Nice to see Mazda having a great all-rounder SUV for this price. Really seems to have better looks, quality and features than the competition. And thanks for another great video!
Hey Paul, Great review...love your channel and am a subscriber. As a Sig trim owner yes I agree with your assessments as I cross-shopped this with MDX, RX350 and XC90 esp coming from an XC60 just because of the extra space and add'l seats but still enjoying the luxuries and newer safety features. One feature though that I wished you'd mentioned was that both the GT and Sig trim has when compared to other models like the Highlander, Pilot, Explorer and some luxury models is the Active driving display or HUD that's height adjustable, coloured and displays a lot of info like speed, speed limit, navigation, LKA, LDW, BSM, adaptive cruise, etc. Hopefully you mention this feature when you do your CX5 review soon and more power to your channel! (Coming from a fellow Canuck)
Great video! I love what you guys do; thorough, but not excessive and Canadian which matters when it comes to price (I'm also in AB) I'd love to see a review of the new Dodge Durango Keep up the good work!
Great in depth reviews as always Paul. I agree with many of your points about how the CX9 is missing all the extra nice to have options (panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, heated second row, 360 camera) in the higher trim that put it out of contention to take the best mid-size SUV title. Great torquey engine, nappa leather and rosewood trim alone doesn't mean they can forgo all the aforementioned stuff that is basically standard now in any top trim SUV. I am a bit surprised that you would say the CX9 has more second row legroom than the Pilot. I recently did a back to back test drive of the Highlander vs CX9 vs Pilot with the driver seat positioned for a 5'7" driver. The CX9 was easily the worst in second row legroom & general feeling of space when you slide the second rows as far back as they will go on the rails. It may have more room on paper, but definitely does not feel like it in person. Now depending on how a driver sets up the angle of their front seat, that would also eat into second row legroom and "space". We wanted to love the CX9, but ended up buying a 2017 Highlander Limited instead because it had all the nice to have stuff and the overall interior space felt more open.
My CX9 has been exemplary. In metallic black with the white leather interior, all electronic options (not the Signature trim), I was able to bargain down to $40k (US) even. Looks better than the Audi, and the performance could not be higher - no matter the speed (have seen 110 mph) or enthusiasm. Real world highway trip mileage is 25 mpg.
Paul. Excellent review. I had an issue with the narrow drivers position with the wide centre console. You mention that it's peppy off the line but what about higher speed maneuvers like passing or merging into traffic? My commute includes a portion of the Deerfoot and I need that 70-120 kph power, which I hear the cx-9 is lacking.
Gorgeous car. I agree it's easily the best looking in this segment. I'm considering a GT myself, but I'm still a bit worried about the overall practicality of the 3rd row and sloping tailgate. Any chance that you're getting your hands on an Atlas soon??? love the channel by the way!
James Burrough: I agree the CX-9 is the best looking in the segment. I found it would be too small with 3 kids. The Atlas in comparison is much bigger inside and would work way better in that dept.
Nice reveiw Paul, I had a chance to test drive the same model/trim, and one of my least favorite was the engine noise. It was too loud even under moderate load and was a deal breaker for me. Thanks for pointing out the middle row hump- missed that. The front windshield and windows I noticed were double panes- which was really nice in terms of killing road wind and tire noises. also the front seats felt clusterphobic/cramped right around the knee area due to thick doors and that wide center console. Overall a good value I agree, and I have to agree with you that if they included safety tech (Blind spot monitor, auto stop etc) in the lower trim, It would have been very difficult to walk away from even with the loud engine noise and all. Also I can't wait for you to review the new XC60!!!please
Took the family to see one (after much convincing that no, modern Mazdas aren't rust-buckets) and honestly the impression wasn't that impressive. We sampled a 2016 GT AWD model. Sister who does aesthetics design was first to notice that the shifter completely obscures the HVAC controls when in Park. Next was the 2nd row legroom which wasn't honestly that 'balanced'; either the 2nd row passengers had to knee the front row seats or slide the seat rearward which compromises the 3rd row knee room. While the full range sliding 2nd row is cool, it makes adjusting the 2nd row a pain without accidentally smashing into the front seats when the car is moving (as I personally attest to). Also it was oddly difficult to access the 3rd row as the 2nd row has a convoluted method of sliding & folding design (something most competitors seems to have figured out, e.g. Pilot & Atlas one hand operation). The drive was pretty nice; good passing power & you can go in to a corner hot and it grips; something you can't find on any other non-luxury branded SUV this side of a Cayenne or Q7. However the ride is more crashy than competitors, and with the interior issues list above means it barely ranks higher than the Pilot but significantly less attractive as a family car for parents who favors the GMC Acadia we later tested.
