Agreed.

This is the exact review I have been waiting to see on the cx90 as I was seriously considering purchasing one. Your opinion on the engine's future repairs got me delay this purchase until I obtain further information from Mazda service department. Especially the power train has such a short warranty. Thank you very much sir for such unique review on the CX90.

Wow!would not want this out of warranty at all!

Thank you for this video. I bought one a few months ago and I have some observations after about 6000 kms. I traded my 2022 Highlander platinum, which was a bit of a lemon... Everything performed fine, but the interior rattled so bad I could hardly stand to drive it. The door panels, dash, headliner and pillars all rattled over mild bumps. It was infuriating... I would have kept that car for 10 years if not for the rattles. So I decided to get rid of it and I was drawn to this Mazda because the inline 6 and rear wheel drive chassis were attractive to me as an enthusiast. To me, it's like a Japanese X5. I also love the styling inside and outside. The interior is on par with any of the high-end luxury brands in my opinion. Fit and finish is exceptional with tight panel gaps and beautiful paint. The power train is certainly over complicated and I'm disappointed to hear that it is really not very serviceable so hopefully it holds up and my engine never needs to come out. However, I would disagree with your opinion that all this complication was for no benefit. It can be annoying at low speeds with the clutch engagement. It surges and lurches particularly when you roll a stop. The eye stop can be super annoying as it will cut out at inconvenient times and then the car will jerk as it fires back up. It can be defeated of course, but I've left that system engaged because of what it will do on the highway. The engine will shut off at highway speed if you're coasting or going downhill and the little electric motor gives just enough torque to maintain your momentum at normal speeds for a short amount of time. I suspect this is why they used the wet multi-plate clutch rather than a torque converter because the engine can disengage very easily from the transmission. I have had to recalibrate my driving style at low speeds to get around the surging and lurching. But the end result of all this technology has been shockingly good fuel economy. After the first couple thousand kilometers the engine has totally loosened up and I am getting a consistent eight liters per 100 km. The best of my Highlander ever managed was 10L/100. This Mazda has taken me over 900 km on one tank of fuel. And it isn't slow. For them to build a vehicle this big, nearly 5000 lbs, With 340 horsepower and to still get a consistent 30 miles per gallon seems pretty impressive to me. And with that beautiful inline 6 sound and smoothness. The lack of a rear sway bar seems unusual, but overall I am impressed with the handling of this, particularly compared to the Highlander. It transitions through curves nicely and can be surprisingly fun through curvy mountain roads. Overall, I am super impressed with the car though it does have some compromises. I'm hoping that Mazda will refine the software to improve the low speed clutch engagement. The surging and lurching can be pretty annoying. But overall it's an impressive bit of engineering. I can't think of another vehicle this size with this level of style, luxury, capability and performance and such impressive fuel efficiency. Hopefully all of those complicated cam drives and fuel pumps and water pumps hold up long term. Mazda has a pretty good reputation for reliability but we'll see over the next few years.

Beautiful vehicle for sure and I do like the inline-6 but I would not buy this all the stuff you got to take out just to work on it I would pass desert very surprised at Mazda that they did this but a beautiful vehicle

Isn't every new vehicle like that???

@@clarkkent9080 Imo, yes, but the video spoke of otherwise.

@@Resistculturaldecline Was he talking about the "jitteryness" in the power train that many people have commented on when the vehicle switches between ICE and EV at low speeds and when first starting out?

​@@clarkkent9080 32:50

@@Resistculturaldecline I looked at one but did not drive it or open the doors so I cannot comment on what the CCN is describing. However the #5 complaint of owners is described below. 5. Door Noise Some Mazda CX-90 owners may notice a strange squeaking, rubbing or rattling noise when closing the front doors. The CX-90 is a completely new vehicle (except the 2.5 l 4 cyclinder in the PHEV) and every manufacturer has problems in the first few years of a new vehicle. I do not buy something to work the bugs out for others.

Same here having owned this vehicle for several months now, this review makes me confuse. It is an excellent vehicle!

37:42 💀

@873 I am not deterred. I'll lease it for three years so I'll never have to worry about repairs. BTW, I'm also a huge fan of BMW, Audi, and Mercedes.

@@user-pz6vc3gx9b why? you just dont like hearing the cons of the vehicle.

Stick to NA ICE large / medium displacement engines

Just trade it in before the warranty ends.

You mean you have replaced an engine timing chain yourself before ? 😂 Timing chains on Japanese cars last the life of the cars and never need to be replaced. I would rather have a car with a timing chain in the back of the engine than a timing belt in front of the engine

@@Matys1975 I do agree that this will be reliable and you will likely not need to replace it, but a timing belt has many advantages. I have an acura TL (3rd gen, v6) and it uses a timing belt. Man that thing is smooth and refined, and also extremely quiet. It is very easy to replace (DIY 4 hours with water pump and bearings/tensioners), inexpensive, and completely eliminates the issue of guide wear and stretching. Chains do stretch, and they are not truly maintenance free. To each their own, but I firmly maintain timing belts are a very good solution if implemented correctly, and they still do last over a 100,000 miles.

