Mazda CX-90 vs. Kia Telluride: 3-Row Crossover Comparison Test

• The Kia Telluride has been Edmunds' top-rated three-row family SUV for years.
• But the all-new Mazda CX-90 is coming in hot with its sophisticated design and honed driving dynamics.
• Which one will claim the top spot in this comparison test?

The Kia Telluride: Miss Popularity

Since its debut in 2019, the Kia Telluride has won over consumers with its rugged good looks, smooth powertrain, intuitive tech and excellent value. As part of a midcycle refresh for 2023, the three-row crossover also received a bit of an off-road-minded upgrade, the new X-Pro trim shown here. It features all-terrain tires, a bit more ground clearance, standard all-wheel drive and augmented cooling for more towing capacity. Like all other 2023 Tellurides, there’s also a revised front fascia and grille, as well as redesigned lights front and rear.

Under the hood is the same well-mannered naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine as before, pushing out 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain is smooth and capable, but it’s neither thrilling nor particularly efficient. The Telluride is built more for practical kid-hauling than driving enjoyment. With room for up to eight occupants, the Telluride can be had with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat.

The Telluride’s cabin is upscale, with soft-touch materials and fit and finish that belie its starting price point of $37,255 (including $1,365 for destination). A crisp 12.3-inch touchscreen features an intuitive user interface along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. (Curiously, AC and AA require wired connections in high-end models with built-in navigation systems.) There’s even a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Active safety features are abundant, including standard blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance and forward collision warning. Highway Driving Assist — adaptive cruise control with lane centering — is also on the menu, as is a clever camera system that displays what’s in your blind spot in the gauge cluster when a turn signal is activated. In all, the Kia Telluride is a very complete, very tough package to beat.

The Mazda CX-90: The new kid

Mazda has played in the three-row crossover space for years with its CX-9, but this new CX-90 model adds more than just a “0” at the end of its badge. This SUV is truly all-new, including its platform and powertrains. It features a much more sophisticated design including wider fenders and fluid lines, done up here in a stunning Artisan Red paint job. Mazda puts a premium on driving enjoyment and outright performance more than nearly any other non-luxury brand, and the CX-90’s exterior design displays that streamlined athleticism, leaving the more boxy Telluride behind.

Our CX-90 tester sports a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic. A full-on plug-in hybrid powertrain is also available for the frugal, but even if you opt for this inline-six, there’s still a mild hybrid assist for nominally improved efficiency. Unusually for the class, the Mazda’s all-wheel-drive system is biased toward the rear wheels, injecting a skosh of fun into the driving experience. You can get a CX-90 with room for six, seven or eight people.

Mazda has been turning out some knockout interior designs as of late, this CX-90 included. However, the company falls behind Kia when it comes to ease of infotainment and thoughtful cabin tech. The CX-90 has a large 12.3-inch display and is wirelessly compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unfortunately, the native control-knob user interface is cumbersome and frustrating to use. The Mazda also has many of the same advanced driver assist systems features as the Telluride, but for the most part, they are executed better in the Kia. The 2024 CX-90 starts at $40,970 including $1,375 for destination.

The matchup

Of course, we didn’t test the base models, we went with top-shelf trims to test out all their tech and luxury goodies to see what’s worth your hard-earned dollars. Watch our video to find out the retail price of our testers and to see how they compare in cargo space, third-row roominess and driving performance. Oh, and you might just happen to find out when one of us is given unfettered access to a can of spray cheese.

Edmunds says

Both the Kia and the Mazda are versatile family SUVs boasting surprising luxury and tech smarts. Each go about their missions very differently, however, and in the end, there can only be one winner.