HESSEL, Mich. — For the past decade, my family has kicked off summer with an extended camping weekend in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a largely raw and uncut part of the lower 48 states surrounded by the Great Lakes, Canada and Wisconsin. It’s four to five hours on Interstate 75 from Metro Detroit, and once there, it’s best to have most of the things you need, though there are a reasonable amount of grocery stories, bars and ice cream stands. This camping trip has served as a litmus test of sorts for most of the recent Autoblog long-termers, especially the larger ones. While I’ve had issues with our 2024 Mazda CX-90’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, the SUV came through with flying colors fulfilling its core mission as a versatile family hauler.
The trip begins with packing, and the CX-90 easily swallowed a cooler, sleeping bags, fishing poles, a large tent, boxes of food, two suitcases, a duffle bag and all sorts of other supplies. I could still see out the back window, which isn’t always the case on these adventures. Had I taken my golf clubs and an inflatable kayak, it might have been less comfortable. Still, the manifest was robust, and the Mazda was up for it.
Early the following day we set off, two adults, one child and a large golden retriever. The drive Up North, as we Michiganders say, was uneventful. The CX-90 is a solid expressway cruiser, generally quiet and comfortable. The steering is weightier and more precise than comparable SUVs. By now I’m used to, and mostly enjoy, the engagement during the long drive. The adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring were helpful aids and I’ve come to expect the help for long road trips in vehicles at this price point.
Good luck finding an EV charger in the part of the U.P. where we camped, but running just on premium fuel, we averaged 24.5 mpg, including one 341-mile stint where we logged 26.7 mpg, the second-best figure in the CX-90’s four-month Autoblog career. I still prefer Mazda’s turbo straight six-cylinder engine to this unit, the company’s first plug-in hybrid powertrain. The hybrid’s acceleration is hampered by an uneven partnership with the eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite the 323 horses and 369 lb-ft, the system doesn’t reach the full potential these figures imply.
Once there, we slept on the ground for three cool, wet nights and enjoyed four sunny hot days filled with swimming, fishing and other outdoor activities. By the end of it, the Mazda was covered in dirt and sand inside and out. This trip is always hard on the test cars, and this is about as grimy as we’ve gotten one. I spent a good chunk of the following Monday morning vacuuming sand and dog fur (see the pictures and you can imagine just how much dog fur was in the car) from every orifice. I even felt the need to bust out some Meguiar’s to put a shine on the dashboard and leather seats.
So, where does the CX-90 rank among my U.P. people haulers? It’s up against legendary long-termers like the 2014 VW Golf GTI, 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid, 2019 Subaru Forester, 2021 Hyundai Palisade and 2023 Toyota Sienna. I also took a blacked-out 2017 Chevy Tahoe up there, slept in it for two nights and got a speeding ticket. Good times.
I’m putting the Mazda behind the Chrysler and Toyota minivans, which is a bit unfair, given the supreme functionality most minivans offer due to their layout. I also preferred the overall vibe of the Palisade and its light, airy interior, though the Mazda has been considerably more fuel efficient, leaving them in a dead heat in my book. The Forester was great, but it was only charged with a shorter hunting trip, and its main accomplishment was plowing through snow (not insignificant) and serving as a comfortable ride home after a chilly weekend in the woods. The Golf GTI was a clown car, filled to the brim with three adults and so much stuff the doors could barely close.
Tied for third in this least-scientific automotive comparison test? Not bad for the Mazda CX-90. It was a good trip, and the SUV lived up to its billing as a sporty three-row crossover with style and function. No new flaws emerged, and despite its uneven driving character I generally enjoyed my trip behind the wheel. It passed the U.P. Family Camping Test in all the ways that count. Hopefully the sand will come out by the end of summer.