I haven't watched the complete video yet. I stopped at 7:12 , but i have to say that I'm fully agree with you about what mazda is missing on it's Signature trim (Panoramic sun roof and surrounded cameras).
Not the best A/C I've come across. It takes a while for it to properly cool off the car on a really hot day. And the fan speeds seem a bit confused during "auto" mode.
That interior looks fantastic! Can't consider this if ventilated seats aren't available though. Paraphrasing Seinfeld: once you've been in first class, you can't go back.
I really enjoyed your video and after seeing it I am definitely scratching the CX-9 off my list. My kid is my dog so I appreciate you mentioning how dog friendly it is. Ideally with dogs you need 40-20-40 second row seating so they can go from the front passenger seat to the back with the third row down flat. Seriously cannot believe how low that hatch is I would wack my head on that at least once a week. By the way I am a Canadian that says bah hum bug to all wheel drive because 98% of the time you are in 2 wheel drive anyway. I had a '97 MPV for 10 years and it was great even though it was considered a mini van when in fact it was a pretty formidable truck.
While I absolutely love the design, when I test drove it I found the knee rest on the driver side to be quite uncomfortable, and the overall space in the front to be tight for such a large vehicle. Ended up with a RX350 with no 3rd row and a not so great trunk. Other than that a fabulous everyday car. Great review btw.
I've heard the complaint about the knee rest from a few people, Karim. I didn't notice it but I did mean to mention it in the video and forgot. Thanks for the comment.
Sarmad Mazin, I cross shopped this CX9 with the RX350 and to be honest this is on par in terms of quality fit and finish and better cargo plus with 7 seats and had better driving dynamics. I ended up buying the Signature trim and only cost $50K (CAD) vs $56K for the RX which was only base model...when I compared the CX9 spec'd as is with the equivalent RX it would have cost me $68K (executive pkg) to get the Lexus! End of day it cost me thousands of dollars less for a very comparable vehicle to the Lexus!
That's the same mpg's as my combined Sorento SXL six cylinder with all wheel drive, better screen, CarPlay, better sound sound by a mile, cooled seats, heated seats front and back, and pano roof to name just a handful of better features.
One could also say that the Sorento doesn't drive nearly as nice, look nearly as nice, is smaller, more expensive for that SXL than Signature, lacks real wood and aluminum, no heads up display, no 20" wheels... Point is, no vehicle has everything and does everything better. Depends on priorities. I like Mazda's priorities.
Like others who make the same comment, you'd buy an inferior vehicle as long as it has Android Auto/Apple Carplay? Shouldn't the way a car DRIVES and how it makes you feel be more important than phone integration? Cars are for driving.
My 2016 Mazda 3 hatchback (light blue) has many areas where the paint has chipped. They are small chips, but some are in areas not subject to incoming rocks from ahead. This and the road noise are my only serious complaints.
Comparing the CX9 to an Audi Q7 is so laughable. CX9 subpar awd system, no heated rear seats, no panoramic sunroof and a useless third row. Not to mention it requires premium fuel to get the 250hp it claims. Cx9 is overrated. Lmao Audi Q7 vs Mazda CX9 ? what a joke. apples and oranges.
Really like your review. Appreciate you taking the time to review the third row and storage space behind third row.
Nice to see Mazda having a great all-rounder SUV for this price. Really seems to have better looks, quality and features than the competition. And thanks for another great video!
I was really hope I'd see a Tim Horton's cup somewhere in the car but oh well...Glad to see a Canadian review on this. Excellent review
I would love to see a CX-5 review!
I think I'll be getting into one soon, Connor. Keep checking back in.
Will do, thanks! Keep up the great work!
another excellent review.. is it me or you don't have a review for THE Suburban it Tahoe, or their GM cousins, Yukon, etc. great work ..
Hey Paul, Great review...love your channel and am a subscriber. As a Sig trim owner yes I agree with your assessments as I cross-shopped this with MDX, RX350 and XC90 esp coming from an XC60 just because of the extra space and add'l seats but still enjoying the luxuries and newer safety features. One feature though that I wished you'd mentioned was that both the GT and Sig trim has when compared to other models like the Highlander, Pilot, Explorer and some luxury models is the Active driving display or HUD that's height adjustable, coloured and displays a lot of info like speed, speed limit, navigation, LKA, LDW, BSM, adaptive cruise, etc. Hopefully you mention this feature when you do your CX5 review soon and more power to your channel! (Coming from a fellow Canuck)
Thanks for watching! Yeah, the HUD was great. These can be really handy. There was too much to talk about!
