2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus

Plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEV) give drivers the best of the EV and hybrid worlds without the drawback of range anxiety. A plug-in hybrid utilizes an electric powertrain that assists the gas engine by providing more power and efficiency, in addition to allowing a dash of all-electric range. That is the added benefit of going with the 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV over the normal one, which is a marginal advantage at that.

That’s not say that springing for the CX-90 PHEV isn’t worth the extra $12,000 over its non-hybrid counterpart, because it is if the hybrid powertrain works for you. After all, the Mazda CX-90 PHEV does add in a lot of elegance and comfort, in addition to the fancy drivetrain, which makes it feel more expensive than it actually is.

Interior

Sit inside the Mazda CX-90 and you are sure to be impressed with how upscale its interior looks and feels. The seats are adorned in white Nappa leather and there are soft-touch surfaces around the cabin in addition to tidbits of wood trim. Additionally, there is plenty of head and legroom in all three rows, making the cabin a comfortable place for seven people to spend time. Although the third-row occupants may feel a little crowded.

In addition to the CX-90s ample space and interior quality, there are also plenty of comfort features to keep everyone relaxed while on their journey. There are heated seats in the first and second-row seats, ventilated front seats, as well as a heated steering wheel for the driver.

The second-row captain’s chairs offer plenty of space to keep the kids’ hand off each other and they can even slide fore and aft to suit anyone’s height requirements. There are also automatic climate controls back there to add to the cabin’s comfort.

As for cargo space, the Mazda CX-90 boasts 14.9 cubic feet with the third row folded up, and a 40 cubic feet when it’s folded down. Those 14.9 cubes of space may not sound like much, but it’s enough for a few carry-on bags and other small items, which is impressive. There’s also a couple of 12-volt power charging and household plug ports back there.

Powertrain and Range

The Mazda CX-90 PHEV is powered by a plug-in hybrid setup that produces 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque when premium fuel is used. During my week of testing, I found that the electrified powertrain has plenty of power and torque when acceleration from a stop and passing other cars. As an added plus, the CX-90 PHEV can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

My only gripe is that the engine sounds pretty coarse when accelerating through all eight of its gears. Otherwise, the hybrid setup provides a lot of power when the battery runs out. But when the battery is charged up, you can expect up to 26 miles of driving range, according to Mazda.

During my time with the car, I found that the battery depleted rather quickly. Of course, 26 miles isn’t much, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll squeeze out every mile. Instead, due to running the HVAC controls and other electronics, the range number drops fast, which lead to me having to charge after a day of driving it.

On a public fast charger, I was able to charge it from 0 to 12 miles in just over an hour. Was it worth the time I waited? No, because that 12 miles ran out very quickly, too. However, I noticed that after charging the car, the average fuel efficiency jumped from 25 mpg to 27 mpg, which is a notable difference.

However, it should be noted that the mileage bump is short-lived once the electric range is depleted, since the car will only be operating on the hybrid setup afterward.

Technology

My Mazda CX-90 Premium Plus tester for the week was equipped with all the tech features anyone could need, including a Bose 12-speaker sound system and wireless Apple CarPlay, which is all I really use on a daily basis. However, for those that actually use the car’s native infotainment system, the CX-90 also has its own onboard navigation system, AM/FM radio, and satellite radio. There’s even a Homelink feature to open a garage, which I don’t have.

Those infotainment features are great, but I have always had an issue with Mazda’s infotainment interface, which has the driver use a knob on the center console to toggle between the menus and select things. Sure, it may be intuitive once you get used to it, but I still had issues with having to take my eyes off the road while driving, just to switch between menus using the knob. A touchscreen interface that sits closer to the driver would be much better.

In addition to the tech features, I enjoyed the car’s heated front seats and steering wheel,  as well as the dual-zone climate control. They all came on quickly after starting the car. There are even heated rear seats to keep the backseat passengers happy in frigid weather.

Exterior

The Mazda CX-90 has a sleek and elegant look that’s indicative of how far the brand has moved toward being upscale. There’s a large grille upfront flanked by two LED headlights, along with a bold hood that gives it an overall brawny look.

Out back, there are two thin LED tail lights and a stubby rear end that follows the a similar design language of other Mazda SUVs. Overall, the Mazda CX-90 has a classy look that may not rival more expensive German models, but is a step above some of its contemporaries like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

Safety

As far as safety, the Mazda CX-90 is equipped with all the features you need to keep the car on the road and in between the lines. Some standout features include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a lane-departure alert. In operation, these driver-assist features work seamlessly.

The adaptive cruise control keeps the distance from the car ahead without issue and the lane keep assist doesn’t ping-pong the car between the lines. Of course, there are other passive systems like the airbags and safety restraints that keep everyone in the cabin safe, in addition to a 360-degree camera that makes parking easy.

Summary

The 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV starts at $49,945 and ends at $57,950 for the top-trim Premium Plus model. My test car for the week came out to a total of $59,405 with the $1,455 destination charge. But the question is: Is it worth getting the plug-in hybrid over the regular CX-90?

In my opinion, no. Unless you have a way charge the car at home or at work and make use of the short electric range, it’s not worth the premium over the gas model. Especially since the gas model costs less, depending on the trim level, and comes equipped with a turbocharged inline-six with similar power figures. Sure, you might not get the same fuel efficiency as the plug-in hybrid, but I think that’s a small trade-off for a better overall value.