With gas prices remaining elevated, with national averages above $4 per gallon for most of the year, hybrids have become all the rage.
In the first half of 2026, 22% of shoppers said they would consider a hybrid vehicle, which was up from 20% in 2025, according to Kelley Blue Book
. So, with great interest, I drove the 2026 Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid for a week to see whether it deserves its U.S. News & World Report Best Midsize Plug-In Hybrid SUV for Road Trips and Best Midsize Plug-In Hybrid SUV for Camping awards.The Mazda CX-90 was also named a Top Safety Pick Plus by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and it received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 5-Star Overall Safety Rating award.
The Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid
I tested is the Premium Plus, which is the highest trim model of the popular three-row SUV, and it starts at a little under $59,000. Entry-level trims of the plug-in hybrid SUV start at a little over $50,000. I've recently tested other similarly sized hybrid models, including Kia Telluride hybrid and Toyota Grand Highlander hybrid.
Here's what I learned from a week of real-world testing behind the wheel of Mazda's popular three-row hybrid SUV.
What to know about the 2026 Mazda CX-90
The Mazda CX-90 stands out for its sleek exterior, luxurious interior features, and smooth handling on roads and highways. The vehicle is available in six exterior colors, including the Deep Crystal Blue Mica model I tested. The CX-90 has two interior color options, including the griege leather model I drove.
During testing, the CX-90's interior and cargo area felt spacious for daily driving needs. I also enjoyed the CX-90's wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth connectivity. Its 12.3-inch infotainment screen seemed perfect for a modern car. But it sat high on the dashboard and had limited touchscreen functionality. Most of the CX-90's entertainment features had to be controlled with a center console knob.
I drove the CX-90 more than 100 miles during my week of testing. I put it through its paces on flat interstate highways, suburban streets, and roads with winding hills and tight corners. It handled each terrain with ease.
How does the 2026 Mazda CX-90 drive?
The Mazda CX-90 accelerated quickly, even on steep hills, and handled tight curves well on two-lane roads. It felt powerful when needed and nimble when agility was required.
The CX-90 gets an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 27 mpg of combined city and highway between its gas engine and electric battery. The agency says the CX-90 hybrid gets more than 500 miles of total range. The model I tested showed 360 miles of total driving range on a full tank of gas. The car said it was averaging 25 mpg on gas and 5.0 miles-per-kilowatt hour on electricity.
I took the Mazda CX-50 to a Jolt public charging station to see how long it would take to charge and how much it would boost the vehicle's mileage. It took me two hours to fully charge the battery in one session. With the battery fully charged, the vehicle said I had 310 miles of range overall, and only 27 miles of that range were on the battery.
It cost me $4 to charge the CX-90 hybrid, but the charge took two hours and 6 minutes. That made me question whether I would have been better off visiting a nearby gas station instead, even with the current high pump prices.
The CX-90 is powered by a 2.5-liter gas engine and a 68-kilowatt electric motor. Mazda said the model I tested produces 323 horsepower.
The top-level trim CX-90 model I tested came with 21‑inch alloy wheels and premium Nappa leather seats that can be heated on the first two rows. The first-row seats can also be cooled. It also had a Bose Premium Audio system with 12 speakers.
Will the 2026 Mazda CX-90 fit your lifestyle?
The Mazda CX-90 I tested is more than 200 inches long, about 78 inches wide (excluding the mirrors), and over 68 inches tall.
It also came with built-in navigation and Wi-Fi, several Amazon Alexa services, and the MyMazda application and Mazda Connected Services, which let drivers start the car and adjust temperatures from their phones.
The CX-90 is also equipped with safety features such as auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and lane-keep assist.
The vehicle I tested offered more than 46 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. Even with the third-row seats up, the CX-90 offered nearly 16 cubic feet of cargo package. With both the second and third rows folded, the CX-90 offers more than 75 cubic feet of cargo space.
The CX-90 can comfortably fit up to seven passengers. The model I tested had a split second-row bench, with folding seats for third-row access. It offered more than 41 inches of legroom for front-row passengers. Second-row passengers get over 39 inches of legroom. Third-row passengers get more than 30 inches of legroom.
Is the 2026 Mazda CX-90 worth it?
The 2026 Mazda CX-90 hybrid's price is right in line with the average price of a new car, which was $52,331 in September 2026, according to market data compiled by Cloud Theory's MotoMiner platform and USA TODAY Co.'s LocaliQ Automotive.
I enjoyed testing the CX-90 Premium Plus model. The car was fun to drive, and I loved exploring its modern features. I also appreciated the CX-90's efficiency as I drove past gas stations that were charging over $4 a gallon. But I questioned whether it was worth spending 2 hours at a public charger to get under 30 miles of electric driving.
If I were shopping for a hybrid three-row SUV today, I'd likely choose a regular hybrid like the Kia Telluride or Toyota Grand Highlander so I could get over 500 miles of total driving range without the hassle of charging.
The CX-90 competes in the mid-size three-row SUV segment with models such as the Toyota Grand Highlander, Kia Telluride, Ford Explorer Hybrid and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.
Should you buy the Mazda CX-90 hybrid?
The 2026 Mazda CX-90 hybrid has a sticker price that may make price-conscious shoppers recoil, with a starting point over $50,000, but it is comparable to other vehicles of its size that are in modern showrooms. That plus the included technology makes it a potential option for buyers seeking an efficient mid-size three-row SUV, with its sturdy handling, distinctive styling, and modern features.
But even with high prices everywhere in the auto sector these days, there are better options than the Mazda CX-90 in the segment that can get you the excellent mileage of hybrid driving without the slow-charging hassles.
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on the National Trending Desk at USA TODAY. Contact Keith at klaing@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Would I recommend the Mazda CX-90 Plug-In Hybrid? Probably not
