Mazda has confirmed the international pricing for its CX-90 SUV, giving us our best clue yet as to how much the premium-focused model will cost when it launches in Australia later this year.
The pricing has so far been revealed in the USA, and there are a couple of important caveats to go through. For one, the line-up doesn’t directly mirror our own (there is no diesel, for example, and the Americans will launch with an available plug-in hybrid powertrain, which won’t arrive in Australia until 2024 or beyond).
And it’s also worth pointing out that a straight currency conversion can only be seen as a guide to, rather than concrete proof of, Australian pricing.
With that in mind, the CX-90 will launch in the USA with the same 3.3-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine we’ll get, only detuned to deliver around 209kW. It costs US$39,959, or $57,710, based on today’s currency conversion rates.
To get the engine tune that will launch in Australia, known in the USA as the Turbo S, our American friends will need to spend US$51,750, or $74,740 in our money. The top-spec Mazda CX-90 – which gets the fattest equipment list and the more powerful engine tune – is called the Turbo S Premium Plus, and lists at US$59,950. That’s $86,582 in our money.
Mazda America is also launching with a plug-in hybrid variant which won’t appear in Australia until 2024 (at least). It pairs a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and 17.8kWh battery, producing a total 240kW and 500Nm.
While those conversions can act as a guide, far more interesting is the gap between CX-9 and CX-90 in the American market, which points to how far above its fellow seven-seater the more premium SUV will be positioned in Australia.
In the USA, the CX-9 is powered exclusively by a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, and kicks off at US$38,750 for the entry-level Touring. That means the gap between the two cheapest models is only $US1209, or around $1744 in AUD.
The most expensive model, however, is called the Signature and it starts at US$48,460- some US$3110 ($4488) less than the Turbo S, and US$11,490 ($16,582) less than the Turbo S Premium Plus.
It’s worth pointing out that the CX-9 range in Australia climbs from $47,250 to $74,710, which would push the most expensive CX-90 well on its way to $100k.
The CX-90 will join the CX-60 in Australia in the second half of 2023, acting as the next rungs in Mazda’s climb up the premium ladder.
The exterior design is modern and clean, with the CX-90 looking a lot like an enlarged version of the CX-60, only with a more shapely rump and the option of big 21-inch alloy wheels. Second-row captain’s chairs are an option, and the tech appears strong too, with a big head-up display, a 12.3-inch centre screen, and USB-C charging points in all three rows.
In the cabin, expect a a focus on high-quality materials like Nappa leather, real wood and soft, layered tones across the dash and doors. The fabric on the dash, for example, using “hanging stitches” (a technique Mazda borrowed from hand bookbinding), and a Japanese weaving technique known as Kumihimo.
Keyword: How much? 2023 Mazda CX-90's international pricing revealed - and it leaves SUVs like the Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger hybrid behind