The Mazda SUV that makes a BMW X5 look hard to justify

Published Aug 19, 2026, 2:01 PM EDT Adam Gray, a seasoned automotive journalist and content creator from the UK, joined the How-To Geek editorial team in January 2025. As an automotive journalist for How-To Geek, Adam breaks first-to-report news on the latest in automotive tech, as well as penning automotive features and reviews. Adam is also a contributor to one of How-To Geek's sister sites, TopSpeed, where he uses his media accrediation with manufacturers' press offices to gain access to the latest vehicles for subsequent review. Prior to joining How-To Geek, Adam worked on a freelance basis, contributing automotive content to a variety of business and lifestyle publications. His experience also includes time spent serving as senior editorial & auction content manager for SBX Cars, automotive content writer for Supercar Blondie, motoring editor for Portfolio North, and motoring editor - North East for Reach plc. When he's not putting the latest vehicle through its paces or testing out its tech, Adam can be found at his local ice rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC. Adam also enjoys spending quality time with his three children: Ellie, Oscar, and Heidi. BMW's X5 has the badge, the reputation, and the luxury-car credentials, but you don't necessarily have to spend BMW money to get a family SUV that feels genuinely upscale. The Mazda CX-90 takes a different approach, pairing a premium-looking cabin with strong driving dynamics and the practicality of three rows. That doesn't mean the CX-90 is simply an X5 with a Mazda badge. Its appeal is that it delivers many of the things that matter in a family SUV without leaning entirely on the luxury-brand premium. And that's what makes the CX-90 worth a closer look. If you're more interested in how a vehicle feels and works every day than what badge sits on the grille, Mazda's three-row SUV makes a surprisingly strong case. In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from BMW and Mazda, as well as other authoritative sources including CarBuzz and TopSpeed. The CX-90's luxury starts with the way it drives Mazda built it more like a premium SUV Credit: Mazda The CX-90 isn't simply a mainstream SUV dressed up with nicer materials. Mazda built it around a rear-wheel-drive-based platform with a longitudinal engine layout, an approach more commonly associated with rear-drive luxury SUVs. That layout helps give the CX-90 better weight distribution and a more composed ride. Mazda also uses suspension tuning, Kinematic Posture Control, and active brake-based torque vectoring to give the SUV more controlled handling. It's an important part of the CX-90's appeal because its upscale character isn't limited to what you see inside the cabin. The underlying engineering gives this family SUV a more sophisticated feel than you might expect from a mainstream Mazda. The CX-90's cabin does most of the luxury heavy lifting Mazda gets the details right The CX-90's upscale character becomes even more convincing once you get inside. Upper trims bring quilted Nappa leather, genuine open-pore wood trim, a 12.3-inch driver display, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. The attention to materials is backed up by the quieter cabin. Higher trims get extensive sound deadening and standard acoustic glass, helping keep road noise under control and giving the CX-90 the sort of relaxed atmosphere you'd expect from a more expensive SUV. It's not just about loading the cabin with expensive-looking materials, either. The combination of fit, finish, technology, and reduced road noise gives the CX-90 a premium feel without relying on a luxury badge. The CX-90 has the engine to back up its upscale feel Its inline-six is unusual at this price Credit: Mazda The CX-90's powertrain is another area where Mazda has taken a more premium approach. Its 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six produces 280 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque in standard form, while the higher-output S version makes 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft on premium fuel. That engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is standard across the lineup. The combination gives the CX-90 smooth, linear power delivery without resorting to the smaller turbocharged four-cylinder engines found in many mainstream three-row SUVs. Base Trim Engine 3.3L Skyactiv-G 16 Base Trim Transmission 8-Speed Automatic Base Trim Drivetrain All-Wheel Drive Base Trim Horsepower 280 hp @ 5000 rpm Base Trim Torque 332 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined) 24/28/25 mpg Make Mazda Model CX-90 Segment Midsize SUV The inline-six also gives the CX-90 enough power to make it feel like more than just a practical family hauler. That matters for buyers who want an SUV that's capable of carrying a full load of passengers without feeling underpowered.​​​​​​​ The CX-90 is built for actual family life You get three rows without giving up much Credit: Mazda The CX-90 seats up to eight people, depending on configuration, giving families the flexibility that makes a three-row SUV useful in the first place. It also offers up to 5,000 pounds of towing capacity on most gas models, so it's capable of handling more than school runs and grocery trips. That practicality is one area where the CX-90 has a clear advantage over the X5. The X5's third row is more of an afterthought, while the CX-90 gives buyers a genuinely usable third row without moving into a much larger SUV. That makes the CX-90 a more versatile choice for families who need their SUV to do more than carry passengers. You get the flexibility of three rows without giving up the ability to tow when the weekend calls for something more demanding. The price gap is where the CX-90 becomes hard to ignore You're paying less without giving up the essentials Credit: Mazda The 2026 CX-90 3.3 Turbo Select starts at $39,300, while the well-equipped Premium Sport trim is priced around $47,500. Even the range-topping Turbo S Premium Plus stays below $58,000, putting the CX-90 thousands below a comparable X5. That difference becomes more significant when you consider what comes standard. The CX-90 includes all-wheel drive across the lineup, while BMW charges extra for it on the X5's entry-level configuration. For a family buyer, that makes the CX-90's value proposition fairly straightforward. You're getting a three-row SUV with a premium cabin, an inline-six engine, standard all-wheel drive, and genuine driving character without starting at the much higher price of the BMW.​​​​​​​ The Mazda CX-90 makes a BMW X5 harder to justify You don't need the luxury badge to get a premium family SUV The CX-90 doesn't match the X5 in every respect, and buyers who specifically want the BMW badge or its particular luxury experience will still have reasons to spend more. But for families looking for an upscale SUV with strong performance, three rows, and a well-finished cabin, Mazda covers a lot of ground for considerably less money. The important point isn't that the CX-90 is a BMW X5 in disguise. It's that Mazda has focused on the parts of the luxury-SUV experience that matter most in everyday driving while avoiding the price that comes with a premium badge. For buyers who care more about what their SUV delivers than the name on its grille, that's a compelling proposition. The X5 remains the more obvious luxury choice, but the CX-90 makes spending thousands more on that choice much harder to justify.