Forget The Audi Q5 — This Japanese SUV Feels Way More Luxurious

12 minutes reading

Friday, 7 Aug 2026 15:00 0 6 autotech

Gone are the days when the height of luxury in an SUV had to be made by a German brand like Audi, BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes-Benz. The class divide in the market has narrowed dramatically today, and the brands that once were known for their budget-friendliness, affordable running costs, and basic features are now more than plush enough to take on the Europeans. This Mazda SUV is more affordable to buy and run than the new Audi Q5, and it has all the right features to challenge it in terms of comfort, refinement, and style.

Table of Contents

Luxury Isn’t Just About The Badge

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The Mazda CX-90 Feels More Premium Than You’d Expect

Front 3/4 action shot of 2026 Mazda CX-90 driving on road

Mazda has gone from being one of the auto world’s best sports-car makers to delivering SUVs that truly take on the might of American and European luxury, and the 2026 Mazda CX-90 is its defining model.

There are six trims of the new mid-size, three-row CX-90: the 3.3 Turbo Select, the 3.3 Turbo Preferred, the 3.3 Turbo Premium Sport, the 3.3 Turbo Premium Plus, the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Sport, and the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus. Prices range from $39,300 for the base model up to $57,570 for the 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus.

An Upscale Cabin That Rivals European Luxury SUVs

2026 Mazda CX-90 interior view drivers side

Because the cabin is the place you spend all your time when driving, for an SUV to be considered a luxury one, it has to be impeccable. Even in the sub-$40,000 CX-90 base trim, though, Mazda more than delivers. The entry-level model gets black leatherette upholstery with soft-touch materials; the Preferred is noticeably more refined, with real leather seating; and the Premium Sport introduces a more distinctive black or greige interior with suede-like inserts.

Things go even further in the Premium Plus, thanks to genuine Nappa leather, while the Turbo S models again raise the bar with exclusive tan or white Nappa leather, authentic maple wood trim, woven fabric dashboard accents, and finely finished metallic detailing.

Every grade also benefits from a very tight fit and finish, supportive front seats that are made for long hauls, and a driving position that feels genuinely premium. Even the third row and cabin touchpoints reflect a supreme eye for detail.

J.D. Power rates the new CX-90 77 out of 100 for driving experience, and owner reviews on Kelley Blue Book rate it 3.9 out of 5 for comfort and 4.2 out of 5 for styling. These may not be the outright highest ratings for a three-row SUV, but when you consider the actual features you get and the price of the entry-level models, you’d be hard-pressed to find much competition.

A Smooth Inline-Six Powertrain Adds To The Experience

Then there is the powertrain. The non-luxury-brand market has, for the most part, moved away from anything with more than four cylinders under the hood, and we are more used to seeing inline-sixes, V6s, and V8s in more expensive models. However, Mazda has bucked that trend and offers two different inline-six options for the new CX-90 lineup.

All models with “Turbo” in the name get a 3.3-liter turbocharged mild-hybrid inline-six paired with an eight-speed auto and standard-fit i-Activ AWD. This powertrain is good for 280 horsepower at 5,000 to 6,000 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 to 3,500 rpm, and can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Close-up shot of 2025 Mazda CX-90 badging

CX-90 Turbo S models are also equipped with a 3.3-liter turbocharged mild-hybrid inline-six paired with the same transmission and AWD rig, but power is noticeably stronger at 340 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 369 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm. With this powertrain, you do have to use premium gas instead of regular gas to get the most out of it, but you can also tow up to 5,000 pounds.

0–60 mph times of 7.4 seconds have been recorded for the Turbo models, while the Turbo S models have been recorded at between 6.3 and 6.7 seconds. Not bad for something with three rows, really.

The Mazda CX-90 Brings Luxury SUV Qualities Without The Luxury Price

Front 3/4 shot of 2026 Mazda CX-90 parked

The new CX-90 looks good as a standalone model, but when you compare it to the Audi Q5, it makes even more sense. Firstly, there is the huge price difference; Audi says that the new Q5 has a starting price of $52,800, and a top-end starting price of $60,700 for the Prestige TFSI Quattro S tronic.

You do get Quattro AWD as standard, a seven-speed DCT, and a number of sporty, prestigious-looking details in and around the cabin, but the CX-90 is no ugly duckling, and you still get i-Activ AWD in the Mazda. Then there is the engine. The new standard Q5 is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four good for 268 horsepower and 295-pound-feet, which translates to a 0–60 mph time of around 5.8 seconds.

Front action shot of 2026 Audi Q5 driving on road

On paper, that is noticeably quicker than the top-tier CX-90, but outright acceleration is not everything. Mazda’s turbo-six is smoother, quieter, has effortless low-end torque, and is more refined in the way it builds speed, which is ultimately more fitting of an SUV aiming to rival the luxury establishment.

