2025 Mazda CX-90 vs. 2025 Hyundai Palisade
We compare two of the latest midsize SUVs offering seating for up to eight passengers. They both offer the prerequisite style, performance, comforts, infotainment, safety, fuel economy, and some holiday adventure-ready capabilities demanded of any modern SUV wishing to catch the attention of any prospective shopper.
Stay with us as we take a closer look at what the 2025 Mazda CX-90 vs. 2025 Hyundai Palisade have has to offer shoppers who need their vehicle choice to tick many boxes.
2025 Mazda CX-90
The relatively new three-row seater Mazda CX-90 is constructed on Mazda's latest rear-wheel-drive-biased large vehicle platform and is the largest vehicle in Mazda's family of stylishly capable SUVs.
For 2025, the upscale Mazda CX-90 is available in six trim choices with two engine fitments:
2025 Hyundai Palisade
Like the Mazda, the upscale Palisade is also a newish model, having only been around since 2019. The largest Hyundai SUV also offers three rows of seats and saw a refresh for the 2023 model year.
Seven trim levels are on offer for 2025, all making use of a single-engine option:
Exterior Comparisons
Now let's compare the exteriors of the Mazda CX-90 vs. Hyundai Palisade. The 2025 Mazda CX-90’s eight-seater capacity is thanks to a generous 122.8-inch wheelbase and a body that measures 201.6 inches long. The CX-90 is 84.9 inches wide, including the outside mirrors, and is up to 68.7 inches tall.
Ground clearance measures up to a useful 8.1 inches, depending on the trim level.
The CX-90’s bold front view shows a black mesh grille with chrome accent trims and slim horizontal auto on/off LED headlights with high beam control. LED daytime running lights are standard with combination LED tail lights.
The CX-90 sees fitment of body-colored heated and powered side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals.
Body protection includes black front, side, and rear lower body trim and wheel arches with black wheel arch molding.
Stylish and sporty touches abound, like the body-colored rear roof spoiler, rear privacy glass, and aluminum roof rails, while ‘Inline 6’ and ‘AWD’ fender badges hint at the Mazda's performance and capabilities.
For 2025, buyers of the CX-90 can choose from eight exterior color options.
The 2025 Hyundai Palisade is 196.7 inches long, 77.8 inches wide, and 68.9 inches high and rides on a wheelbase of 114.2 inches. Ground clearance of 8.0 inches means that some mild off-road travel is not a problem.
The Palisade has a big squared-off front grille with the familiar Hyundai aesthetic of a black chrome finish on the rectangular grid-like inserts.
Further front-end highlights include LED headlights and LED daytime running lights. The body-colored exterior mirrors are heated and also auto-dimming with LED turn-signal indicators.
The door handles are fitted with welcoming lights on the upper trims and a gloss black shark fin roof antenna at the rear.
Upper trims feature roof rails, and alloy wheels are standard in sizes of 18 inches up to 20 inches. Seven exterior color choices are there to choose from.
Mazda CX-90 vs. Hyundai Palisade Interior Comparison
Let's take a look how the 2025 Mazda CX-90 vs. Hyundai Palisade compare when it comes to interior design. The elegantly luxurious and impeccably crafted interior of the CX-90 features three rows of seats with a standard second-row bench seat for an eight-passenger layout. Buyers can opt for second-row captain's chairs for a more spacious and comfortable experience but space for only seven passengers.
Plenty of standard interior features include an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support and two-position memory, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a shift knob. Leatherette or leather seat trim is seen depending on trim level.
A seven-inch fully digital LCD gauge cluster that features a speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge is found in lower trims, while upper trims get a 12.3-inch version.
Key standout interior features across all CX-90 trims are:
- Three-zone automatic climate control with pollen filter
- One-touch down/up power windows
- Speed-sensing auto-locking power door locks
The CX-90 features a Mazda Connect infotainment system with a 12.3-inch full-color center display in all trims besides the Turbo Select that is fitted with a 10.25-inch screen. This high-quality infotainment system features Bluetooth, a hands-free phone, audio streaming capability, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
The 2025 Palisade offers upscale interiors with the SE and SEL trims accommodating up to eight passengers, while the Limited and up trims offer second-row captain's chairs that reduce seating to seven spots.
Standard features include dual automatic temperature control with 2nd and 3rd-row automatic HVAC controls. Leather or Nappa leather trimming is available depending on the trim chosen.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display is standard with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, in-dash navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Cargo Space
How does the Hyundai Palisade vs. Mazda CX-90 compare at cargo space? The CX-90, in an eight-seater configuration, swallows up to 14.9 cubic feet of cargo and 40 cubic feet with third-row seats folded down, while 74.2 cubic feet of space is available with both second and third-row seats down.
Going the second-row captain seats route will get buyers an additional one cubic foot of space added to these volumes.
The Palisade offers 18 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seat. 86.4 cubic feet with all seats down and 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded down.
Powertrain Differences
If we take a look at the 2025 Mazda CX-90 vs. 2025 Hyundai Palisade powertrains, both SUVs are impressive. The CX-90 is powered by a mild hybrid powertrain of a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six gasoline engine with a 48-volt M-Hybrid Boost system.
The unit makes 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque in non-S trims and 340 horsepower @ 5,000 - 6,000 rpm and 369 pound-feet of torque @ 2,000 - 4,500 rpm in the upper S trims.
All CX-90 models make use of a rear-biased i-ACTIV AWD drivetrain and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The CX-90 can tow up to 3,500 pounds in non-S trims and up to 5,000 pounds in S trim when activating the towing mode and using a Mazda Genuine towing hitch.
The Palisade lineup is powered by a 3.8-liter V-6 producing 291 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm and 262-pound feet of torque @ 5,200 rpm coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The drive is sent to the front wheels as standard, with an all-wheel drive system optional.
All Palisade trims can tow a maximum of 5,000 pounds when fitted with a dealer-installed trailer hitch.
Find the 2025 Mazda CX-90 at Seacoast Mazda
If you still have a hard time deciding between the 2025 Mazda CX-90 vs. 2025 Hyundai Palisade, come and test drive and discover more about the 2025 Mazda CX-90 lineup with the experienced sales team at Seacoast Mazda.
Seacoast Mazda offers an extensive selection of both new and preowned quality Mazda vehicles to meet any motoring need you may have.
View Mazda CX-90 Inventory