Which SUV Interior Is Nicer, A 2023 Lexus RX 350 or A 2024 Mazda CX-90?

The fun-to-drive MX-5 Miata is a prime example of a Mazda vehicle with aggressive driving qualities, but the Japanese manufacturer has also been stressing interior workmanship in some of its most recent models. In a recent comparative test of six small SUVs, the interior quality of the brand-new CX-50 was found to be the finest of the bunch. The brand’s brand-new CX-90 three-row SUV is luxurious and refined inside, which makes it stand out from other three-row versions.

The expense of this transition upward is felt by prospective automobile buyers. This is much more than the top trim of Mazda now-discontinued CX-9 three-row SUV and well into the realm of luxury SUVs. That made us question how the CX-90’s interior stacks up against that of a genuine luxury SUV. Experts find out at the 2023 Spring Rally of the Midwest Automotive Media Association in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, as top trims of the CX-90 and the updated 2023 Lexus RX 350 were available for testing.

The SUVs

The popular luxury SUV 2023 Lexus RX features two rows and seating for five, whereas the 2024 Mazda CX-90 has three rows and seating for six, seven, or eight passengers, depending on the seating arrangement. The CX-90 offers a six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology as well as a PHEV powertrain, whilst the RX has a four-cylinder gas, hybrid, and (eventually) plug-in hybrid engine option. They also both offer conventional and alternative-fuel drivetrains.

When comparing the two SUVs’ various trim levels, there is also a significant price disparity between them. The as-tested prices of the models present at the rally, the CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus ($58,920) and the RX 350 F Sport ($64,395) (both prices include destination), were within 10% of one another. The top models of the RX 350 and CX-90 PHEV are both available in these trims.

2023 Lexus RX 350 F Sport Interior

One of the nicest interior design features of the new RX is that Lexus has finally abandoned the Remote Touch entertainment system and its touchpad positioned on the console, which gives the impression of a laptop. Because of the long-standing usability issues with the touchpad, Lexus made the smart decision to switch to a touchscreen dashboard display a few years ago. The infotainment system of the revised RX 350 features a new interface, and both the standard and optional touchscreens are bigger.

The optional 14-inch touchscreen on our RX 350 is simple to operate. Although the driver’s and front passenger’s temperature zones are controlled by traditional dials, certain climate settings are integrated within the touchscreen interface. Just below the screen, there is a standard volume knob as well. The end product is an interface that successfully integrates tactile and screen-based controls.

The sportier of the RX’s various grades, the F Sport, comes with distinctive front bucket seats that have pronounced side bolstering. The door trim has suede-like highlights and stitching, and there is actual aluminum inside details. The seats are completed with NuLuxe simulated-leather upholstery (the Luxury trim uses semi-aniline leather). The RX’s interior materials look and feel high-end, with the exception of the rubberized dashboard finish, which feels a little underwhelming for a luxury SUV.

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Interior of the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus

The CX-90 PHEV’s interior is excellent in Premium Plus form. The construction quality is good, the accent stitching is lovely, the dashboard has a convincing-looking synthetic-leather insert, and the seats are completed with Nappa leather upholstery. The patterned silver trim pieces on the doors and center console are the only feature of the interior that, in contrast, feels a little low-rent.

Although Mazda equipped the CX-90 with a strip of simple-to-use climate control buttons and rocker switches, the automaker’s infotainment system mostly depends on a knob controller and a few related buttons on the center console. The 12.3-inch infotainment screen that comes standard on Premium Plus trims allows you to utilize the display as a touchscreen for the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces exclusively. However, navigating the system’s menus using the controller isn’t very simple. It’s a peculiar layout, to be sure, and it emphasizes the need for a touch-based user interface redesign for the Mazda.

Conclusion

Overall, the inside controls of the RX 350 are simpler to operate than those of the CX-90, which is surprising given that the CX-90 has a conventional luxury logo on its grille. Luxury brands’ prominent badges are part of their attraction, but if cabin comfort is more important to you, the CX-90’s interior holds its own against a more expensive model like the RX. Just like Lexus did, we hope Mazda will reevaluate its infotainment controls.