New 2024 CX-90 PHEV is officially a lemon. Researching what to do next

Hi all. I am not a car expert so bear with me. About 5 weeks ago my husband and I purchased a 2024 CX-90 PHEV Premium. A little over a week later, while at home after charging it, I go to start the car and it won't start, and I get the following errors: "Charging System Malfunction, Unable to Charge, Critical Vehicle Malfunction, Hybrid System Electrical Leakage Detected". Dealer comes and tows it, after two days they tell us it needed a new 12v battery, so that was replaced.

About a week and a half later, the issue happens again, won't start, same errors, gets towed back. This time we get on the internet and start researching this more deeply. We learn that the water heater needs to be replaced, and sure enough, dealer calls us back, and that was the issue. They replaced it, we get the car back.

Another week later... you guessed it. Same thing happens, same errors come up- 3rd time in 5 weeks. We send it back with the keys and the cord knowing in my gut I am not getting back in that car again. We've been lucky that it's only happening at home and that we haven't been majorly stranded somewhere. We have young kids, we both work full time--- this has been a major pain the @SS. Our dealer has been really good to us, and they seem as pissed as we are. They don't want to put us back into this vehicle, and neither do we want it back. In our state they only have one more chance to fix it before the Lemon Law kicks in.

So now we have to decide on what we want to ask them for- another Mazda, and which one, or look elsewhere. We researched for a while, and we really like this car. We were set on either a PHEV or a Hybrid, and we wanted three rows. Under $60k there aren't many options on the market from brands we like. Within Mazda's lineup, it's the only option. Plus, their financing was the best out there.

The service manager admitted there have been issues with the CX-90 PHEV for a particular build range (2024s assuming) and then after a certain date (I don't know the date exactly), the issues tapered off. They said this is the first time they've had a lemon in the CX-90 PHEV, but they admittedly hadn't sold many of them. We're trying to weigh our options here-- if we go with a 2025 CX-90 PHEV or take the check and keep shopping. I would love more insight from this community. I got the sense that Mazda corporate is not always transparent with the dealers. TIA!

TLDR: Our '24 CX-90 PHEV has had the same critical error 3 times and dealer is taking it back; do we risk getting in a newer one, or take a check and get a different car?
 
Just my personal take, but I'd take the cheque and walk. Even if you get a new one, there is always going to be that sliver of doubt, and uncomfortable feeling, that this could happen again.
I'd be seriously looking at a Toyota Highlander myself.
 
Just my personal take, but I'd take the cheque and walk. Even if you get a new one, there is always going to be that sliver of doubt, and uncomfortable feeling, that this could happen again.
I'd be seriously looking at a Toyota Highlander myself.
our 2nd choice was the highlander hybrid actually.
 
If I wasn't jaded by my dad's experience with his Highlander and Toyota in general, I'd recommend the Highlander Hybrid or the Grand Highlander Hybrid. Neither of them are PHEVs but Toyota's hybrid systems are the best in the business, and they have a really good warranty on the hybrid components to boot.

Me personally, I'd probably give the 25 CX-90 PHEV a shot. First year models will always have lemons and teething issues, and it sounds like you've got a pretty supportive dealer, which can be very rare to find.
 
Me personally, I'd probably give the 25 CX-90 PHEV a shot. First year models will always have lemons and teething issues, and it sounds like you've got a pretty supportive dealer, which can be very rare to find.
This is exactly why I would walk away from another CX-90, and go with the Highlander Hybrid.
I have a 2016 Lexus RX350, which is a Highlander with Lexus sheet metal. Now I realize the 2025's are nowhere the same as a 2016, but if my experience with the Lexus is anything to go by, that would be my choice.
 
Male sure you check what is available in your area before making the decision. Here in Canada i have a friend that has been waiting one year for their Grand higlander and it still hasn’t shown up.
 
Male sure you check what is available in your area before making the decision. Here in Canada i have a friend that has been waiting one year for their Grand higlander and it still hasn’t shown up.

My cousin had a similar experience when he ordered his Tacoma. We're also in Canada and he waited nearly a year before his car showed up. Then, as most dealers do, they slapped a markup on it.

Mazda is not as popular as the other mainstream brands, but that can be an advantage when you can be more aggressive with price negotiation and you don't have to worry about markups. I think the only time Mazda marked up vehicles was at the height of the vehicle supply shortage during the COVID pandemic.
 