The CX-90 Costs $5,600 Less To Own Over Five Years Than The Audi Q5

Front action shot of 2025 Mazda CX-90 driving on road

On top of the initial outlay, there is then what you have to pay to keep the Q5 on the road compared to the CX-90. Both the CX-90 and Q5 have been given a “C” value rating by CarEdge, but the Q5 is estimated to cost you, on average, $63,950 to own over five years, while the CX-90 is estimated to cost you $58,338 over the same time.

The CX-90 will lose up to $27,162 to depreciation over five years, while the Q5 will lose up to $29,438. Insurance for the CX-90 is $11,325 over five years, whereas it is $13,120 for the Q5; interest payments total $7,972 for the CX-90 compared to $8,445 for the Q5, while $4,061 in maintenance costs for the Q5 far out-prices the $2,639 it will cost you for the CX-90.

Rear shot of 2025 Mazda CX-90 parked on driveway

Despite having two fewer cylinders and only marginally quicker sprint times, the new Q5 is also more expensive to fuel. FuelEconomy.gov says the 2026 Q5 can achieve 24 combined mpg (21 mpg city/29 mpg highway) and will cost you an estimated $3,150 for gas a year.

FuelEconomy.gov estimates that the CX-90 Turbo models can achieve 25 combined mpg (23 mpg city/28 mpg highway) and will cost you $2,450 a year for gas, while the Turbo S models can achieve the same, but using premium gas means you spend $3,050 a year.

More Space Means More Comfort Than The Audi Q5

Shot of 2026 Mazda CX-90 interior showing front cabin

For less money, the CX-90 also offers an extra row of seating and more space inside than the Q5. The 2026 Audi Q5 is a two-row SUV with seating for up to five people. You get 38.2 inches of front headroom and 40.9 inches of front legroom, 37.8 inches of second-row headroom and 38 inches of second-row legroom, and a maximum cargo capacity of 56.9 cubic feet of storage space.

The CX-90 has three rows of seating as standard. You can opt for a bench seat for seating of up to eight, or second-row captain’s chairs for seating up to seven. Up front, you get 39.7 inches of headroom and 41.7 inches of legroom; in the second row, you get 39.3 inches of headroom and 39.4 inches of legroom; and in the third row, you get 36.9 inches of headroom and 30.4 inches of legroom. The CX-90 also has up to 75.2 cubic feet of storage space with the two rear rows folded down.

Premium Features Without The Premium Price Tag

Close-up shot of 2026 Mazda CX-90 center console

Despite the non-luxury reputation of Mazda, the cabin in the CX-90 also gets a good offering of tech that you’d expect to find in something with a more expensive badge. The base trim gets a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a seven-inch digital driver’s display, wireless phone charging, and a power liftgate. The Preferred gets a 12.3-inch fully digital cluster, built-in navigation, and a 12-speaker Bose audio rig.

The Premium lives up to its name even more with a windshield-projected Active Driving Display HUD, a 360-degree View Monitor with See-Through View, front and rear parking sensors, and Driver Personalization System, which automatically adjusts driving position to suit whoever is sitting behind the wheel. The Turbo S models also get all of this gear, and when you add the extra power from the powertrain, you get the full luxury package: style, intuitive and usable tech, power, and refinement.

The CX-90 Proves Luxury Doesn’t Require A Luxury Badge

Front 3/4 shot of 2026 Mazda CX-90 parked on driveway

The biggest surprise isn’t that Mazda has built a genuinely premium SUV; it is that it has done so without abandoning the qualities that made people buy Mazdas in the first place. Too often, we see brands chasing the luxury market by piling on bigger wheels, gaudier styling, and endless screens, only to forget what actually makes a vehicle enjoyable to live with. The new CX-90 takes a different approach: it gets the basics right first, and then layers in the premium touches.

Mazda hasn’t chased the overly firm, sporty setup that some luxury SUVs mistake for sophistication. The double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension are well-tuned, while Kinematic Posture Control keeps body movements in check through corners; the i-Activ AWD system delivers grip in the wet, and Mi-Drive selectable drive modes let you tailor throttle, suspension, and steering responses.

The big shift in today’s SUV market means that luxury is becoming less about exclusivity and more about execution. We are all taking a closer look at different things than we were a decade ago, and now ask whether the interior will still feel good after three years, whether the powertrain will be smooth enough for the daily commute, and whether the costs outweigh the prestige of the badge. These are the areas where the CX-90 punches well above its weight and proves that genuine premium quality isn’t defined by where a vehicle comes from.

That is why the new CX-90 feels like such a smart alternative to the established European players. Rather than trying to out-badge them, it simply concentrates on delivering a premium ownership experience where it counts. In a modern SUV market where we all scrutinize value more than ever, Mazda’s strategy with the CX-90 makes a lot more sense than relying on heritage alone. A recent TopSpeed review of the new CX-90 sums it up nicely.

The Japanese automaker has proven how far one can stretch the value proposition by designing and engineering its automobiles to look, feel, and drive like a much more expensive vehicle while keeping them affordable.