2024 Mazda CX-90 vs 2024 Lexus TX

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 presented itself as a formidable contender in the luxury SUV market, challenging the traditional dominance of brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Mazda had made significant strides in design and material quality, surpassing its Japanese counterparts such as Honda, Nissan, and Toyota, and edging closer to the luxury offerings of Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus. The CX-90, with its imposing size stretching over 5 metres, featured a striking exterior with a large grille, wide-set front end, and wheels ranging from 18 to 21 inches. The tasteful chrome trim added to its elegance, making it a standout despite its mass. Inside, the top-tier models boasted interiors that could rival the best in luxury, with brown suede upholstery, wood inlays, and matte black plastic bits, offering a sophisticated and non-tacky aesthetic.

In contrast, the 2024 Lexus TX, based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, managed to carve out its own identity as a luxury SUV. While the Grand Highlander resembled a larger RAV4, the Lexus TX exuded an upscale appearance, especially with its 22-inch wheels in the Executive packages. The styling was more conservative compared to other Lexus models, appealing to those who found previous designs too bold. The TX came in various model series, including the TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance, and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid, with prices ranging from $72,036 to $87,486. The TX 350, likely the volume seller, featured a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and standard all-wheel drive, with options for Ultra Luxury or Executive packages. The interior, while luxurious, had a dark tone with the Peppercorn interior and black-grained trim, which some might find too sombre despite the panoramic glass sunroof.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 introduced two new powertrains, marking a significant transformation from its predecessor, the CX-9. The CX-90 offered a plug-in hybrid option and two versions of a new turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid system. The base turbo I6 delivered 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, while the upgraded version in the GT-P and Signature trims increased power to 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque when using premium fuel. All models came with standard all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The CX-90 Signature featured three driving modes: Normal, Sport, and Off-Road, with noticeable differences in behaviour between Normal and Sport modes. The PHEV model, with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, a 17.8-kWh battery, and a 68-kW electric motor, produced 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, offering an all-electric range of 42 kilometres. Despite its larger platform, the CX-90 maintained agility and composure through corners, thanks to its double-wishbone front suspension and transverse engine layout.

The 2024 Lexus TX 350 was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Lexus claimed it could accelerate to 100 km/h in roughly eight seconds, though it felt quicker due to the torque swell. The TX 350's performance was adequate, with a fuel economy rating of 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, according to Natural Resources Canada. During testing, the TX 350 averaged 13.8 L/100 km. The suspension provided a balance between road surface feedback and ride comfort, with commendable body motion control and accurate steering. However, the brake pedal felt too soft, though it was easy to modulate for smooth stops.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 offered a variety of trims and seating configurations, accommodating up to eight passengers in lower trims with three across in the second and third rows. Mid-level trims featured captain's chairs, seating seven, while the Turbo Signature trim had an exclusive six-seat configuration. Cargo space varied slightly depending on the seating arrangement, with models featuring a two-seater third row offering 2,129 litres of total cargo space. The CX-90 improved upon the CX-9's cargo capacity but still fell short compared to competitors like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Clever storage options, comfortable seats, and a panoramic sunroof contributed to a pleasant interior experience.

The 2024 Lexus TX addressed previous shortcomings in Lexus's three-row SUVs. The TX 350 test unit featured premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery, with heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel as standard in Canada. The second-row bench seat was standard, with captain's chairs available in the Executive 6-Passenger package. The third-row seat was habitable for adults, offering more comfort than previous Lexus models. Cargo space measured 572 litres behind the third-row seat, expanding to 1,625 litres with the third row folded and 2,746 litres with the second row down. The TX provided numerous storage options, though some lacked lining, potentially contributing to noise and vibration.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 focused on minimizing distractions with its Mazda Connect infotainment system, which used hard buttons and a rotary control knob instead of a touchscreen. While the intention was to reduce distraction, the setup proved frustrating with its quirks and idiosyncrasies. However, the CX-90 offered personalization software using facial recognition to adjust settings automatically, and it came standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with wireless functionality in higher trims. The rotary controller worked with these systems, but touchscreen controls were available for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2024 Lexus TX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a digital rearview mirror, with additional features like a head-up display, surround-view camera, and semi-autonomous parking assist system in the Executive packages. The Lexus Interface infotainment system included a 14-inch touchscreen display, with a Drive Connect subscription offering cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant with natural voice recognition. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, and the TX offered free 10-year subscriptions to Service Connect and Safety Connect, with Remote Connect free for three years. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system provided impressive sound quality.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 came standard with i-Activsense, Mazda's suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and more. The top-spec CX-90 Signature also featured cruising and traffic support, blending lane-centring with adaptive cruise control. While crash-test ratings were not yet available, the CX-90 was expected to perform well, given the accolades received by the 2023 CX-9.

The 2024 Lexus TX was equipped with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0), which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. Proactive Drive Assist was also part of LSS+ 3.0, providing braking and steering assistance. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a safe exit assist system. The Executive packages offered front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, lane change assist, and traffic jam assist. LSS+ 3.0 proved smooth and effective, though the TX slowed too dramatically when other motorists cut in, causing frustration.