I have been reading this forum along with the 2016 CX-9 Spied forum for a while now and feel like I have enough miles under my butt to offer some feedback.
My Vehicle
Signature Trim with Machine Gray Metallic exterior
Grand Touring FWD trim with Snowflake White Pearl exterior and tan leather interior
Seats
I am 5' 11" and have found a comfortable position. I do agree with others that Mazda cheated out a little with putting a 6 way power seat in the CX-9 vs the 8 way power seat in the higher trim levels of other vehicles in their line-up such as the 2016 CX-3, CX-5 and Mazda6. This is especially perplexing given the CX-9 tops out at ~ $47K MSRP before TT&L.
I'm 6'1" and have also found a comfortable seating position. The seat base could tilt a bit further back for my taste, but not bad. I particularly appreciate the lumbar support; currently at full extension.
AC
I am in the Austin, TX area and things are heating up now. The AC does seem to work really hard if you turn off Air Recirculation where you get fresh air from outside. So far when the AC is set to Auto the thing runs full blast until I intervene by selecting a lower fan speed. I have yet to have the AC idle down by itself with the ~ 95 degree temps we are having. It does keep things cool but it would be nice to not have to touch the manual controls as much as I do now; I know, first world problem.
The A/C has kept up thus far, but the fan DOES run on high quite a bit to conquer the current heat and humidity. I've kept it on auto, recirculate, and set at 72 degrees. I DO have ceramic tint all around (including the sunroof) and UV/IR blocking film installed on my windshield. All combine to greatly reduce interior heat soak.
Blind Spot Monitoring
I have noticed that BSM doesn't always pick up a vehicle while my vehicle is in motion. Most of the time it does but I have seen it not detect another vehicle that I am passing at over 65 MPH.
I never have a problem with the BSM when a vehicle is approaching from behind. Having had BSM in other vehicles (including my new Miata), I don't think that the system is programmed to detect vehicles that we've passed and are pulling away from. I REALLY appreciate the BSM warning in the heads-up display.
Gas Mileage
Initially gas mileage was 18 or 19 mpg in mixed driving. I wasn't pushing the vehicle hard but did have a couple of spirited drives. Now I am getting 21-22 mpg in mixed driving when the AC is not running full blast. I will be getting ceramic tint this weekend.
I topped my tank off shortly after delivery. My first measured tank (with most driving in traffic) was a miserable 15.9 mpg. The next one with mixed driving was about 17 mpg and this morning's fill-up yielded 19 mpg.
With only 300+ miles on the odometer, I'm pleased to see the upward trend. Regardless, the mileage is far better now than a former 2011 CX-9 was after thousands of miles.
Engine Power
I read A LOT of information about the vehicle including criticisms of the 227 HP motor before people had a chance to test drive it. I have owned good V6s in the past and can tell you this vehicle moves. It may not be the fastest on the block but I have yet to feel the need for more power or that it is under powered. I have not towed anything so can't say for sure how well it will handle those conditions but I expect it to do well. One thing I am noticing lately is when slowing down to make a right turn the RPMs drop below 2000 then when you gently push on the accelerator you can get kind of a lag spin up of the turbo until you hit 2000 RPM again. It doesn't feel very refined during that instant but it's not that big a deal.
Power is more than adequate for my purposes. It feels more spritely off the line than the former CX-9 and passes other vehicles at freeway speeds with ease. I've only experienced the slight lag on one occasion, but it wasn't too bad.
Handling and ride
For a moderately-large SUV, handling is superb. I routinely take turns that have a "recommended" speed at least 25% faster than posted without any excess body roll or squeal from the tires.
Ride is very comfortable and far quieter than the former CX-9, CX-5s, or a series of Mazda3s
Conclusion
Overall the Mazda CX-9 checked all of the right boxes for me. One big thing I feel is missing is ventilated seats. Again, this is considering the cost of the Signature Trim. I cross shopped The 2016 Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Murano, Kia Sorento SXL, Honda Pilot Elite, QX60 and Toyota Highlander. For my needs, the money and overall package I felt the Mazda was a better buy and still feel that way. I told my 10 year old girl it looks mean in the front and she agrees. She does want to give it a girl's name but that's a different story.
I too wish for ventilated seats. In my climate, all-wheel drive is overkill except in very rare instances. As such the Grand Touring trim works perfectly for me. It has all of the safety nannies and electronic conveniences without requiring a more complex drive train. Though the rosewood trim and additional interior and exterior lighting are very nice, they don't change the vehicle operation. (Had I needed/wanted AWD, or if Signature Trim was available with a FWD chassis, I definitely would have sprung for the extra cost.) Eleven days and 300+ miles in, I remain very pleased with my choice.
If there are any questions I can answer please ask and I will do my best.
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