[FRF]

PHEV owners/drivers! how do you compare cabin noise, road noise, wind noise in phew vs turbo S? if anyone has driven grand highlander what are your thoughts regarding comparing it with cx 90 phew. Ive read reviews that GH hybrid max is more powerful in practicality as well compared to cx 90. Any comparison re suspension, says GH is soft on the road , heard cx 90 phew drive is a bit harsh. Please let me know of your thoughts.

 

[bharkey]

Generally, the PHEV is quieter than the inline 6. Mainly because they pump more fake engine sound into the cabin with the i6. We own the PHEV, and had a loaner i6 for 3 weeks, so that’s where my opinion comes from. I felt like the PHEV was more refined overall.

I wouldn’t describe the ride as harsh. I’d say it’s sporty. If you prefer a soft steering feel, super cushy ride, etc, you’d probably be happier with the GH. If you prefer more direct, engaging, and in my opinion fun driving car, get the CX-90.

 

[FRF]

Thanks, did you drive GH hybrid max? Is phev better in gas mileage on highway (long trips) compared to GH 27mpg?

 

[bharkey]

I drove the Grand Highlander Hybrid (with the 2.5L inline 4-cylinder), but not the Hybrid Max (with the 2.4L turbocharged inline 4-cylinder). I felt like the Grand Highlander Hybrid was significantly underpowered and drove like a couch to me. Depends on what you like, but I wasn't crazy about it. Maybe the Max, with the stronger powertrain will feel better?

We took our CX-90 on a long road trip and averaged between 26-28mpg, and that was with a cargo box on top. I'm sure without the cargo box, it would have been even better.

Now that we've got a more balanced mix of driving (some in-town, some highway), we're averaging over 50mpg.

Clearly, I'm biased because I chose the CX-90 over the Toyota. But, drive them both and decide for yourself.

 

[FRF]

Thanks , valuable info

 

[BorisG491]

PHEV owners/drivers! how do you compare cabin noise, road noise, wind noise in phew vs turbo S? if anyone has driven grand highlander what are your thoughts regarding comparing it with cx 90 phew. Ive read reviews that GH hybrid max is more powerful in practicality as well compared to cx 90. Any comparison re suspension, says GH is soft on the road , heard cx 90 phew drive is a bit harsh. Please let me know of your thoughts.

I got the PHEV since this post. I've test driven Turbo S, Turbo, and PHEV back to back to back. And many competitor vehicles in the segment. Here are my thoughts

• The PHEV somehow feels like a more refined package. Torque delivery is more linear, especially in Sport mode. Stop/start is much smoother compared to the 48V system. IMO the 48V system is not production ready. It feels very unrefined off the line with stop/start and certain downshifts like 3-1. Yea you can turn it off, but...
• Suspension feels very close between PHEV and Turbo/S, with PHEV feels a little firmer. When making sharp turns you do feel the extra weight of the PHEV.
• 30mph to 50mph acceleration feels much quicker in PHEV. Sport mode.
• No discernable difference in my test drive between Turbo and Turbo S. (I test drove Turbo PP and Turbo S Premium)
• Noise-wise, PHEV is quieter but the I6 sounds sportier with pumped in intake noise. I think it's cool, others might not.

I also test drove GH Turbo (no hybridmax on the lot). It's Okay. The interior doesn't feel as upscale but is a lot roomier. It's easy to drive, but not engaging. Pick your priority. Also GH has a very long wait. I placed a 500 dollar refundable deposit 2 months ago for a hybridmax limited. I'll have to contact that dealer and get that money back. Also PHEV PP with the 7500 credit is about 5000 dollars cheaper than GH hybrid max limited. Keep that in mind too.

 

[FRF]

Great points, how's GH suspension on harsh surface, bumps? is cx90 quieter than GH, I've heard it has acoustic glass but phev does not.

 

[BorisG491]

Great points, how's GH suspension on harsh surface, bumps? is cx90 quieter than GH, I've heard it has acoustic glass but phev does not.

Suspension is good on both cars. GH is a little on the soft side but not too much body roll when turning. CX90 suspension is a little on the firmer side so you do feel the road imperfections more. I personally prefer the latter, many 3 row buyers might not. NVH-wise, PHEV has an edge imo. In EV mode it's a clear winner. In hybrid mode with engine running, it's slightly better than the GH. The 2.4t in GH can sound pretty coarse at times when pushed hard. Road noise/wind noise, 2 are similar.