@@summushieremiasclarkson4700 great 👍🏻 points

In a bad way!

Lol

🔥🔥🔥

After watching this, I'm so glad we bought one of the last brand new CX-9s...Got a hell of a deal on it too.

@@hillyard23congratulations, cx-9 was definitely one of the best mazda models made. I remember we were running 2-3k rebates on the cx-9 before they sold out at the dealership, such a steal

Engineered to fail🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Mechanics actually love straight six cylinder engines. Solid, fast and reliable. The downside it's a gas hog.

@@rbyee7571Gas hog? Really? 25mpg combined and 28 highway. I’m averaging 29mpg in my CX90 MHEV.

@@robarmour4062 I'm talking about the old straight six. Grand Cherokee, Supra, FJ cruiser and so on. If this is a new straight six engine, let's see if it's as reliable and built to last type of engine

@@robarmour4062 I have seen those PHEV CX-90s get over 50MPG with the full hybrid system with the 2.5L 4 cylinder.

until its not

Tell that to bmw and Audi, who have timing chain problems all the time.

Yeh bmw e92 n47 engine the worst ever timing chain engine.u dont need to maintain it.coz it fail at around 55,000 miles.

@@areallytallguy I think you said the two magic words on that one.

@@areallytallguy mazdas are way more reliable than both of those car brands period

@@mbenton6 they won’t be if they keep making engines like this.

who said its too complicated. mazda would not have made it if they thought it was too complicated. dont make your decision on one reviewer who was probably paid off

I'm not expecting to get hit by lightning tomorrow....

​@@TheKingOfInappropriateCommentsthis guys plays into people's fears about owning a new car. Mazda is what's next and I am not letting one fake engineer get in the way of that... period. I would trust a Japanese automobile company with top reliability over this guy.

@@mbenton6 Ii have a CX 9. so i hear ya

@@mbenton6 I'll be happy to send you the receipt of the 6 recalls just repaired and the faulty rack and pinion... Buy a Telluride, Palisade, or Grand Highlander... Take my advice.

​@@mbenton6He is simply being realistic from mechanics perspective. Back in WWII the simplicity of the Sherman tanks made it easy to repair by any tank crew in a few hours that was mechanically inclined that could fix a tractor back home. While the Germans tanks over engineering resulted in the tanks being out of commission for days at a time for a repair. By the way below is an interesting video of different mechanic that did head gasket job on a CX-9 and was shocked at how many parts he had to remove to replace the gasket. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j7B9itmqqbaXmmw.htmlsi=r_j_XnSvjn5BjXMG

I wanted one but this review open my eyes, to do simple work I gotta take out the motor. 😢

I want one and here in japan you can get the regular 2.5 skyactive engine and a not hybrid diesel that are actually cheaper than the hybrid.

It's for the original purchaser on select models. The salesman probably fed you a load of shit on that one. It covers internal components of the engine, trans and drive axle. All scheduled maintenance must be performed by team Mazda at the specified mileage or time. Not a big deal Does not cover repairs related to normal wear and tear. This is the rub! Does not cover repairs related to gasket, seal or ring failure. So normal wear and tear is completely subjective and will be the ultimate deciding factor particularly after 100000 Miles. There's a ton of other exclusions like damage from towing etc etc They say that it can't used for uber stuff or delivery but unless you're stupid enough to admit it then they'll never know. That's ridiculous It's a pretty cool warranty. The normal mazda warranty is pretty damn good but i would still buy an extended warranty from Fidelity just before 25,000 miles. That will really cover you for a long time.

Are you serious?

I would love to see verification of this, but can't find anywhere that this vehicle has a lifetime drive train warranty. Mazda USA web site says simple 60k miles or 5 years, whichever comes first. Some Mazda dealerships are offering lifetime warranties, but not sure that these are actually from Mazda corporate and/or free of cost.

@@tdkleffman really?

@@wiredspeaker5658 really what? Why doesn't Mazda advertise this on their website?

At this point mazda cx9 still better choice and reliability than new cx90

Unless the 3rd row is necessary the cx-50 is a better choice in comparison.

Got the last year CX9 and could not be happier. I hope Mazda does not lose its reliability with newer models

@serotonin2456 that's what I thinking. Congratulation of your bullet proof shark 🦈 cx9

I wouldn't doubt if this little inline 6 engine ends up in a sports car yet and that's why they decided to make it a tight fit.

The 2 and 2.5 liter 4 cyclinder are well built and extremely easy to work on. This I6 has none of that. Only time will tell

So your brother averaged 37.5k a year in his car. What does he do to drive so much?

We have 2 Mazdas , first one (Miata) we purchased new in 2000 and only has 47k miles . Second (2014 Mazda -5 ) purchased used in 2016 with 30k miles and currently has 194k. Both cars are working flawlessly with regular maintenance.

Except this car is way more complicated than previous Mazda`s and will be massively expensive to own long term.

im picking mine up in 3 weeks

@@mbenton6 You guys are strong af just picking up SUVs off the ground.

