Ford Explorer vs Mazda CX-90: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Ford Explorer burns about $2,200 of fuel annually against $2,450 for the Mazda CX-90. That $250 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,250 over five years and $2,000 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Ford Explorer leads in both cycles — 27 mpg city and 29 mpg highway against 24 and 28 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Ford Explorer is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; FFV), the Mazda CX-90 with 2 (SIDI; PHEV, SIDI; Mild Hybrid). Across 102 recorded Ford Explorer configurations and 9 for the Mazda CX-90, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Ford Explorer is offered with Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Mazda CX-90 with 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Mazda CX-90 emits 159 g/mile of CO2 versus 322 g/mile for the Ford Explorer. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.