Mazda has confirmed that the its new CX-90 flagship will be offered as a plug-in hybrid in the United States upon its arrival in 2024.
Due to make its global debut next month, the seven-seater CX-90 will replace the CX-9 as the Japanese marque’s premium SUV and join the all-electric MX-30 on the North American line-up. The CX-90 will also be Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid model to be launched in the US, as confirmed by a teaser image that accompanied the announcement.
The latest teaser shows the svelte, passenger-side taillamp – in-keeping with Mazda’s ‘Kodo’ design language – and the blue-accented ‘e-Skyactiv PHEV’ badge representing the powertrain “tuned specifically for the North American market.”
This is the second image Mazda has released of the CX-90, the first of which appeared in November and previewed a new paint called ‘Artisan Red’ – exclusive to Mazda’s more premium models – and an ‘Inline6’ badge, the latter a reference to, what is expected to be, a new 3.0-litre, turbocharged six-cylinder engine. The CX-90 will also boast “wider, longer, and more aggressive proportions” than any other model currently on Mazda’s lineup.
Though the brand confirms the hybrid drivetrain will boast “the best of both worlds in terms of performance and efficiency,” no further details have been provided. Chances are high though that, like the smaller CX-60 that was launched in Europe last year, the CX-90 will sit on Mazda’s Skyactiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture and forego the new six-cylinder in favour of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder that’s mated with a 134 hp electric motor.
The European CX-60 comes equipped with a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery that’s good for 39.15 miles (56 km) of pure electric running, though it’s possible a larger example has been earmarked for the CX-90. Similarly, the CX-60’s 327 hp and 369 lb ft of torque outputs are also expected to be higher in the larger model.