New Mazda CX-90 will arrive as performance-oriented plug-in hybrid

LOS ANGELES: Ahead of its world premiere in January 2023, Mazda North American Operations has announced the first-ever CX-90 will be available in the United States as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

While this is Mazda's first plug-in hybrid in the US, the three-row CX-90 PHEV is expected to maintain the responsiveness, performance, and driving dynamics that define Mazda vehicles.

This all-new e-Skyactiv powertrain, tuned specifically for the North American market, will provide customers with the best of both worlds in terms of performance and efficiency, said Mazda.

The announcement was accompanied by a teaser image showing the slim rear taillights of the CX-90 and the suggestion that the charging port is on the right side of the large SUV.

The CX-90 will use the same rear-wheel drive platform as the European CX-60 and will be engineered to accommodate the same powertrain architecture.

It could rely on the CX-60's 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 323hp/500Nm or a 3.3-litre inline six with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system in some markets making 280hp/450Nm.