Mazda Australia has announced it will be bringing a second luxury SUV to market here in Australia and it will be called the CX-90.
The Japanese automaker says that the CX-90 will be “wider, longer and more aggressive” than any current Mazda.
The CX-90 will make its world debut in January 2023, and while launch timing is not confirmed just yet, it’s likely the new three-row SUV will arrive in Australia shortly after.
The Mazda CX-90 could share some design elements with the new CX-60
Mazda will debut a new colour with the CX-90 called Artisan Red that looks darker than the current Soul Red colour used on many current Mazda models.
An official image has been teased of the new CX-90, showing a glimpse of an inline-six badge on the side of the vehicle. A long, sculpted bonnet can also be seen, again hinting at what lies beneath.
What we know so far about the Mazda CX-90
Six months ago, Chasing Cars reported that it was likely that either the CX-70 or CX-90 models would follow after the release of the new CX-60.
Inline-six powertrains are likely for the new CX-90
While the CX-60 is classified as a narrow-body variant, designed primarily for tight European roads, the upcoming three-row CX-90 has been classified by Mazda as a wide-body vehicle better suited to the needs of buyers in North America and, indeed, Australia.
The CX-90 will most certainly be larger and wider than the current CX-9, which has been on sale in Australia since 2016 and will almost certainly feature Mazda’s new range of inline-six powertrains.
Mazda has developed both petrol and turbo-diesel straight six engines – both 3.3-litre units – for its new range of luxury SUVs.
The current Mazda CX-9 GT SP
The 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol straight-six engine makes 209kW/450Nm in the CX-60, so expect something similar for the CX-90.
A 3.3-litre turbo-diesel six could also be used, producing 187kW/550Nm. Both six cylinder engines will have mild-hybrid systems onboard.
The CX-90 will have a luxury focus, too, and could target cars such as the BMW X5 and Audi Q7, rather than competitor models from Hyundai and Kia.
The current CX-9 could live beside the future CX-90, or be replaced entirely
Will we see the CX-9 phased out?
Mazda Australia said last year that models such as the CX-5 and CX-8 will “live alongside whichever of that product we bring [CX-60, CX-90], in the same way as the CX-30 and CX-3 live alongside each other happily but cater to very different audiences”.
This could mean that the CX-9 continues, while a more luxurious and more expensive CX-90 targets a different audience altogether.
In the US, however, the Mazda CX-9 has already been phased out, so the new CX-90 is very likely to replace that nameplate entirely.