Great video! I love what you guys do; thorough, but not excessive and Canadian which matters when it comes to price (I'm also in AB)
I'd love to see a review of the new Dodge Durango
Keep up the good work!
I hate you for those incredible views of the granite mountains (and now a lake, too?), but then I remember your winter, and it all passes. :D
Ha. It's pretty great here in the winter, too! That is, if you like skiing.
Wow amazing review. You hit a lot of great points man. Thanks a lot
Great in depth reviews as always Paul.
I agree with many of your points about how the CX9 is missing all the extra nice to have options (panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, heated second row, 360 camera) in the higher trim that put it out of contention to take the best mid-size SUV title. Great torquey engine, nappa leather and rosewood trim alone doesn't mean they can forgo all the aforementioned stuff that is basically standard now in any top trim SUV.
I am a bit surprised that you would say the CX9 has more second row legroom than the Pilot. I recently did a back to back test drive of the Highlander vs CX9 vs Pilot with the driver seat positioned for a 5'7" driver. The CX9 was easily the worst in second row legroom & general feeling of space when you slide the second rows as far back as they will go on the rails. It may have more room on paper, but definitely does not feel like it in person. Now depending on how a driver sets up the angle of their front seat, that would also eat into second row legroom and "space".
We wanted to love the CX9, but ended up buying a 2017 Highlander Limited instead because it had all the nice to have stuff and the overall interior space felt more open.
My CX9 has been exemplary. In metallic black with the white leather interior, all electronic options (not the Signature trim), I was able to bargain down to $40k (US) even. Looks better than the Audi, and the performance could not be higher - no matter the speed (have seen 110 mph) or enthusiasm. Real world highway trip mileage is 25 mpg.
Paul. Excellent review. I had an issue with the narrow drivers position with the wide centre console. You mention that it's peppy off the line but what about higher speed maneuvers like passing or merging into traffic? My commute includes a portion of the Deerfoot and I need that 70-120 kph power, which I hear the cx-9 is lacking.
Great view, great mountains
Our back yard! Thanks, Felix.
Another great review.....the signature leather is really cool looking...
Agreed. The highest quality leather Mazda has ever used in a car, apparently.
Gorgeous car. I agree it's easily the best looking in this segment. I'm considering a GT myself, but I'm still a bit worried about the overall practicality of the 3rd row and sloping tailgate. Any chance that you're getting your hands on an Atlas soon??? love the channel by the way!
James Burrough: I agree the CX-9 is the best looking in the segment. I found it would be too small with 3 kids. The Atlas in comparison is much bigger inside and would work way better in that dept.
Nice reveiw Paul, I had a chance to test drive the same model/trim, and one of my least favorite was the engine noise. It was too loud even under moderate load and was a deal breaker for me. Thanks for pointing out the middle row hump- missed that. The front windshield and windows I noticed were double panes- which was really nice in terms of killing road wind and tire noises. also the front seats felt clusterphobic/cramped right around the knee area due to thick doors and that wide center console. Overall a good value I agree, and I have to agree with you that if they included safety tech (Blind spot monitor, auto stop etc) in the lower trim, It would have been very difficult to walk away from even with the loud engine noise and all. Also I can't wait for you to review the new XC60!!!please
I'll see if I can swing the XC60. Thanks for the comments.
Took the family to see one (after much convincing that no, modern Mazdas aren't rust-buckets) and honestly the impression wasn't that impressive. We sampled a 2016 GT AWD model.
Sister who does aesthetics design was first to notice that the shifter completely obscures the HVAC controls when in Park. Next was the 2nd row legroom which wasn't honestly that 'balanced'; either the 2nd row passengers had to knee the front row seats or slide the seat rearward which compromises the 3rd row knee room. While the full range sliding 2nd row is cool, it makes adjusting the 2nd row a pain without accidentally smashing into the front seats when the car is moving (as I personally attest to). Also it was oddly difficult to access the 3rd row as the 2nd row has a convoluted method of sliding & folding design (something most competitors seems to have figured out, e.g. Pilot & Atlas one hand operation).
The drive was pretty nice; good passing power & you can go in to a corner hot and it grips; something you can't find on any other non-luxury branded SUV this side of a Cayenne or Q7. However the ride is more crashy than competitors, and with the interior issues list above means it barely ranks higher than the Pilot but significantly less attractive as a family car for parents who favors the GMC Acadia we later tested.
I haven't watched the complete video yet. I stopped at 7:12 , but i have to say that I'm fully agree with you about what mazda is missing on it's Signature trim (Panoramic sun roof and surrounded cameras).
about time i saw this!!! please how is the air condition system? compared to the pilot n highlander
Not the best A/C I've come across. It takes a while for it to properly cool off the car on a really hot day. And the fan speeds seem a bit confused during "auto" mode.