I went with the GHHMAX myself. However it is not a plug in hybrid...so that is really a choice to be made. Lexus TX has one but at a higher price.
 
Could you tell the build date of your car ? it should be listed on a sticker on the inside of the driver door. I read in some forum that those built after Jan 2024 have had those issues you listed corrected. My PHEV CX-90 shows build date of 1/24, I bought it in Apr 2024, currently at 12K miles and have had no issue, I have not even had any service including oil change yet, since I mostly use electric mileage.
 
Could you tell the build date of your car ? it should be listed on a sticker on the inside of the driver door. I read in some forum that those built after Jan 2024 have had those issues you listed corrected. My PHEV CX-90 shows build date of 1/24, I bought it in Apr 2024, currently at 12K miles and have had no issue, I have not even had any service including oil change yet, since I mostly use electric mileage.
unfortunately I can't; my car has been with the dealer since I posted this and I haven't / will likely never get it back.
 
I am the fourth owner of a 2024 CX90 MHEV with 15 thousand miles on it. I purchased it in December 2024 on a as-is basis. The fact that I am the fourth owner should tell you something right away. The price was right so I went for it. I don't want to go over all the problems but lets say it just ran like crap and my wife was afraid to get into the car. The closest Mazda dealer looked at it and gave up. A dealer an hours drive away agreed to look at it. They had a couple of hours and called to say the car was OK but being that is was built in 2023 and all the firmware in the various modules had to be updated.

Furthermore these updates were part of recalls that Mazda would pay for. I said go ahead. The following recalls were done. they said I would have to drive the car a week for the car to re-calibrate itself. I waited the week and was rewarded. The car runs fantastic. It shifts smoothly with no jerking. Has power to spare for passing. It is a now pleasure to drive. Granted it took until May 2025 to get it finally fixed.

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I am the fourth owner of a 2024 CX90 MHEV with 15 thousand miles on it. I purchased it in December 2024 on a as-is basis. The fact that I am the fourth owner should tell you something right away. The price was right so I went for it. I don't want to go over all the problems but lets say it just ran like crap and my wife was afraid to get into the car. The closest Mazda dealer looked at it and gave up. A dealer an hours drive away agreed to look at it. They had a couple of hours and called to say the car was OK but being that is was built in 2023 and all the firmware in the various modules had to be updated.

Furthermore these updates were part of recalls that Mazda would pay for. I said go ahead. The following recalls were done. they said I would have to drive the car a week for the car to re-calibrate itself. I waited the week and was rewarded. The car runs fantastic. It shifts smoothly with no jerking. Has power to spare for passing. It is a now pleasure to drive. Granted it took until May 2025 to get it finally fixed.
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You shouldn't have had to deal with so many problems, but it's a first MY of a new generation, with a brand new drivetrain and the added complexity of MHEV. I'm glad to hear that all the issues have finally been sorted out, and you're left with the car as it's meant to be.
 
The price was just to good to pass up. The dealer just could not wait to unload it. Only draw back Mazda says as the 4th owner the car has no warranty. The mazda rep was in disbelieve when I told him it was a 2024. I gave them the VIN and they were embarrassed when they read the vehicle history. Three other customers returned the car and got their money back. The dealer was ready to declare it salvage and send it to auction. I expected problem. As it is I got it in December 2024 and it took until now, May 2025, to get it running right.
 
Why would a Mazda dealer try to unload the car without performing the recalls/updates? They left a lot of money on the table and potentially soured the image of the brand by releasing the car like that. Doesn't make sense. But their loss is your gain.
 
You should read the warranty carefully and fight that. I have never seen anywhere that there was a limited amount of transfers for the warranty. Your local laws may also help there. Honestly based on your experience with the previous dealer that didn’t want to touch it anymore, i don’t think they should be trusted for any warranty information. They might have sold you the vehicle “as-is” because they knew it had issues that they didn’t want to solve and that would prevent the dealer from being liable for any problems, but i am not sure this absolves Mazda from the transferable warranty. I don’t know 100% for sure, but i think that would be worth looking into.

You probably could just ask the dealer where you went last (the one that actually was smart enough to do the repair and the recall) and ask if it is still under warranty in the system.
 

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