@@s4nder86 ikr, exactly my thinking.

​@@s4nder86😂😂😂. You silly

i am picking mine in next week ❤

Love my 2017 cx9

the hybrid system isn't all that bad. my biggest frustration with it is it turns off the engine way too soon and even some mild braking will turn the engine off and then back on again right away. it's something you can control with the brakes, but it's some getting used to. my biggest beef with it, by far and not mentioned in this video, is the transmission. it's really poor. accelerating feels laggy and very rough in first gear. however, going from a cx-9 to a cx-90 feels the opposite of what was talked in the video. the car is better, definitely more luxurious, roomier, sportier, eats about 30% less fuel, and looks the best in the segment. however, i'm just leasing it, so if troubles occur, they are not my problem 😁

You can buy one without the hybrid

@@DWK33no, even the non-PHEV inline-6 power train uses “mild hybrid” system.

Sure about that?@@DWK33

@@hassansuboh1891even the regular cx90 3.3 turbo??

Some things that he says are opinions. The mechanicals comments are from a professional that repairs vehicles for a living.

Model s is known for handling?? Lmfao… obviously you dont know a dam thing about “handling”, kid.

Whats wrong with rear timing chain?

Ease of repair

@@DJVetz510 It's in the rear, you'll have to pull out the whole engine to check/fix it.

I thought timing chains didn’t need replacing though?

We'll see what happens with this. I'd still buy this with a decent amount of confidence based on the tremendous reliability seen with other Mazda engines recently, including one of my cars. It sucks when things are hard to access, but if they last 200,000 miles with just fluid changes and spark plugs then it's hard to call it a bad design. The 3.5L Ecoboost has an internal water pump, which everyone said would be a nightmare, but yet you hardly ever hear about them failing and plenty of people get those engines to go 200,000+ without tearing anything out of the truck. In the extreme case of Porsche, whose engines are typically very reliable and thoroughly stress tested, yet are about as inaccessible as it gets, you just don't hear very many complaints about the reliability or ownership experience. The problem with BMW and some other German engines is that they often have huge weaknesses AND they are a bitch to work on. But yes I hope the engine people were aware how this would be installed in the cars and paid appropriate consideration to the strength of these components in inaccessible parts of the engine bay. Frankly I'm just happy we have a turbocharged inline-6 from Mazda at all, it's a great engine configuration from a great engine manufacturer.

I just took it off my list to look at

I used to agree and loved this channel and trusted it. But this guy's opinion of the suspension,,/handling and performance of the CX90 is at direct odds to every other review I have watched/read. Most of these other reviews compared 5 or 6 different vehicles in this segment as well, driven back to back. So to me, I think this guy is basing his driving impressions on his own recollection which is always a terrible idea. Because if the last car you drove was a Corolla GR and you jump in a 3 row SUV, of course it's going to feel like garbage!

He usually has a keen eye for assessing and reviewing cars. In this case, ignore his review of the CX-90...

@shawna7813 you have one? How you like it?

Yes, it will be extension of your wallet.

@@meenam300zxlol

They are excellent handling vehicles…I have NO IDEA why he says they handle badly.

Here is something to consider on the PHEV. Can travel 25 miles on EV alone Can travel 25 miles on gasoline (combined city/highway) One battery charge (15 kwh) equals one gallon of gas saved. Now take your last electric bill total (tax and fees included) divide by the Kwh used and that is your Kwh electric cost. Multiply that by 15 and that is the electric cost to charge that battery and save one gallon of gasoline. How much cheaper is it to charge the battery over buying one gallon of gasoline? Is it worth the $4,000 cost for the PHEV option?

That’s not sold in the US and there won’t be a diesel CX70 here

Does it have the same inline 6? If so, that's kinda scary from a maintenance perspective, too.

@@chezzyperson3339 I did not know that. I am based in South East Asia and considering getting the CX-60 inline 6 mild hybrid. From what I can gather, the CX-90 inline 6 shares the same engine as the CX-60, but Mazda says in CX-90, the engine is "specifically retuned". Not sure what changed between those two engines.

I have a CX-5 it is very well made

I have a CX-5 and was considering the Cx-70 but now I will just buy a CX-5 before they "improve" it by adding a hybrid

Past CX9 has been wonderful for me. I was considering this car. But this year 2024 it's a no. Color is gorgeous

I enjoy how Mazda doesn't make everything in their lineup in America. My miata is still made in Japan like my old Acura was. It may be the same parts but American build quality will NEVER compare imo

@@gogeorgia707 Great points! But, after having owned several German brands, what's turning me off from the CX-90 is the additional maintenance complexity, the premium fuel recommendation, combined gas mileage not much more than what my current 2014 Highlander gets, and the fact that it really doesn't have that much more room than my current Highlander. I can appreciate the superior interior quality, but am not sure if that's really a trade off for what I'm looking for in a 3 row which is why I'm a little more skewed towards the Grand Highlander.