When you think of Mazda, you probably have images of the infamous Miata (MX-5 for you younger folks) come to mind. It was/is a car so beloved by enthusiasts it has its own racing series. Or you think of the CX-5 as a value-proposition compact SUV. But if you haven't considered the 2026 Mazda CX-90 as your next family hauler, you've missed out. With up to 340 horses hauling three rows of leather sitting on 21" wheels, there isn't another SUV doing what Mazda is doing. But it's not just that the Dad-gineers at Mazda dropped in the most powerful mass produced gas engine ever made by the Japanese brand, but also gave it some serious driving dynamics. Especially compared to those other three-row utility vehicles. It's luxury(ish), performance(ish), and perfect(ish) for a family. Here's the things I loved... and the (ish) I didn't, with one week in the 2026 Mazda CX-90. Watch The Full Video Review Above Jump Links CX-90 3.3 Turbo S Exterior Design: Premium Presence with Purpose Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet Dads appreciate the idea of marching to the beat of our own drummer and Mazda likes to zig when everyone else zags. While everyone in the auto world is coming back to the boxy designs that marked the 80s and 90s, Mazda has chosen to go with a more rounded approach. It's not quite the "jelly bean" design language coming out of Mercedes these days (yeesh), but it's not trendy. It's sort of just...Mazda. The CX-90 has some angles and lines, but when you compare it to something like a Toyota Highlander, or Nissan Pathfinder, it definitely leans into their "Kodo" design philosophy of beauty in motion.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet When Mazda dropped off this CX-90, especially in the Soul Red Crystal Metallic, I was shook. This is a beautiful SUV. Being the Turbo S Premium Sport line also added some nice details putting it in line with something you might get with Audi, or Mercedes-Benz...for half the price. The added design touches like blacked-out accents, a piano-black honeycomb mesh grill, dark chrome accents, larger wheels, blacked out Mazda badges, and gloss black roof rails, gave it more of a luxury vibe than a rugged off-roader.Adaptive auto-leveling LED signature headlights add function and style. And other than a piece of trim above the wheel arches with the "Inline 6" script to highlight the engine configuration, it's not braggy with badges and decals. I like that quiet luxury. Interior Comfort & Technology: Upscale But Not Pretentious Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet Another place that Mazda departs from the convention of the auto space is in the interior. In a time when everything is in the giant touchscreen taking over the dash, Mazda defies it all. They offer lots of buttons in the center console to control climate. The screen is 12.3" but only about 5" tall. And it's NOT a touch screen (unless you enable that feature when using Apple CarPlay/Android Auto). Also the placement of the screen is a throwback. It's not flush with the front of the dash like most brands are doing.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet Oh and tech-savvy Dads will notice I did say, "NO touchscreen." It's a control knob. And turns out alot of people really prefer the control knob. I posted about this on my socials and got over a million views while thousands weighed in on touchscreen vs. knob. No matter where you land, the 2026 CX-90 is a knob vehicle. I WILL say it has a satisfying click to it and all the main controls like home, audio source, and navigation surround the jog dial. It was easy to use.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / ValnetPersonally, I found it annoying in my Dad life to deal with what's happening with my kids around me, or navigate a busy parking lot while also trying to spin a wheel and make sure I don't go past the "pause button," for instance. Then I'd accidently hit "next track," and throw off the peace of the kids in the rear seat because they weren't done with their song.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet Another difference here is that Mazda keeps the lovely Nappa leather. There are alot of current SUVs costing 2x as much and using leather sourced from carrots. Or something growing in a garden. Dads love to save the world...but also our butts. Hats off to Mazda for keeping it real across the seats, the dash, and center armrest. You also get a wireless charger, 3-zone climate control, heated seats, 360 degree camera, and one of the best Bose systems I've heard at any price point. One downside: there isn't as much storage room as you'd expect for something that large. The center console is only a few inches deep.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet The cup holders are small, the door barely provides any space either. Even the shoulder room felt smaller than I expected for a vehicle of this size. It's also hard to get to the third row unless you have the captain's chairs so you can walk between them. That third row isn't as useable as I would want either. Tight for me at 6'1" and no way someone can sit in front of me if I'm back there. Make sure you test out the second and third row with your actual kids before buying one. Engine & Performance: The 340 Horsepower 3.3 Turbo S Blends Power With Poise Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet And the final area where Mazda departs from the modern SUV convention is their fantastic powertrain. It seems like even larger vehicles are doing to a smaller engine with a turbo or even a V6. But an inline six is something you rarely see. Sure they are in higher-priced offerings like the Land Rover Defender or the BMW X7. But both of those cost alot more.This 340-horsepower 3.3-liter six-cylinder engine, in fact, is the most powerful mass-produced gas engine ever made by Mazda.And it's under the hood of your little Costco errand runner! Part of that power and fuel efficiency, with 25 mpg combined, is the use of a 48 volt mild hybrid battery system. It also helps with low speed throttle response. That means, quick off the line at the light or pulling out ahead of car so you can merge.Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet What this feels like in everyday life is sort of what it must be to have a trust fund. I'm passing in traffic knowing I have plenty of umph to get past that car and beat the light. Freeway driving is a breeze. I did about six hours one day going from Atlanta to Birmingham, AL for another shoot and the 2026 Mazda CX-90 was effortless. It wasn't quite floating on air like my 2006 Mercedes-Benz E350 wagon, but that's because the CX-90 leans a little further toward performance. So you get a stiffer ride than you might think from a three-row family road tripper.It offers AWD standard and something Mazda calls "Kinematic Posture Control." This is a software that suppresses body lift on tight corners, and helps the people in the car not lean too much. It's supposed to help you maintain a natural posture while also flying around a corner. I'm all for that. Dad knows how important it is to not hurt his back. Still Not Convinced, Look At These Alternatives To The 2026 Mazda CX-90 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander: The Grand Highlander trades the CX-90’s performance edge for massive interior space, excellent hybrid efficiency, and Toyota’s legendary reliability, making it a no-stress family hauler dads can keep for the long haul. 2026 Ford Explorer ST: The Explorer ST delivers big turbocharged power and sporty handling in a three-row SUV that still handles carpools and Costco runs without making dad give up his love of driving. 2026 Honda Pilot Elite: The Pilot Elite focuses on comfort, versatility, and everyday usability, offering a smooth ride, smart family-friendly features, and Honda reliability for dads who value ease over edge. Conclusion: Why the 2026 Mazda CX-90 3.3 Turbo S Hits the Sweet Spot for Dads Source: Bradley Hasemeyer / Hot Cars / Valnet At the end of the day, Dad, you have to test drive these things because you will find aspects you really like or really hate. Pro tip: bring your kids with you—even though that can be more complicated. That said, the CX-90 slays much of the competition: looks, performance, build quality. This upgraded line, Turbo S Premium Sport with all these features, still costs less than some of the competition's base price. The Acura MDX, for instance, is a great three-row option, but falls behind the CX-90 in a number of categories and still costs more. You might not have even considered Mazdas in the past, but do yourself a favor. Add it to the list, and thank me later with the $20-$30K you saved.