A red Mazda crossover in a mall parking lot doesn’t usually cause a stir on the AutoFun Philippines Facebook page.

But our eagle-eyed car spotter knew from the rich, dark red paint scheme and the sheer size of the vehicle that this was no ordinary Mazda – it was the 2024 CX-90, complete with Philippine conduction sticker, that is expected to launch officially by the end of 2023.

The CX-90 is the larger, three-row sibling of the Mazda CX-60, which was launched in the Philippines on June 2023. The bigger Mazda is expected to take European seven-seaters like the BMW X7 and the Land Rover Discovery head-on, for around half the price.

What does the CX-90 have that could sway loyal European car owners? Let’s look at the Fun Facts!

Special color

The CX-90 that was spotted in a mall already confirms one Fun Fact about it.

Mazda's new Artisan Red color, developed specifically for the CX-90, will be available as a paint option in the Philippines.

These are complemented by new 21-inch, diamond-cut alloy wheels with a black metallic finish.

Cosseting cabin for 7 or 8

Similar to the philosophy of the CX-60, the three-row CX-90 gets Mazda’s interpretation of “Japanese luxury.”

As such, high-end materials like soft Nappa leather, wood and stitched fabric are used throughout the cabin, incorporating design features that are normally available in the likes of super-luxury European brands like Rolls-Royce or Bentley.

Mazda said this finish and deliberate use of negative space is inspired by hand-bookbinding and Japanese weaving known as Kumihimo.

Seating configurations offer a bench or captain's chair layout for the second row, as well as a two-seater or three-seater option for the third row. Mazda said the more upright D-pillar means that the CX-90 will be more spacious than the front-wheel-drive Mazda CX-9.

Sit properly all the time!

Similar to the CX-60, the CX-90 comes with a Driver Personalization System so that you don’t have to worry about fiddling with the electrically adjustable seats.

After entering the driver’s height data via the infotainment center display, the automatic driving position guide uses an in-car camera to detect the location of their eyes.

It then automatically adjusts the seat, steering wheel, Active Driving Display, and door mirrors to match the driver’s height and eye position.

The system also uses facial recognition to remember each driver’s preferences. Once the driver is detected, the CX-90 automatically restores more than 250 stored settings to match their preferences, including vehicle, audio , and climate control settings. 

The system stores settings for up to six different users, plus guests.

Electrified power

To better compete with European rivals, which all use rear-wheel-drive platforms, the Mazda CX-90 also sends its power primarily to the back wheels.

As such, the crossover gets mild-hybrid, 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-6 gasoline or diesel engines.

Although final specifications have yet to be finalized, the CX-90 is available in other markets with a more powerful gasoline motor than the CX-60. This pumps out 345 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

The turbodiesel is identical to what is available in the smaller crossover, producing 254 PS and 550 Nm of torque. There’s also a plug-in hybrid version that uses a 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine that produces 327 PS and 500 Nm of torque.

All models are available with an 8-speed automatic transmission that replaces the torque converter with an electric motor.

The CX-90 also features Kinematic Posture Control, a software feature initially developed for the Mazda MX-5 roadster that limits body roll on tight corners.

Mazda's i-Activ all-wheel drive continues to provide grip in various scenarios and has been adapted to the high-output powertrain. 

Qualified for incentives

Like the smaller CX-60, the CX-90 qualifies for financial incentives under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

This applies to vehicles manufactured in Japan with an engine displacement of at least 3000 cc. Although prices of the CX-90 have not yet been finalized, the top-spec CX-60 Sport turbodiesel costs ₱2,890,000.

This means that the CX-90, assuming that both the gasoline and diesel variants are brought in, should be in the ₱3.4 million to ₱3.6 million range.

Will Mazda Philippines succeed in reeling in European luxury car buyers with its impressively equipped CX-90?

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