- Mazda has revealed the output figures for its new 3.3-liter inline six-cylinder engine.
- With 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet, it’s the most powerful engine Mazda has to offer.
- The CX-90 will have it; The SUV was fully revealed on January 31.
While most of the ballyhoo around Mazda’s upcoming CX-90 three-row SUV focuses on its plug-in-hybrid powertrain, there’s an inline-six in the future lineup that deserves attention too. The CX-90 makes its debut on January 31, but before that, Mazda felt the need to provide a few more details about its newest gas stove.
According to Mazda, the CX-90 turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six will be the automaker’s most powerful mass-produced gas engine ever made. The I-6 will produce 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel, which is what the automaker recommends; like other engines on the market, using any other gasoline than premium comes with a horsepower penalty, though the automaker didn’t divulge output at a nifty 89 octane.
The new inline-six is also technically a hybrid, only you can’t drive it on electric alone. Instead, the 3.3-liter pairs with a 48-volt hybrid system. While we’re not sure how Mazda will use it yet, a similar 48 volt setup exists in the auto industry. They can extend the use of stop-starts in traffic and allow the engine to stall when coasting or braking, all for better fuel economy.
Mazda claims that the in-line six-cylinder was developed specifically for the new CX-90 longitudinal engine platform. It’s likely we’ll see this engine appear again on the CX-90’s smaller two-row sibling, the CX-70, which shares platforms and will make a separate debut in 2023.
There’s other exciting news in Mazda’s press release as well. The automaker says that Kinematic Posture Control will come standard on all CX-90 variants. Making its debut on the MX-5 Miata, Kinematic Posture Control claims to improve cornering stability by lightly braking the inside rear wheel when turning. As if we needed any more reasons to throw this thing out the moment it got to our offices.
