Mazda CX-90 tops $100K as release date and prices revealed for Australia

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The flagship model that will helm the Mazda brand in future, the new CX-90 large SUV, will be priced from $74,385 before on-road costs in Australia when it is released in August 2023.

Mazda’s three-row flagship will be available in a choice of three grades known as Touring, GT and Azami. Six-cylinder power is standard and a fully-optioned CX-90 Azami will become the first Mazda to attract a six-figure price since the RX-7 SP sports car of 1995.

With the popular but aging second-generation CX-9 set to be discontinued in Australia later this year, the CX-90 will take its position at the top of Mazda’s range when it lands in August, two months after the arrival of its smaller CX-60 midsize luxury SUV sibling.

The CX-60 and CX-90 are visually similar and make use of the same platform, being Mazda’s Large Product Architecture that is based around longitudinally-mounted six-cylinder engines.

While a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid version will come to Australia at a later date, the CX-90 will initially go on sale with a choice of either a 3.3-litre petrol or diesel turbocharged inline-six engine, both mated to an 48-volt system, eight-speed multi-plate clutch automatic transmission and a full-time AWD system.

As far as towing goes, the CX-90 petrol has a braked limit of 2500kg, while Mazda says the diesel is restricted to 2000kg to maintaining cooling and reliable performance. The maximum ball download is 150kg.

The 254kW/500Nm petrol has an official combined fuel economy figure of 8.2L/100km while the 187kW/550Nm diesel uses 5.4L/100km.

Interestingly, while the diesel costs more in the entry-level Touring grade, because the diesel uses under 7L/100km and is classified as a ‘fuel-efficient vehicle’, the threshold for luxury car tax is higher on the oil burner and thus it becomes the cheaper engine option in the GT and Azami grades.

A seven-seat layout will be offered by default, while a six-seat option with dual captain’s chairs in the second row will be offered on the Azami. Mazda says the CX-90 has a boot capacity of 608L by default or 2025L with the second and third rows folded.

Mazda CX-90 priced competitively against luxury rivals

The new lineup of premium vehicles, which will also see the arrival of the narrow-body, three-row CX-80 (most likely in 2024) has been introduced in an effort to stop buyers flocking to traditional premium brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in pursuit of my luxurious options.

With a price range of $74,385 to $95,185, the CX-90 undercuts non-performance variants of the Audi Q7 ($110,000-$129,500), Volvo XC-90 ($95,990-$125,990) and the BMW X5 ($109,900-$139,900).

Compared to the outgoing CX-9, which has a price range of $47,600 to $75,165, the CX-90 is a significant step up.

Historically, however, Mazda has seen most buyers gravitate towards the more expensive grades on the CX-9 with 57 percent of buyers opting for options priced around $64,000 or more. 

What does each grade of the CX-90 receive?

CX-90 Touring: from $74,385

Kicking off the range is the Touring with a starting price of $74,385 before on-road costs for the petrol and $75,800 for the diesel. 

Highlight features of the CX-90 include leather trim with power adjustable heated front seats, 10.25-inch multimedia display featuring satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 7.0-inch digital driver’s display and an eight-speaker stereo.

Other features include the wireless phone charger, power tailgate, 150W three-pin power outlet, sunshades in the second row and three-zone climate control while on the outside the CX-90 features 19-inch alloy wheels as well as heated and auto-folding mirrors.

Every CX-90 will also come with Mazda’s Kinematic Posture Control system, first featured on the MX-5 convertible, which works to retain body control by applying the brakes on individual wheels. 

Standard safety features include forwards AEB with intersection detection, emergency lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, vehicle exit warning and a secondary collision reduction system. 

CX-90 GT: from $84,800

As mentioned previously, stepping up to the GT grade sees the diesel become the cheapest option, priced from $84,800 while the petrol starts at $86,085.

The extra expense sees heated seats added to the outboard second-row seats and a heated steering wheel with power adjustment, a panoramic sunroof, as well as larger 21-inch silver metallic alloy wheels and adaptive LED headlights.

Mazda also adds larger 12.3-inch displays for both the touchscreen and digital gauge cluster and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. 

CX-90 Azami: from $93,865

Mazda offers the CX-90 Azami from $93,865 when paired with the diesel or $95,185 with the petrol.

The top-spec Azami grade nabs 21-inch wheels coated in black metallic paint, a 360-degree camera, ambient lighting in the cabin, black Nappa leather upholstery and ventilated seats up front.

Azami buyers are exclusively offered the ability to add either the Takumi or SP packages, both cost an additional $5000 and convert the CX-90 to a six-seat layout with ventilated captain’s chairs in the second row.

The Takumi package adds white Nappa leather seat trim, white maple wood console and door inserts matched with a cloth board panel with ‘Kakenui-style’ stitching.

Opting for the SP package see’s tan Nappa leather upholstery fitted with suede stretched across the dashboard panel and a two-tone colour scheme applied to the steering wheel.

A total of seven paint options will be offered, with buyers now able to order a CX-90 ahead of its expected arrival date in August. 

Mazda CX-90 2023: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Touring I6 petrol: $74,385
• Touring I6 diesel: $75,800
• GT I6 diesel: $84,800
• GT I6 petrol: $86,085
• Azami I6 diesel: $93,865
• Azami I6 petrol: $95,185
• Azami with Takumi package I6 diesel: $98,865
• Azami with SP package I6 diesel: $98,865
• Azami with Takumi package I6 petrol: $100,185
• Azami with SP package I6 petrol: $100,185