2017 Mazda CX-9 Road Test and Review

2017 Mazda CX 9 exterior profile by Carrie Kim ・ Photo by Carrie Kim

If you struggle to decode the random spoonfuls of alphabet soup that some automakers have decided to name vehicles after, the 2017 Mazda CX-9 is a three-row crossover. It’s quite a stylish crossover actually, and an exciting one to drive as well. All new for the 2017 model year, the CX-9 is the largest in Mazda’s lineup and absolutely poised to steal the show in its segment. We knew that our week with the CX-9 would be comfortable and family friendly, but we didn’t expect to fall so hard for it. Read on to see what we loved — and lamented  — about the 2017 Mazda CX-9.

Models and Pricing

The 2017 Mazda CX-9 comes in 3 flavors: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Once you choose your model, you then have your choice of FWD or AWD on all three. The base price for a FWD Sport model is $31,520, which we were surprised to find is a higher starting price than the better-known Japanese powerhouse competitors, the Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander. Stepping up to a mid-level Touring model, the price goes up to $35,970 and the Grand Touring starts at $40,470. Our luxurious test car was a top of the line Grand Touring model with all the bells and whistles. Equipped with all-wheel drive, a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, and an interior cabin that included the latest advanced driving and safety technologies, it topped out at $45,655. I was definitely sticker shocked at first — that kind of a price tag on a Mazda was a surprise.

Photo by Carrie Kim

How does it drive?

After driving the CX-9 for about five minutes, I started to rationalize the price tag. The CX-9 was, I dare say, fun? A three-row crossover is a far cry from a sports car of course, but the steering was tight and the handling was nimble. It’s a large crossover, but it seems to instantly shrink in size once you’re behind the wheel. Our test car came with independent front and rear suspension, keeping things smooth for the kiddo in back while mama took the CX-9 through its paces. Most people interested in three-row crossovers don’t prioritize the drive experience; storage-capacity dimensions and fuel-economy numbers are far more important than torque and horsepower. And the CX-9, with its 230 hp and 310 lb-ft torque, certainly has less power than most of its competition. However, that’s only part of the story. Mazda chose to focus on good low-end power and torque at the expense of ultimate performance, tuning it for driveability in real-world situations. Combined with agile handling and steering, the CX-9 provides a very rewarding driving experience -- no matter what the specs say.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Does it get good gas mileage?

Perhaps the CX-9’s fun-to-drive character was what zonked our gas mileage average. Mazda touts its SKYACTIV suite of engine and transmission technologies and says that it helps the CX-9 to return favorable fuel-economy numbers. On paper, the numbers look good. The Mazda CX-9’s combined fuel-economy average is 23 mpg (20 mpg city/26 mpg highway). We’re not sure if it had to do with my lead foot or all the city driving I did, but our week with the CX-9 yielded a much lower combined average of 15 mpg.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Interior Hits

We’re just going to cut to the chase here and let you know that the Mazda CX-9’s stunning interior was one of our favorite things about the car. It’s gorgeous inside. The upholstery was a rich Bordeaux shade of red (Mazda calls it Auburn), and it is trimmed with Nappa leather. The inlays are real aluminum and rosewood – a rarity in a vehicle without a luxury badge. The upscale cabin of the CX-9 shines and seems more in line with a competitor to the Acura MDX than the Honda Pilot. Despite all the tech and features, this loaded CX-9 was well equipped. The dash was very minimalist and I loved that. Some crossovers have enough buttons and controls to rival the likes of a 777, but the sharp 8-inch color display that protrudes from the CX-9's dashboard keeps things clean. The mounted display contains the bulk of the controls. There was a slight learning curve in navigating through the system with the controller wheel located on the center console, but it didn’t take long for us to get it down.

Photo by Carrie Kim

Interior Misses

As serene as it was inside the CX-9’s cabin, I do have a few gripes. The third row is much more of a “when you need it” seating option, rather than one for everyday use. Our six-year-old daughter and best friend loved the “way back” in the CX-9 and were content in the third row for an afternoon, but we aren’t confident that Grandma and Grandpa, or even a couple of teenagers, would be happy back there for an extended period of time. Access to the third row was a little tight also — definitely an awkward heave-ho into the third row, even for our little six-year-old. Also, neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto is available in the CX-9 just yet (Insert sad trombone sound here).

Photo by Carrie Kim

Family Friendliness

As you would expect, many families will find the Mazda CX-9 to be a very friendly vehicle. With seating for 7, it can join the carpool pack with ease and when you need to haul goodies for the snack shack or costumes for the school play, you’ve got tons of space when you fold down all the seats. Most importantly for us, latch access was simple for the installation of a child safety seat, and the seatbelt receptors were nice and rigid so our daughter could buckle up on her own in her booster. We think a rear-facing safety seat would do well in the CX-9, and not cramp the front row passengers. Aside from our issue of accessing the third row, we can wholeheartedly recommend the CX-9 for your family of four. A family of five might find the crossover to be a bit tight for every day, but we had a very comfortable Sunday fun day in the CX-9 with another family in tow.

Photo by Carrie Kim

CX-9 vs. the Competition

The CX-9 has plenty of competition — the three-row crossover segment is thriving, and just about every automaker has thrown its hat in the ring. The Mazda CX-9’s obvious competitors are the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Those two crossovers are practically the industry standard and come with reputations that stand the test of time. The CX-9 does start at a slightly higher price than both the Honda and Toyota, but the CX-9 also returns a higher fuel economy average by 2 mpg. The CX-9 also competes with domestic offerings like the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Ford Explorer. The Chevy and GMC both start under $30,000, which is lower than the Mazda, but the Traverse and Explorer are more powerful, with V6 engines and more horsepower. It’s a tough market, but we think the edge the Mazda CX-9 has is its upscale demeanor and its ability to credibly stand against the likes of Acura MDX and Infiniti QX60, both of which are luxury-brand crossovers.

Safety Standouts

The 2017 Mazda CX-9 has not yet been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but keeps occupants in all three rows safe with advanced dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags, and side air curtains. The base Sport models are pretty bare bones, so we recommend stepping up to the Touring model for what we consider to be essential safety features: Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear-Cross Traffic Alert. On our loaded Grand Touring test car, we especially loved the heads-up display; it’s the absolute best when using the car’s navigation system – the directions (and your speed) are projected right in front of you. We also think Smart City Brake Support, a system that can detect potential collisions and apply the brakes for you if necessary, is a very helpful and confidence-inspiring safety feature. And finally, for drivers who rely on their all-wheel drive, Mazda’s optional i-ACTIV all-wheel-drive system is definitely something to consider. The system is predictive and will adjust power to accommodate changing road and weather conditions.

Photo by Mazda

Final Thoughts

The Mazda CX-9 is the total package; it’s fun to drive, spacious enough for a road trip or carpool, and luxurious enough to feel like a splurge. Both the interior and exterior design are fresh and modern — I felt proud to approach it in both the parking lot and my driveway. It’s an exceptional three-row crossover; we found ourselves mentally spec’ing our own CX-9 during our one-week test drive. Without a doubt, the CX-9 is a crossover we’d recommend highly.

Photo by Carrie Kim