9 Cool Details on Mazda’s New 2024 CX-90 Three-Row SUV

The CX-90 is larger than Mazda’s current CX-9 crossover. The extra space allows the CX-90 to have a larger—specifically wider—center console. This allowed designers to place the cup holder to the right of the shifter instead of behind it as in the CX-9.

The Mazda CX-90 can be configured with a captain’s chair or a bench in the middle row and either a two- or three-seat bench in the back. This means it can seat six, seven, or eight passengers depending on the model. However, the third row is not as spacious as some of its three-row SUV competitors.

The rear doors on the CX-90 open further than we expected, to almost 90 degrees. A Mazda representative says this is similar to the doors on the CX-50. It offers a significant amount of extra space for people or car seats in the cabin.

A thin panel of maple sits above the chrome strip on the inside of the front doors on the CX-90’s highest trim level. The designers chose the wood for the way it catches the light and tilted the panels slightly so you can see this in action when the sun goes down.

The dash itself is covered in a fabric based on a Japanese hand-woven technique called Nishijin-ori. It’s a random pattern with a bit of gold thread woven through it. A thick stitch in the center of the fabric, which Mazda says was inspired by manual bookbinding and the Japanese weaving technique known as Kumihimo, complements the horizontal line at the front.

The CX-90 has a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with horizontal orientation. In keeping with the minimalist interior, the screen is stretched wide and short, again emphasizing the horizontal space at the front of the cabin.

Mazda hasn’t revealed all the details of the CX-90 yet, but we do know it will be able to tow and that the powertrain has a dedicated tow mode. Maximum towing capacity is still a secret, but based on press photos, where we see the CX-90 pulling a 26-foot Bowlus Road Leader, we’re willing to speculate that the SUV can tow at least 4000 pounds. By comparison, the 2023 Mazda CX-9 can tow 3500 pounds.

The CX-90’s front seats are further back than the CX-9’s thanks to the new model’s extra width. The space between the captain’s chairs available in the middle row can be either another console or an open space, and passengers sitting inside will find the captain’s chair has heating and cooling features (if equipped).

To fill the vast dash-to-axle space created by the new longitudinally mounted engine, Mazda has placed thin badges above and behind the front wheel arches to identify the powertrain lurking under the hood. “Inline 6” is written on the version with Mazda’s new turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six engine, while the new e-Skyactiv plug-in-hybrid powertrain model says “PHEV.”