Thanks for that wonderful review..
Is the Kia Niro on your schedule anytime soon? I'm curious to hear your opinions on it.
I hope to get into one by the fall but no confirmation yet.
Awesome video. I'm not sure which is the top Mazda SUV - the CX-5 or the CX-9
That interior looks fantastic! Can't consider this if ventilated seats aren't available though. Paraphrasing Seinfeld: once you've been in first class, you can't go back.
Will we see a Mazda CX-5 review on Family Wheels in the coming months ?
Will Signature trim be available outside US and Canada? in GCC countries specifically ?
Yes ... it is now .. just bought one last week in Bahrain dealer 2020
Where is that mountain back ground view at the beginning of this video?
That's Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary!
I really enjoyed your video and after seeing it I am definitely scratching the CX-9 off my list. My kid is my dog so I appreciate you mentioning how dog friendly it is. Ideally with dogs you need 40-20-40 second row seating so they can go from the front passenger seat to the back with the third row down flat. Seriously cannot believe how low that hatch is I would wack my head on that at least once a week. By the way I am a Canadian that says bah hum bug to all wheel drive because 98% of the time you are in 2 wheel drive anyway. I had a '97 MPV for 10 years and it was great even though it was considered a mini van when in fact it was a pretty formidable truck.
Thanks for writing, Paul. I remember those MPV's. They were amazing.
nice car.nice review.thanks
While I absolutely love the design, when I test drove it I found the knee rest on the driver side to be quite uncomfortable, and the overall space in the front to be tight for such a large vehicle.
Ended up with a RX350 with no 3rd row and a not so great trunk. Other than that a fabulous everyday car.
Great review btw.
I've heard the complaint about the knee rest from a few people, Karim. I didn't notice it but I did mean to mention it in the video and forgot. Thanks for the comment.
Family Wheels regardless I still like the Mazda. Just not what I expected. Thank you for the great reviews!
Can you do a GM product, like a Acadia or enclave thanks
I would LOVE to but GM doesn't want to give me test vehicles. The only major company that's still not supplying us cars.
Gorgeous vehicle
really fantastic car for the price, but I think the Lexus rx350 is the best ever but it is just 5 seats & more expensive
Sarmad Mazin, I cross shopped this CX9 with the RX350 and to be honest this is on par in terms of quality fit and finish and better cargo plus with 7 seats and had better driving dynamics. I ended up buying the Signature trim and only cost $50K (CAD) vs $56K for the RX which was only base model...when I compared the CX9 spec'd as is with the equivalent RX it would have cost me $68K (executive pkg) to get the Lexus! End of day it cost me thousands of dollars less for a very comparable vehicle to the Lexus!
Congrats to Mazda for needing 2.5 liters to get the same power output as every other car manufacturer gets out of 2.0.
That's the same mpg's as my combined Sorento SXL six cylinder with all wheel drive, better screen, CarPlay, better sound sound by a mile, cooled seats, heated seats front and back, and pano roof to name just a handful of better features.
One could also say that the Sorento doesn't drive nearly as nice, look nearly as nice, is smaller, more expensive for that SXL than Signature, lacks real wood and aluminum, no heads up display, no 20" wheels... Point is, no vehicle has everything and does everything better. Depends on priorities. I like Mazda's priorities.
Without Android Auto/Carplay it's a deal breaker for me. Once that gets added I would buy the CX-9 over everything else in the class.
Like others who make the same comment, you'd buy an inferior vehicle as long as it has Android Auto/Apple Carplay? Shouldn't the way a car DRIVES and how it makes you feel be more important than phone integration? Cars are for driving.
Just give us the Apple carplay..
WHAT IS THAT KID EATING @ 8:36 ????
That's our raspberry patch
Phew. They're obviously delicious!
Oh, and paint is awful! My brother is selling his new Mazda precisely because paint is peeling.
Steve Wise wow. What model?
scorchez Mazda 3
My 2016 Mazda 3 hatchback (light blue) has many areas where the paint has chipped. They are small chips, but some are in areas not subject to incoming rocks from ahead. This and the road noise are my only serious complaints.
Comparing the CX9 to an Audi Q7 is so laughable. CX9 subpar awd system, no heated rear seats, no panoramic sunroof and a useless third row. Not to mention it requires premium fuel to get the 250hp it claims. Cx9 is overrated. Lmao Audi Q7 vs Mazda CX9 ? what a joke. apples and oranges.
How's the third row seat of the Audi Q7 compared to the CX-9? I thought the CX-9 third row has more legroom and comfort.
What about the reliability just for example.... Audi is not even close to the word reliable