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BIG TIME

BIG TIME

Botchi Santos

The just unveiled CX-90 flagship model is the biggest Mazda ever

Mazda Philippines recently took the wraps off their newest, most technologically advanced flagship model, the hybrid CX-90 crossover at the posh Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, Makati. Not just being the first CX-90, it is also the biggest Mazda ever and the most powerful series-production vehicle ever offered by the brand.

The CX-90 is built on Mazda’s large platform architecture which also underpins its sibling, the smaller 5-seater CX-60 and other future premium Mazda offerings. It has luxurious limousine-like dimensions, thanks to its 5,120-mm length, 1,994-mm width and crucially, its 3,120-mm wheelbase, giving oodles of interior space for a truly grand cabin, particularly for the 2nd row occupants. It also blesses the CX-90 with impressive high speed stability, making it the perfect long-distance grand tourer. It rolls on gorgeous 21-inch two-tone alloy wheels wrapped by 275/45R21 Toyo Proxes Sport tires. The suspension errs on the firm side of compliant, giving it a very premium feel.

Boasts of luxurious limousine-like dimensions

Powering the CX-90 is an all-new hybrid electric motor equipped 3.3 liter inline-six cylinder gasoline-fed engine, turbocharged for good measure. The hybrid system alone generates 16.9hp / 153 Newton-Meter from its electric motor to propel the CX-90 at certain conditions, supplementing the healthy 284hp and 450 Newton-Meters of torque which drives all four wheels. But thanks to Mazda’s driving spirit, the CX-90 delivers a rear-biased feel. This gives the CX-90 a very enjoyable, dynamic and sporty driving experience, staying true to the brand’s Jinba Ittai ethos (horse and rider as one). To give stability and control, Mazda engineered its KPC or Kinematic Posture Control that suppresses body roll when cornering to enhance the feeling of grip and stability for all occupants. Focus was put toward optimizing rigidity across the entire vehicle body, while meticulously designing the seats and suspension to provide better balance, control, and confidence in a range of driving situations.

Power is transferred to the wheels via an all-new 8-speed automatic transmission designed specifically to work with the hybrid system, allowing for better transition from EV power on certain conditions, to combined output, to internal combustion engine operation. The transmission utilizes clutches instead of a traditional torque converter to transfer power between the powerplants and the wheels.

Mazda brings the Intelligent Drive Select (Mi- DRIVE) system to CX-90 drivers. This gives the driver the option to select one of four switchable drive modes: Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing, helping the CX-90 deliver excellent performance depending on the road and driving conditions.

Inside the CX-90 is covered in rich leather, saddle brown with suede accents on the dash, depending on whether you opt for the standard 7-seater or the more luxurious 6-seater option. There’s also a one-touch gold option to facilitate easy entry & exit onto the third row, and a sizeable step to assist ingress & exit. There’s a decent 257 liters of cargo space with the third row up, enough to stack two golf bags atop each other. Fold the third row and the available cargo space expands to a generous 1,163-liter space. And finally, with both 3rd and 2nd row seats fold, luggage space expands to a cavernous 2,025 liters. The rear tailgate of course opens electronically.

Mazda brings the Intelligent Drive Select (Mi- DRIVE) system to CX-90 drivers.

In-car electronics are generous as with any modern luxury Mazda: two 12.3 inch LCD displays, one for the driver’s instrument panel, and another for the infotainment system display all vital information and settings while a third 10.4-inch heads-up display helps the driver monitor vehicle operation without removing line-of-sight from the road ahead. A 12-speaker BOSE surround sound hi-fi system, coupled with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto round out your in-cabin entertainment features. You also get a panoramic glass roof and privacy shades for the rear passengers.

Meticulously designed seats

As with all Mazda vehicles, the Mazda CX-90 seeks to maintain the same top safety recognition as Mazda’s other products with its full suite of i-Activesense safety features, such as Front and Rear Smart Brake Support, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Cruising & Traffic Support, Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH), Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring with Vehicle Exit Warning, Front and Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Brake Support, and other assistance systems that will help enhance peace of mind for all occupants. The new See-Through View of the 360° View Monitor assists in a variety of parking situations by displaying obstacles in the vehicle’s blind spots on the large 12.3-inch center display.

See Also

The first-ever Mazda CX-90 comes in seven colors: Artisan Red Premium, Rhodium White Premium, Machine Gray, Platinum Quartz, Sonic Silver, Deep Crystal Blue, and Jet Black. It comes in two variants at the following prices inclusive of Mazda’s Yojin 5-year Free Service Plan:

Mazda CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo – P 3,680,000 (7-seater)

Mazda CX-90 3.3L AWD HEV Turbo Exclusive – P 3,780,000 (6-seater)

Check it out at any of Mazda’s 15 dealerships nationwide!