2024 Mazda CX-90 teased -- is this Japan's BMW X7 beater?

Mazda's new flagship sport-utility-vehicle and Mazda CX-9 replacement, the CX-90, is slated to come out on January 2023. It also represents a commitment of the Japanse brand to its push towards premium positioning in the automotive market.

The Japanese carmaker released on Nov. 15, 2022 a teaser photo of the upcoming three-row crossover, highlighting three important features.

First is the brand's all-new Artisan Red color, which Mazda calls a "sophisticated, yet deeply saturated color specifically developed to suit large-platform vehicles to accentuate its blend of high-performance appearance and world-class refinement."

Second is the "INLINE 6" insignia proudly emblazoned on the car's fender trim.

Although there are no final details yet on the drivetrain, the CX-90 is likely to share the engines of the smaller Mazda CX-60, which debuted on April 2022.

These include a turbocharged, 3.3-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve inline-6 gasoline engine pumping out 284 PS and 450 Nm of torque.

There is also the supercharged, 3.0-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve inline-6 gasoline engine that uses Mazda's lean-burn e-Skyactiv-X technology and a mild hybrid system.

And finally, there is the turbocharged, 3.3-liter, twin-cam, 24-valve inline-6 diesel engine producing 254 PS and 550 Nm of torque. This powerplant is also available as a mild hybrid.

The final feature, of course, is given away by the longitudinal (front to back) engine configuration itself.

Much like CX-60, the all-new CX-90 will likely be offered in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations, unlike the front-wheel-drive-based CX-9.

Mazda said the seven-seater CX-90 "represents the company's newest flagship vehicle with wider, longer, and more aggressive proportions than any current Mazda vehicle."

Do you think this all-new Mazda can take on the likes of German SUV stalwarts like the BMW X7?