I am in the process of leasing a new PHEV or pure EV 3-row SUV for our family of four in mid-west!
I have identified two vehicles of choice:
2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Prem Plus $59K MSRP - I have been offered $438+tax with 1,500 DAS - Lease terms is 33 months/10K miles
2025 Kia EV9 Land AWD - $72K MSRP - I have negotiated with a dealer for $525+tax with 1,500 DAS - Lease terms is 24 months/10K miles
I am trying to decide which one to go as this will be our first pure EV/PHEV experience. Obviously, CX-90 is a cheaper option but Kia offers more features and seems more family friendly by offering more space but never test drove either so cannot assess this completely.
I welcome input from people who leased either vehicle and thanks for your time.
Fugi
I currently have the Mazda but I had an EV9 on pre-order and decided to skip when my order was available with the first batch of cars coming in. EV9 is quicker and the EV powertrain is silky smooth compared to the Mazda. Third row is also more spacious if you regularly carry people there.
I ended up with the Mazda because we do frequent ski trips to the mountains here in Colorado and the winter range in the EV9 was going to be an obstacle that we would need to plan around. While the transmission in the Mazda can have occasional jerky shifts at slow speeds and the suspension can feel harsh with the stock 21 inch wheels, it eliminates the stress over winter range for long distance driving. It handles really well for its size, interior has a high quality feel, and the trunk is huge. During the week 100% of driving is on EV since it reliable gets over 20 miles on a full charge. Premium Plus also comes with all the equipment that I personally wanted (360 camera, ventilated seats, premium audio etc). Living in a place with cold winter months, I would recommend getting the Mazda especially if it’s going to be your first EV/PHEV and you might take 100+ mile trips on a regular basis.
Before going anything further, why not spend an hour or so going to test drive the vehicles? Why put the investment without a little effort to ensure you like the vehicle.
Appreciate all the responses! You have a valid point mate! I am about to sell our family car so kind of in a rush to complete deals before the month ends! Test drive is good and everything but I just wanted to hear some feedback from people who actually owns the vehicles for a while.
I haven’t owned either, but I’ve helped family members hack both a CX-70 (essentially same as CX90) and an EV9. Each family member likes their decision, but I think a lot has to do with your needs.
Setting aside one being a BEV and other PHEV for a moment, as others have mentioned, EV9 is a bit more spacious if you utilize the 3rd row frequently. I’ve also heard there is some wonkiness with CX-70/CX-90 transmission with regard to how Mazda engineered it, which is why its prob important for a test drive.
Other than that, it comes down to preferences and how equipped you are to handle BEV (access to charging, planning with long road trips, etc) vs wanting optionality of PHEV.
Finally, with regards to the offers. I haven’t been following these vehicles too closely – you’ll need to post calculators so folks can actually assess. How do the offers compare to what you can get in marketplace or vs those posted on signed?
