggests? Maybe this is the exact opposite of the 3-Series Fanboys from a few years ago? Prob best to test drive it and find out. These are the same folks that paid $70K for a civic ha ha ha ha. Oh wait, you got a it at MSRP ha ha ha ha ha. It all makes sense now.
@ Mark, I am an ardent fan of your content. I am sure most viewers cannot afford to own and drive all the cars you stars review. I have always liked yours and Jack’s objectively honest brutal opinion whether is it a vehicle you would buy? Your opening statements explained your predicament but that still doesn’t release you from stating your candid opinion- would you buy this if your money were on the line? We understand you would not like to burn bridges with Mazda but your diehard fans deserve your brutal Bruce Willis opinion 😅!
Professional reviewers MUST be very careful with their opinions and always seem to "beat around the bush" in the area of problems. Their livelihood depends on a good relationship with manufacturers.
Let me summarize the video: wrong product for this segment. Work in progress. Not worth another review until there is a complete revision of the product.
Had the same jarring road experience with a new 2023 cx-9. It was horrible. Always heard these cars drive so well. Finally checked the pressure. Dealer overinflated the tires. Reduced it to the proper number and it rides much softer now. Less jarring over broken pavement.
Yep, just bought a new CX-90 and thought the firmness/harsh ride was what Mark was talking about, but the tires were overpressured by 15-20psi!
Putting it back to Mazda’s recommendation and the firmness is much more subtle, but my roads aren’t as garbage as the Midwest’s.
I definitely appreciate the philosophy in the CX-90 and it’s much much more entertaining to drive than all other three rows I test drove.
We need more Turbowski
If this is the design philosophy that they're using for all of their future products, I'd imagine that starting with their biggest/heaviest vehicle is going help them work out most (or at least a lot of) kinks in the dynamics before they start implementing it in their smaller vehicles, which (I'd assume) are going to be much easier to tune in line with their design philosophy compared to this chonky boi.
As a passionate driver that grew on cars from 90-ties and engineer (not automotive) from the perspective of motion physics I am strongly convinced todays days cars run on tires with too low profile. This is quite extreme example of my point where you have very inconsistent
elements combined from the engineering/design perspective.
1) SUV that is generally supposed to offer
extra comfort on bad road due to longer
travel of damping but has higher center of gravity, and total mass which translates to many undesirable effects when it comes
to the car ability to turn at higher speeds/higher G.
2) Then maker follow the trend with low profile tires that actually does the very opposite and its contradictory to combine them with SUV.
I see what mazda tried to do with this car
and agree w Marks point this may be a wrong product for that.
I think despite the damping being optimized for body control, going for R18 rims and higher profile tires would certainly help with high frequency bumps and car would still be able to change directions well.
Just look at JGTC circuit racing cars they often use higher profile tires than normal cars and it dont seem to cause them to steer poorly, quite the opposite.
Discovered your channel 2days ago,
content you provide is extremely detailed and informative. Thank You for all the huge effort. Wish You the best.