Blueprint's early build 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV

[Blueprint]

The developping story disappeared with Autos.ca's server metldown, so some catching up is overdue.

We just put 1,500 km of family vacation time on Big Blue, now sitting at a tad over 22,000 km on the odo after 40 months of ownership. That drive got some ICE juices flowing, and I must say that open, challenging roads like the 169 to Alma or the 170 down the Saguenay Fjord are what this chassis was designed for. Cumbersome in town, but a dancer in the high speed twisties.

Early July, we had another kind of family road trip to lay my Father to rest in his native village in the Gatineau. It was during that trip that airbag-related error messages kept popping up. The dealer traced them to a dirty / loose connexion under the front passenger seat (part of the passenger detection system). They cleaned it and the messaged went for a bit, but once they returned they claimed the wiring harness was too short and it would unplug when the seat was moved to end-of-travel for cargo duty. New part ordered and installed on warranty, no error messages came back.

On our vacation return, I noticed a 2" rip on the side of the driver's seat leatherette... Not something you expect in a 3 y.o. vehicle. Turns out there's a 15 page TSB on that for seat cushion materiel replacement for early builds like ours. We're past the 3 year coverage (that ended last June), but the dealer made a pitch to Mazda. News to follow.

[Johnnymac]

Am I the only one that is sort of surprised that you've had this for 40 months already.  I do remember when you bought it but that feels max like 2 years ago.

Still looking good and it doesn't sound like it has had too many issues considering it's a first year model.  How has the fuel economy been so far?

[GreatBigAbyss]

We looked at a CX-70 version of this the same day we test drove the Rav4. 

The interior was amazing - Even on the lower trim GS-L, it was so much nicer than the top trim Rav4.  In fact, dollar for dollar, we could have probably optioned out a GT trim of the CX-70, and it would have come out a mere $2k more expensive than the Rav4 XSE PHEV.  I'm sure I could have easily negotiated the difference out, as they had a whole bunch of these sitting on the lot. 

However, the powertrain just threw me for a loop.  Routing the EV through the 8-speed transmission just made the car feel clumsy.  You completely lose out on the 'instant EV torque' that the Rav4 PHEV has. 

I have no doubt that the CX-70/90 is a far superior driver on the twisties, unfortunately, these are just not roads that exist where I live.  90% of our driving is in the city, and the other 10% is on the long, flat, straight prairie highways where the better driving dynamics of a CX-70 just wouldn't show up.  This is borne out by your quote in your post: 

Cumbersome in town, but a dancer in the high speed twisties.

I really, really wanted to love the big Mazda, unfortunately, the better interior of the CX-70 wasn't enough to sway me over the ease of use in the city of the Rav4. 

I also had doubts about short term and long-term reliability.  This still a newer platform/drivetrain, where as the Toyota Hybrid System is about as proven as it comes.

[Blueprint]

Am I the only one that is sort of surprised that you've had this for 40 months already.  I do remember when you bought it but that feels max like 2 years ago.

Still looking good and it doesn't sound like it has had too many issues considering it's a first year model.  How has the fuel economy been so far?

Yup, we took delivery of our '24 in May 2023 - first in QC for a PHEV according to our local dealer.

Despite the recent roadtrips, lifetime fuel economy sits at 3.2 L/100 km, and on the EV side of things a pretty lame 40 kWh/100 km. Both cottages we rented in the Saguenay had easy access to an outdoor 120V plug, so I was able to fill-up the battery overnight with the portable charger that came with the Mazda - 1st time we've used it, I think. Repeat charging for regular daily driving at home really helps lowering the need to burn gas. Our vacation stands for 7% of the lifetime mileage, yet the trip computer (never resetted) only went from 3.0 to 3.2 for lifetime fuel economy.

[Blueprint]

We looked at a CX-70 version of this the same day we test drove the Rav4. 

The interior was amazing - Even on the lower trim GS-L, it was so much nicer than the top trim Rav4.  In fact, dollar for dollar, we could have probably optioned out a GT trim of the CX-70, and it would have come out a mere $2k more expensive than the Rav4 XSE PHEV.  I'm sure I could have easily negotiated the difference out, as they had a whole bunch of these sitting on the lot. 

