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8 Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>30</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Incorporating<br />
best motorbuys<br />
www.drivesouth.co.nz<br />
Premium CX-90 joins Mazda’s ranks<br />
Motoring with Bob Nettleton<br />
MAZDA HAS launched a twopronged<br />
attack on our medium<br />
and large SUV market with its<br />
new CX-60 and CX-90, a couple<br />
of genuine standouts that should<br />
have their rivals worried.<br />
The CX-90 is a worthy flagship<br />
that’s wider, longer, and more aggressively<br />
proportioned than any<br />
current Mazda. Joining Mazda’s<br />
respected SUV range, these two<br />
are the first products to launch<br />
off Mazda’s new Large Product<br />
platform, bringing fresh new designs<br />
paired with highly efficient,<br />
electrified power trains.<br />
Both the CX-60 and the CX-<br />
90 are the most important new<br />
models for Mazda in a generation.<br />
Easily the largest and most<br />
imposing model is the highly<br />
specified $92,990 CX-90 Takami<br />
inline six being evaluated here,<br />
amidst claims about it using<br />
less fuel and producing fewer<br />
emissions from a fair lump of an<br />
engine.<br />
The CX-90 is offered exclusively<br />
with Mazda’s most powerful<br />
production engine ever – a<br />
3.3L inline six-cylinder motor<br />
featuring 48V mild-hybrid assist<br />
technology. Engines of this type<br />
and size are almost a throw back<br />
to the 1980s and 1990s, to the<br />
large Ford and Holden Aussie<br />
sixes back then. Of course those<br />
motors and this newcomer have<br />
absolutely nothing in common,<br />
apart from similar engine capacities.<br />
The CX-90 motor is a totally<br />
different beast, with 254kW of<br />
power and heaps of low speed<br />
heft thanks to 500Nm of torque.<br />
Not surprisingly it’s easily outpointed<br />
in just about every direction<br />
on the performance compass<br />
by this mighty new sophisticated<br />
and refined six. It’s a highly<br />
accomplished and well-crafted<br />
motor in real-world driving, and<br />
a class standout for smoothness<br />
and refinement that not only<br />
equals, but also betters a number<br />
of more costly rivals. This is one<br />
of the most relaxing, yet responsive,<br />
large, luxury SUVs I have<br />
driven in the $100k price bracket,<br />
with excellent low-speed throttle<br />
Ratings out of 10: Performance 8; Handling 7; Build<br />
Quality 8; Comfort 8; Passenger and Load Space 8; Value<br />
for money 8; Road test avg consumption 10.2L /100km;<br />
Safety – ANCAP crash rating 5 star.<br />
Overall points out of 10: 8<br />
response and pulling power.<br />
This new generation motor has<br />
a new polished gear-changing<br />
companion in the form of a<br />
freshly developed 8-speed automatic.<br />
That’s two extra ratios<br />
than the long serving 6-speed<br />
automatic that’s still a mainstay<br />
current Mazda range.<br />
The CX-90 Takami offers<br />
voluminous amounts of people<br />
and load space and 7-seat versatility.<br />
Mazda have got the luxury<br />
detailing right with a 12-speaker<br />
Bose surround sound system,<br />
360 View Monitor camera system<br />
plus Adaptive LED Headlights<br />
with glare-free high beam. Black<br />
Nappa leather trim with heated<br />
and ventilated front seats and<br />
bright roof rails give the CX-90<br />
a good nudge even further up<br />
Quality St.<br />
Mazda i-Activsense safety<br />
throws an all-encompassing<br />
security blanket around the vehicle’s<br />
occupants, with 10 airbags<br />
Radar Cruise Control and Blind<br />
Spot Monitoring with vehicle exit<br />
warning function. The system<br />
isn’t done there, with a driver<br />
fatigue Monitoring camera and<br />
a Lane-keep Assist System with<br />
Departure Warning.<br />
For its size and weight, body<br />
roll is well disciplined and<br />
managed even when travelling<br />
briskly over undulating roads.<br />
The all-wheel drive system brings<br />
commendable stick ability and<br />
tenacity to the road holding and<br />
handling party.<br />
Mazda sets a high benchmark<br />
for consistently communicative<br />
and nicely weighted steering, and<br />
this vehicle delivers. I admire<br />
how the CX-90 intelligently<br />
blends exceptional luxury, space,<br />
pace, ride and road holding, to<br />
create one of the most convincing<br />
large premium luxury seven seat<br />
SUVs on our market.<br />
Vaughan Pirie<br />
owner operator<br />
027 565 5577<br />
vpbaeries@gmail.com<br />
www.vpbaeries.co.nz<br />
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