New & Used 2026 Mazda CX-90 for Sale nearMerced, CA

Is the 2026 Mazda CX-90 a good car?

Yes — you rate it 5/5, and the expert rating is 6/10. The model scores 8/10 across Look and feel and Safety.

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 is a three-row midsize crossover SUV that aims to give you family-friendly space without giving up a premium look and feel. It is aimed at buyers who want something practical but still enjoyable to drive, and its strong handling helps it deliver on that promise.

The main trade-offs are an unrefined powertrain and a cramped third row. The technology can also be unintuitive, so if you want the most polished family hauler, you may want to compare it carefully against alternatives.

With 43.1% of listings priced as good or great deals, the market gives you a decent chance to find a strong value.

Is the 2026 Mazda CX-90 reliable?

Owners rate it 5/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The CX-90 is described as a vehicle that delivers value for buyers who want a luxury look and feel at a competitive mass-market price. Its turbocharged six-cylinder engine is surprisingly fuel efficient unless you are regularly digging into the power, and the availability of a plug-in hybrid powertrain is rare for the segment.

The dependability picture is mixed in the details: the powertrain is described as uneven, and the overall ownership experience is held back more by refinement issues than by any single major flaw. For used buyers, that means long-term risk is more about living with quirks than expecting a fundamentally fragile SUV.

What should I look for when buying a used 2026 Mazda CX-90?

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 92.7% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

You should still run a history report and prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if you are considering a higher-mileage example or one with optional equipment. Focus on how the cabin controls, powertrain behavior, and ride quality feel in real use, since those are the areas most likely to shape your ownership experience.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base Select trim gets the smaller 10.25-inch display, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the standard driver-assist suite, while higher trims add the larger 12.3-inch screen, wireless smartphone integration, and more upscale equipment. If you want the best value, the trims above Select are the ones that bring the CX-90 closer to its premium mission.
• Powertrain: The standard turbocharged inline-six uses a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and idle-stop technology, while the plug-in hybrid adds an electric motor and battery for electric-only driving. The powertrains are efficient, but the delivery can feel uneven.
• Safety package: Standard equipment includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, safe-exit warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. Premium Sport and higher trims add active blind-spot monitors, head-on traffic avoidance steering assist, Cruising & Traffic Support, and post-collision braking, while Premium Plus adds front cross-traffic alert, automatic intersection braking, automatic rear braking with pedestrian detection, and a surround-view camera system.
• Infotainment: The base trim uses a 10.25-inch display with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while other trims get a 12.3-inch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless smartphone charging. The larger display is touch-sensitive only when using smartphone integration.
• Fuel efficiency: The standard turbocharged six-cylinder is rated at 25 mpg combined, and the plug-in hybrid has 26 miles of electric-only range.

Which 2026 Mazda CX-90 trim should I buy?

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 is offered in 10 trim levels: Select, Preferred, Premium Sport, Premium Plus, Premium Sport, Premium Plus, Preferred, Premium Sport, Premium Plus, and Premium Plus.

Here's the short version:

• Select: This is the entry point, and it gives you the standard safety suite plus the smaller 10.25-inch infotainment display, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. It makes sense if you want the lowest-cost way into the CX-90, but it is the least upscale version.
• Preferred: This trim is part of the more feature-rich lineup and is a better fit if you want the CX-90’s premium character without jumping straight to the top. It is a stronger value choice than the base trim because it moves you closer to the larger-screen, more polished experience.
• Premium Sport: This is where the safety and convenience equipment steps up, including active blind-spot monitors, lane-keep assist, head-on traffic avoidance steering assist, Cruising & Traffic Support, and post-collision braking. It is the trim to target if you want the best balance of equipment and value.
• Premium Plus: This is the most fully equipped version, adding front cross-traffic alert, automatic intersection braking, automatic rear braking with pedestrian detection, and a surround-view camera system with see-through and trailer-hitch views. Choose it if you want the most complete safety and parking package.

The safety package expands meaningfully as you move up the lineup, so higher trims are the ones to consider if driver-assistance features matter most to you.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2026 Mazda CX-90?

Yes — the market leans in your favor right now, especially if you are shopping carefully and comparing condition, equipment, and price.

• Deal availability: 43.1% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 2,003 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 92.7% of listings are accident-free.

Is the 2026 Mazda CX-90 safe?

The 2026 Mazda CX-90 earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and it earns five-star ratings from NHTSA overall, with four-star ratings for driver and front passenger protection in a frontal-impact collision.

It earns an 8/10 safety score from our experts.

Standard driver-assist features include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, safe-exit warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. All but the base Select trim have front and rear parking sensors.

Premium Sport and higher trims also add active blind-spot monitors, lane-keep assist, head-on traffic avoidance steering assist, Cruising & Traffic Support, and post-collision braking. Premium Plus adds front cross-traffic alert, automatic intersection braking, automatic rear braking with pedestrian detection, and a surround-view camera system with see-through and trailer-hitch views.

One caveat is that the steering-assist features are not very sophisticated, so they do not work well in some situations where similar systems in other vehicles do better.

Should I buy a 2026 Mazda CX-90 or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2026 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2026 if:

• 43.1% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 92.7% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• Owners rate it 5/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2026 CX-90 gets minor updates that unify the lineup with wheel, color, and trim changes.

Consider the 2025 if:

• It offers unusual powertrain choices and a stylish, premium-feeling cabin.

The bottom line: If you want the latest version and you value strong safety, good deal availability, and the CX-90’s upscale driving character, the 2026 is the better default choice. If you are shopping more on price and want a similar overall formula, the 2025 is worth a look.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from October 13, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.