However, the powertrain just threw me for a loop.  Routing the EV through the 8-speed transmission just made the car feel clumsy.  You completely lose out on the 'instant EV torque' that the Rav4 PHEV has. 

I have no doubt that the CX-70/90 is a far superior driver on the twisties, unfortunately, these are just not roads that exist where I live.  90% of our driving is in the city, and the other 10% is on the long, flat, straight prairie highways where the better driving dynamics of a CX-70 just wouldn't show up.  This is borne out by your quote in your post: 

Cumbersome in town, but a dancer in the high speed twisties.

I really, really wanted to love the big Mazda, unfortunately, the better interior of the CX-70 wasn't enough to sway me over the ease of use in the city of the Rav4. 

I also had doubts about short term and long-term reliability.  This still a newer platform/drivetrain, where as the Toyota Hybrid System is about as proven as it comes.

Exactly, it's really clumsy at low speeds, with a lot of whining from the transmission gears, the tranny being right there between the seats with this rwd architecture. I'm starting to find the noise and behavior annoying. Our daily driving is also 90% city, and 10% urban highways, everything flat. The Saguenay has the kind of roads we dream about when reading car mags - everything rises, dips and turns    In rural use, with higher speeds, the EV operation seemed more natural, and the ICE actually makes nice sounds at WOT, some of them doctored of course.

But the RAV4 GR Sport I drove the week prior is eons ahead in EV refinement, and A LOT lighter on its feet. Plus, at less than 20 kWh/100 km, it was twice as efficient as our CX-90. For daily use, a RAV4 PHEV is like an EV, only more efficent and with full ICE support for road trips. So far it's my #1 next family car option for when we're ready to downsize. It might be less enjoyable than the big Mazda out on the open road, but we seldom see that.

[RRocket]

We looked at a CX-70 version of this the same day we test drove the Rav4. 

The interior was amazing - Even on the lower trim GS-L, it was so much nicer than the top trim Rav4.  In fact, dollar for dollar, we could have probably optioned out a GT trim of the CX-70, and it would have come out a mere $2k more expensive than the Rav4 XSE PHEV.  I'm sure I could have easily negotiated the difference out, as they had a whole bunch of these sitting on the lot. 

However, the powertrain just threw me for a loop.  Routing the EV through the 8-speed transmission just made the car feel clumsy.  You completely lose out on the 'instant EV torque' that the Rav4 PHEV has. 

I have no doubt that the CX-70/90 is a far superior driver on the twisties, unfortunately, these are just not roads that exist where I live.  90% of our driving is in the city, and the other 10% is on the long, flat, straight prairie highways where the better driving dynamics of a CX-70 just wouldn't show up.  This is borne out by your quote in your post: 

Cumbersome in town, but a dancer in the high speed twisties.

I really, really wanted to love the big Mazda, unfortunately, the better interior of the CX-70 wasn't enough to sway me over the ease of use in the city of the Rav4. 

I also had doubts about short term and long-term reliability.  This still a newer platform/drivetrain, where as the Toyota Hybrid System is about as proven as it comes.

Exactly, it's really clumsy at low speeds, with a lot of whining from the transmission gears, the tranny being right there between the seats with this rwd architecture. I'm starting to find the noise and behavior annoying. Our daily driving is also 90% city, and 10% urban highways, everything flat. The Saguenay has the kind of roads we dream about when reading car mags - everything rises, dips and turns    In rural use, with higher speeds, the EV operation seemed more natural, and the ICE actually makes nice sounds at WOT, some of them doctored of course.

But the RAV4 GR Sport I drove the week prior is eons ahead in EV refinement, and A LOT lighter on its feet. Plus, at less than 20 kWh/100 km, it was twice as efficient as our CX-90. For daily use, a RAV4 PHEV is like an EV, only more efficent and with full ICE support for road trips. So far it's my #1 next family car option for when we're ready to downsize. It might be less enjoyable than the big Mazda out on the open road, but we seldom see that.

Funny you guys mention this.

My bro has one as a rental (he got rear ended in his Lincoln).

When I asked how it was he said "the transmission seems confused or something".