Her + His Car Reviews
2017 Mazda CX-9 All Wheel Drive
There are two sides to everything, right? To keep our car reviews innovative and interesting, we provide an animated, insightful, and detailed POV's on the same car from - Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $45,755 | $45,755 |
| Performance | |
| Mazda has a home run with the CX-9 agile mid-sized SUV that responds like no other; the suspension makes driving on any type of road a 'good ride.' We thoroughly loved driving this vehicle as it is graceful and agile beyond compare. Especially on the hills and turnpike around Pittsburgh, the car held its own on those turns. An A+. Predictive i-ATIVE All Wheel Drive. Premium driving never felt so fun starting at $31K all the way up to our tester with SkyActive 2.5T Turbo Engine and 227 horsepower. A true 'best buy,' Mazda is making a play this year with a very compelling line up. |
Bravura! There is no better family priced SUV than this one when it comes to handling and performance. It's not perfect--feels a bit heavy, and there is some gentle body roll here and there. But overall--it's a winner on this score. For all CX-9s power comes from a 2.5 liter, 227 horsepower four-cylinder engine that produces 310 pound-feet of torque. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| 20 city/ 25 highway/ 22 overall | Eh, not quite as good as the feds say, though it is quite competitive on this count. The fuel economy rating is 23 combined, 20 city, and 26 highway. In full disclosure, we will say that the mileage generally fell 2 to 4 miles per gallon below that in our driving. You will spend about $1,000 more in gasoline costs with the CX-9 over five years, then you would with other new vehicles. It uses 4.3 gallons of gasoline per 100 miles, and the annual fuel cost is about $1,600 every year for five years of driving 15,000 miles annually on gasoline costing $2.45 a gallon. |
| The Vehicle | |
| The 2017 Mazda CX-9 gets two thumbs up with handsome and elegant looks, design and comfort. Both, inside and out. The 45-thousand-dollar price tag is for out tester model with everything in it is the real deal. Most other 'up-brand' competitors would have you fork out 10 - 15K more for the same features! Seating is plush; just sitting there I imagined myself in an 'om' state of mind. Some journalists were looking for Mazda to add Apple Car Play, which it does not feature. Nonetheless, the infotainment system is easy to set up and use. Third row seating is ample room for two adults. Cargo space in this CX-9 is commodious. |
This one is a big hit for Mazda and that comes as no surprise at all. It is inordinately comfortable, beautiful to look at it, and will turn heads wherever it goes. The comfort and quiet of the CX-9 make it a perfect cruiser on long trips, and you will have every conceivable piece of technology at your fingertips. Very, very classy product from Mazda. |
| Safety | |
| Airbags galore. Competitive, Attractive Warranty Program. 24 Hour Roadside Assistance. LATCH Child Safety Seat Anchors. Tire Pressure Monitoring System. SKYACTIV Body - Ring Structure. ABS and Brake Assist. Dynamic Stability Control. Traction Control System. Roll Stability Control. Rear Cross Traffic Assist. Lane Keep Assist. Smart Brake Support. | Skyactiv (Mazda's nomenclature) Body Ring Structure, ABS with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, dynamic stability control, traction control, roll stability control. Independent front and rear suspension, and all the usual airbags and belts. |
| Technology | |
| This model is loaded with technology. Let's begin: Leather seats with Lumbar and Power and Heat. 2nd Row Shades. Electronic Parking Brake. Tri Zone Climate Control. Bose® AM/FM/ HD Sound System with 12 Speakers. Satellite radio. 8" Color Display for Navigation and Infotainment. Rear Camera. Power Moonroof. Power Open Rear Lift Gate. LED Headlights. High Beam Control. Rear Roof Spoiler. LED Lighting Signature Grille. Blind Spot Monitoring. Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Smart City Brake Support. Lane Keep Assist. Mazda Radar Cruise Control. Rear Backup Sensor. USB Ports. |
Standard features on the Sport include 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, tri-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, a six-way manually adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding second-row seats, 50/50-split folding third-row seats, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, Mazda's Connect infotainment system with 7" display, and a six-speaker sound system. The Touring model steps things up with heated mirrors, a power lift gate with adjustable height stops, keyless ignition and entry, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, low-speed emergency braking (Smart City Brake Support), heated front seats, leather upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (four-way front passenger seat), an 8-inch infotainment display and two USB ports in the second-row center armrest. Pop for the Grand Touring and you also get 20-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, LED fog lights, automatic wipers, roof rails, a sunroof, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, rear parking sensors, upgraded frontal collision warning and mitigation systems, a head-up display, driver-seat memory functions, retractable sunshades for the middle-row seats, aluminum interior trim, additional interior lighting, a navigation system, a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system and satellite radio. Then you have that fabulous Signature model. Sit back and enjoy exterior LED accent lighting, premium leather upholstery and rosewood interior trim. All-wheel drive is standard. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| The distinctive 2017 Mazda CX-9 edges the brand ahead of others in this class. It's all part of Mazda's strategy is to continue with "terrific products." What is further needed is to enhance and offer a full line up to make the brand more competitive to improve the 2% market share. With almost 600 dealers, brand loyalty is on the rise, but is still double digit below the industry average. There is no question that the CX-9 AWD will make its mark for Mazda in terms of brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. It is a stand out and step up above the rest. The level of impeccability in details, and refined features make this vehicle a beauty. The Touring trim level with authentic wood and leather - and the Smart City Brake Support are now standard. The muscular grille looks sleek and daring without being overstated. All supported by 20" alloy wheels. The infotainment has touch, voice, and rotary dial commands, and an 8" screen; all good to work with. |
For starters, this car looks like no other on the road. You are not likely to confuse it with anything else on the road. It somehow manages to say "I am a high performance CUV." There is an elegant simplicity to the arrangement of the gauges, controls and fixtures. No clutter. No overwhelming number of bells, buttons, knobs and whistles. And the design of it all is a work of art. Gorgeous, unvarnished looking wood that has gentle curves that clearly show a painstakingly hand-crafted feel and appearance - even though you know this is a regular production product, not a hand-built, bespoke one. The whole presentation screams "Mercedes" or "BMW" and we've seen plenty of cars from both brands, that don't measure up to the ambiance of the CX-9. This is particularly true if you order your CX-9 in the Machine Gray metallic color with the Auburn (sort of a soft burgundy brownish color) interior combination. And a look at that Mazda steering wheel tells you that this car is about business--sports business. It promises precise handling, quick acceleration, and sure-footed driving. |
| Warranty | |
| 3 Year/36,000 Basic Warranty. 5 Year/60,000 Powertrain Warranty. | The warranty program includes a 3 year, or 36,000-mile coverage plan for the basic car, and five years/60,000-mile warranty for the powertrain. |
