Poll: Did you choose the CX-9 over a European SUV?

[Antoine]

Posted a similar thread in the CX-5 section and it has already produced great responses and poll results...I'm equally interested to know what CX-9 Owners think of European SUVs (Benz, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Volvo etc). How many CX-9 Owners were seriously considering a European SUV but were ultimately sold on the CX-9?

Cast your vote and post your reasons and thoughts, thanks!

 

[richabrams6@]

Perhaps it should be deciding over European cars, which will include Volvo, Jaguar, etc. They are usually on the list to check out when buying a luxury SUV

 

[sm1ke]

I was considering a Q7 (older of course). I also wanted to try to convince my wife to stick with a 5-seater so I could attempt to sway her into an SQ5, lol. I really like the looks and the interiors of most Audis, and I also like the aftermarket support that is present (mods, tunes, etc.). That said, I knew that it would potentially be a money pit due to the cost of maintenance, and I would dread owning it outside of the warranty period. My brother-in-law had a fairly new A4 Quattro and liked it, but there was a known issue ($8k potential repair cost ) that he was just beginning to see the symptoms of. He ended up selling it once he got his company car from Nissan. Stories and experiences like that are what scare me away from most German brands, and there seems to be a lot of those stories out there.

 

[sm1ke]

Perhaps it should be deciding over European cars, which will include Volvo, Jaguar, etc. They are usually on the list to check out when buying a luxury SUV

Yes I would agree. For example, I had priced out XC90s and F-Paces before deciding on the CX-9. The XC90s were just too expensive to get what I wanted, and the experiences of F-Pace owners on the F-Pace forums did not seem to be that great. Lots of build quality issues. F-Pace interior also isn't anything to write home about IMO.

 

[richabrams6@]

I had a Volvo XC60 before trading it for a CX-9 Sig. Like sm1ke, I looked hard at the XC90 and the pricing was crazy to get the same features. Also, it's really large.
My son has a Q7 and while nice, it too is very expensive and large and just doesn't handle the way the CX-9 does.

 

[youri]

I am amazed a lot of people are cross shopping the CX-9 with these luxury brand. To me it is a testament to how good it actually is and how well Mazda designed it. You know I don’t really hear people saying, i was crossshopping a nissan pathfinder, a honda pilot, a ford explorer with a volvo xc-90, audi q7, etc. Even though these can all be optionned to be the same price as the cx-9, have bigger interior, bigger towing capacity, can often have more tech, etc.

I value handling so much in all my car that the cx-9 was a no brainer, and i don’t have the budget for the luxury brand up front and maintenance cost. But above all else to me, this car manages the rare task of feeling special. It feels like it is better than the sum of its parts to me.

i guess i went on a bit of a sidetrack. To answer the poll, i did not compare it to any of the luxury german SUVs. In my opinion the price difference is too large and they don’t fall in the same category. I did compare it to the VW offerings, but they were too utilitarian too me and were missing that special feeling ( and interestingly they were also lacking the european handling which VW products are usually known for).

 

[sm1ke]

I am amazed a lot of people are cross shopping the CX-9 with these luxury brand. To me it is a testament to how good it actually is and how well Mazda designed it. You know I don’t really hear people saying, i was crossshopping a nissan pathfinder, a honda pilot, a ford explorer with a volvo xc-90, audi q7, etc. Even though these can all be optionned to be the same price as the cx-9, have bigger interior, bigger towing capacity, can often have more tech, etc.

I value handling so much in all my car that the cx-9 was a no brainer, and i don’t have the budget for the luxury brand up front and maintenance cost. But above all else to me, this car manages the rare task of feeling special. It feels like it is better than the sum of its parts to me.

i guess i went on a bit of a sidetrack. To answer the poll, i did not compare it to any of the luxury german SUVs. In my opinion the price difference is too large and they don’t fall in the same category. I did compare it to the VW offerings, but they were too utilitarian too me and were missing that special feeling ( and interestingly they were also lacking the european handling which VW products are usually known for).

I agree with all of your sentiments, but the bolded part is exactly how I feel, and a great way to describe the CX-9.

 

[Carfo]

The Japanese have a very different mindset culturally for how they produce items. Each car is made with care. Can’t say the same about German cars. The tech is nice, but if I was going for pure luxury I would still get a Lexus over a German car

 

[AWE46M3]

I don't own a CX-9, yet, and still trying to decide which direction I want to go. My wife is currently in a Cayenne but we would like to up-size to something with a 3rd row for rare occasions when we need to bring another adult with us.

