The steering weight was really heavy as soon as I got behind the wheel of our long-term 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV. It’s a little strange for a family SUV with three rows of seats. It’s exactly what I’d expect from a Mazda.
Mazda, unlike most car companies today, still uses a single standard for steering effort, so the calibration of its steering ranges. The CX-90 has Normal and Sport drive modes, but the steering feel, ratio, and everything else stay the same. This makes them different from most other brands, whose Normal or Comfort mode gives you a mild feel while their Sport mode intentionally steps things up. Even though Mazda has supported this idea for a long time, there is nothing especially strange about this. Is there a well-known OEM that does the same thing? For Porsche.
I like the stability that comes from having only one steering choice most of the time. Most of the cars whose steering we suggest don’t have more than one mode, so get it right the first time and don’t let the customer make a mistake. It also makes sense from the point of view of safety. When you really need to get somewhere fast, you want the steering to work just the way you believe it should. But that point is a bit too negative because, even though steering calibration can vary quite noticeably, it’s usually not too hard to get your bearings and figure out what to do with the wheel in an emergency.
But where am I going with this? There might be a middle ground between the heavy steering of the Mazda CX-90 sports car and the very light handling of a car like the Hyundai Palisade. Mazda seems serious about getting a bigger share of the three-row SUV market, judging by how much new tech went into the CX-90. Because of this, having different driving modes, like most cars do, would be helpful.
But I don’t like how hard it is to lock-to-lock the CX-90 in small parking lots or when backing out of my garage. I like how heavy and precise the steering is on a winding interstate on-ramp. That’s exactly what I want in a Miata or a more sporty Mazda 3. What about a plug-in hybrid family car with three rows of seats? If it means I can make three-point turns, I’m willing to give up a little driving “purity.”
In this case, it would be best to let the driver change the turning effort through the driving mode. Yes, I know. Very creepy! For those of us weirdos who back Mazda’s goal of making fun-to-drive cars in all segments, the “Sport” steering mode is the best way to go. On the other hand, there is a “Normal” setting that makes it easier to stop at slower speeds for people who got their CX-90 in some other way, maybe thanks to a great idea from another car fanatic (I would use it sometimes, too). Since no one expects a car this big to drive like a sports car, Mazda might think about easing up on its rules for this event. I’d like to know how the CX-90’s handling can be changed. However, I will continue to enjoy how quick, strong, and accurate the turning is on our long-termer for now. Tests show that no other three-row SUV in its price range comes close to being as fulfilling.
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