The 2024 Mazda CX-90 debuted almost three months ago putting the Japanese automaker in (near) premium waters where the competition is fierce. Our first impressions of the SUV were very positive and today, we can see how it compares against two of its direct rivals. In a new drag race, the CX-90 meets the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
The video attached at the top of this page comes courtesy of Throttle House and introduces us to the CX-90’s range-topping trim, the Turbo S Premium Plus with a price of $61,920 in the United States. Against it, the X5 is in 40i guise with a cost of $75,885 and the GLE is from the 450 version, starting at $73,000. As you can see, the Mazda undercuts its German rivals in terms of price, but can it beat them on the track?
Let’s see the numbers first. The CX-90 is featured here with its 3.3-liter inline-six turbocharged engine, good for 340 horsepower (250 kilowatts) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque. The X5, in turn, has a 3.0-liter inline-six with 335 hp (246 kW) and 330 lb-ft (447 Nm) of torque, making it the least powerful model from the trio. The GLE comes with the same displacement gas engine, offering 362 hp (266 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque.
But as we all know, in drag races, power is not everything. Weight is also an important factor and the BMW here has a slight advantage tipping the scales at 4,872 pounds (2,210 kilograms). The Mercedes is the heaviest at 5,013 lbs (2,274 kg) and the Mazda sits in between with its weight of 4,903 lbs (2,224 kg).
So, which SUV will win this drag race? We are not going to spoil the results for you but we will just reiterate that power doesn’t always decide standing-start races. And this battle is yet another proof of that.