I know it sounds cliche at this point, but my take is, if you're a family man, get the GH. If you want to have an engaging and somewhat fun drive when grocery shopping and picking up/dropping off kids, and you don't care too much about 3rd row space, get the cx90. Of course if your wife lets you keep a sports car then you can have a sports car AND a GH but, you get my point.

Additionally, If you have access to cheap electricity (I have 12c/kwh after 7pm and free level 2 charger at work), and your daily commute is made largely of sub 50mph backroad/city driving and doesnt exceed 30 miles total, cx90 phev is a very sensible choice.

 

[FRF]

My drive to work in under 30 miles so phev seems a reasonable choice, however, want to get an idea about the highway drive. if twice a month you drive on highways, 200-300 miles trip, does fuel efficiency reduced a lot? I'm not too much concerned about the third row even on the long trips , but the comfort of ride and quality. If cx-90 phev is not too different in comfort esp ride roughness, noise, on highways compared to GH then would prefer electrified vehicle.

 

[BorisG491]

I would say they're both very comfortable and solidily built.

As for highway FE, I haven't done long trips with the car yet I'll others comment on that. Right now my mpg is at 96. I drove a bit, like 8 miles, on highway in sports mode (engine running) when I took delivery of the car. Mpg was around 22-24 with ev range showing --- (battery almost depleted). Hope that helps.

 

[FRF]

Savage geese just posted their video on cx 90, complained about the suspension stiffness along with some other issues!

 

[c230mike]

Savage geese just posted their video on cx 90, complained about the suspension stiffness along with some other issues!

Just watched the new Savage geese video. He's normally pretty fair and balanced with his reviews. However, from listening to the Mazda engineer interviews prior to his final comments, its clear that some of the things that he has an issue with are "as designed" by Mazda. Mazda doesnt want to produce a cookie cutter vehicle and they're not interested in being another Palasade / Telluride. I agree, if you need space and convenience and dont give a crap about how it drives, go for the Hyundai / Kia. I've always apprecaited the different cars. If he's doing a long term, I bet his opinion change.

 

[FRF]

Fair enough! what's your opinion on stiff suspension and ride of cx 90, do you agree with him ?

 

[c230mike]

Fair enough! what's your opinion on stiff suspension and ride of cx 90, do you agree with him ?

Its stiff, no doubt especially with the 21" wheels. Do I wish they went with 20", yea sometimes, but the 21's are impressive. If the consumer wants soft there's the Grand Highlander, Palasade, Telluride, and even Pilot. I've had Toyotas and yes they have a very soft and compliant ride, but I appreciate driving and performance and Toyota's mainstream vehicles are nothing sort of maddening (IMHO) in this catagory. Our 90 handles just as well or better than my old 2011 BMW E70 X5. Same road feel and considering it was riding on 18" tires, yes the ride was better, but the 90 brings a smile to my face every time on a curvy road. I'm never considered myself the "normal" American automotive consumer, I agree that the ride may turn off people coming from Toyota, Honda, etc. Long and short, I agree its stiff, but that's what I want and I think there are a lot of ex BMW, Mercedes, Audi owners now on this board who have the same appreciation of the 90.

 

[FRF]

Thank you

 

[FRF]

Savage geese just posted a review for grand highlander , they compered this to CX 90 as well, again his complaint is stiff drive for cx 90 and compliment softer ride of GH!

 

[BClarke]

In my opinion, many of his issues are overly petty. People like to complain and the internet amplifies them.

Here are my thoughts on his complaints:

1. No touch screen as standard equipment. He didn't do his research and bought the trim with the smaller, non-touch screen. If it's important to you, buy the bigger screen. Honestly, the Mazda wheel controller is pretty nice because the screen stays fingerprint free and I can more easily control it from my driving position than leaning forward to touch a screen.
2. No memory mirrors. Mazda should have included this on the PHEV, honestly. They do include it on the inline 6 upper trims. Doesn't warrant return of the car, in my opinion.
3. Transmission is not smooth. It gets better as you drive it and it learns your driving style. Go test drive it and see if you like it or not. Keep in mind, he was coming from a Tesla, which has NO transmission, so no shifts.
4. Gas mileage not that great if you only do highway driving. This is not where a PHEV really shines. We went on a road trip and the mpg was equal to or slightly better than the inline 6 mpg. BUT, when we've had an even mix of highway and in-town driving, we get 50mpg or more (even after calculating the cost of electricity to charge).
5. Unable to refuel or open fuel door with car running. Really? This is actual illegal in some states as it's a safety hazard. Also, many newer cars pressurize the fuel system for more efficient fuel injection. That's why you have to hit the button to open the fuel door - so the car can depressurize the fuel system.
6. Shifter design is horrible. Come on now, you're going to return a car because you don't like the shifter. This is REALLY getting nitpicky now.
7. Bottoms of doors collect an unreasonable amount of debris. We went on a vacation where we drove a LOT of miles on dirt road and I noticed this. Haven't noticed it since. I'm installing the splash guards this week to aid in keeping debris from going in there.
8. Lack of power in EV and combined modes. Drive it and see what you think. He's comparing it to his Tesla. This is a big SUV. Put it in Sport mode and you'll definitely feel the horsepower and torque.
9. Windshield wipers cannot be raised without "service mode". This has been standard on european imports for a long time. It's so the wipers are more aerodynamic because they're tucked under the hood. He claims to have owned 50+ cars and has never had a car with this style of wipers?!?
10. Adaptive cruise cannot handle passing in corners. This should be fixed in a software update. All Mazda has to do is tell the system that when the wheel is turned while using adaptive cruise to turn town the sensitivity of the outside sensor. I'm hopeful they'll update.
11. Will switch out of EV mode for no apparent reason. The reason is a heavy load on the climate control, especially air conditioning. The computer is choosing this to maximize total range.
12. Charging daily for 25 miles of range becomes annoying. To each his own. Make your own decision. If you don't charge, then you get 25mpg. If you do, then it's much better. Do I wish it had more range? Sure. But, it's getting FAR, FAR better mpg than the car we replaced.
13. Headrests not comfortable. Test drive it, for goodness sakes. If it doesn't fit you, then buy a different car.
14. No Max AC button. Turn the temp down all the way, and it does that.
15. Cargo space is minimal. If this bothers you, then buy a Telluride and have fun with the underpowered engine and warranty issues. Or a Highlander and it's underpowered engine, 6-12 month wait to buy, and dealer markups. You get my point.

Is the CX-90 perfect. Nope. No car is. But he is really overplaying many of these issues.

Count me in the group of people who are happy with the car.

I love your post, it is clear that he did not do his research, did he even had a test drive. It looks like he bought the car with out seeing and test driving it, which makes no sense.

 

[c230mike]

Savage geese just posted a review for grand highlander , they compered this to CX 90 as well, again his complaint is stiff drive for cx 90 and compliment softer ride of GH!

Just watched the Savage Geese GH video. I like these guys for a no BS review. I think it was spot on. I like that they dont always agree with each other. I think this just proves that Toyota does not make a one size fits all vehicle (even though you can stuff a lot of stuff in the back). We've had two Toyota Sienna minivans in the last 10 years. They were awesome when the kids were smaller and we needed to take the grandparents places or on a long drive, but....I can't tell you how awful these vehicles were to drive. They were devoid of any steering feedback, were atrocious in the snow and ice, and boring as hell. I can't tell you how many times my wife would come home from work complaining about how poorly the Siennas drive. If the GH is truly a minivan ported to a SUV, kudos to the Grand Highlander on its positive merits, but the CX-90 fits our current lifestyle and puts a smile on our face (or at least mine) every time I drive it.

 

[PHEV Vet]

It seems that the Savage Geese guys were saying that the stiffer ride, better handling, and faster acceleration of the CX-90 are not what the 3 row market is looking for. They're saying that the typical buyer of a 3 row SUV is looking for a soft ride, more room, and care little about extra power. Essentially, they're saying the market really desires a minivan that looks like an SUV. That's precisely what the Grand Highlander is, even down to the mechanicals (front wheel drive based with electric motor in the rear like the Sienna). Their criticism for the CX-90 is that it won't sell well because it's designed for people who love to drive.

 

[c230mike]

It seems that the Savage Geese guys were saying that the stiffer ride, better handling, and faster acceleration of the CX-90 are not what the 3 row market is looking for. They're saying that the typical buyer of a 3 row SUV is looking for a soft ride, more room, and care little about extra power. Essentially, they're saying the market really desires a minivan that looks like an SUV. That's precisely what the Grand Highlander is, even down to the mechanicals (front wheel drive based with electric motor in the rear like the Sienna). Their criticism for the CX-90 is that it won't sell well because it's designed for people who love to drive.

I agree with that assessment. Kudos to Mazda for not making another soft cookie cutter SUV (GH /Palasade / Telluride).