Pros:
- 3rd row (obviously)
- Driving dynamics - probably closest we will get to the Cayenne w/o spending $60K+ (for new)
- Captain's chairs for easier passage to rear seats
- Easy to configure (not a ton of options)
- Priced well enough that I won't worry so much about how the little ones treat/mistreat it
- Seems to be generally reliable*

Cons:
- Would prefer a 6 cylinder option
- Aftermarket
- Please do not take this one the wrong way - not a very "robust" online community, yet
- Some of the coolant leak issues reported here are a bit concerning; very small sample size, but maybe longer term reliability is still a bit unknown

If not a CX-9, our other options are German and Korean: X5 xDrive35i or Palisade

I'd probably opt for a low mileage, well optioned CPO X5 if I go that route. Palisades are nice but dealers are holding firm on pricing and I refuse to pay MSRP, let alone the mark-up many are asking for.

 

[Antoine]

Perhaps it should be deciding over European cars, which will include Volvo, Jaguar, etc. They are usually on the list to check out when buying a luxury SUV

Good point...Updated the poll and original post.

 

[Antoine]

Great responses so far, everyone

It's not uncommon to read about horror stories involving maintenance and repair costs for European luxury vehicles (in this case SUVs)...Are they really that costly and problematic compared to the CX-9? Does the "horror show" really start after the warranty has expired?

 

[tekz]

late 2016 before deciding on a 2017 Signature, traded my XC60 but cross-shopped: RX350, XC90, QX60, Q7, Highlander & Pilot..almost ordered an RX but held out...good thing as the CX9 Signature came out $6K cheaper than a base RX and $12K cheaper for the optioned out pkg comparable to the Signature trim! Coming from a Volvo, we didn’t miss any of the luxury features in fact got more (talk about bang for buck). Fast forward to over 3yrs very happy with decision and CX9 has been very reliable & cheap to maintain! Have been getting a lot of compliments on it from friends, co-workers & strangers...

 

[neuneleven]

I suppose I could answer here as I chose my current CX9 over a european...and a couple of Japanese 3 row SUV. Please forgive me if this is long winded, but it gives context to the decision making.
BACKGROUND:Came from an 2017 Acura MXD which we had gotten already up to about 60K miles on. WE needed a three row which both I could (enjoyably) drive and other members of the family including kids could drive in the near future. WE have an 8 seater already and needed a 5 flex 7 seated when in a pinch. Another consideration was availability of service in or close to our town. Acura/Lexus dealers two hours out but BMW/Mercedes/Volvo in town and Audi less than an hour away. We have two other vehicles with dealerships also two hours away, so repeated drives for service were slowly becoming a pain for me.

Off the bat already declassified Mercedes GLE 3 row (new, no history, tiny 3rd row)and X5 3 row for lack of third row space and depreciation and eventual reliability - may keep current vehicle 4-6 years.

Love the Q7, have owned 2 Audis and also seen their dark side. Enjoyed the drive of the Q7. All in all, it is ahead of the CX9, without a doubt. For the increased price however, was not worth it to me. The 3rd row is not much better than the CX9. Has more"status" , in some people's eyes but we but have no need for that currently with the other vehicles. Service distance was not an issue at less than 1 hour from home. The CX was just the better package for me at this time all things considered

Lexus RX...simply doesn't rock my boat, though statistically and truly a nice reliable, comfortable car. would have still taken one despite distance as colleagues have had their cars picked up for service locally and returned.

Volvo XC 90 - have had the yamaha sourced V8 engine and I6 both on the prior model. Never been too enamored with the current one. Drones as much if not a tad worse than the Mazda on hard acceleration, do not trust it's reliability, particularly with regards to electronics as much as the the later vehicles of the prior model range which I owned.

Acura MDX; just got out of one, current gen three. Also owned a gen 2. Good cars but I was no too thrilled with the current vehicle. Did not like the transmission, had the car suddenly go unresponsive on me on the highway while in the left lane in Chicago morning traffic and the thought of that happening to spouse/kids who might not be able to manage such an emergency turned me off. The interior was in my opinion not better than the CX9. features were comparable or less in the tech package (no rear seat heating/surround camera/ front seat cooling, heated steering)

Palisade/Telluride; too early to move me yet. I needed more reliability data as of the time of purchase, thanksgiving 2019. On paper look good. Have a truck based 8 seater already, which again reduces the need for the aforementioned.

CX9 was my final choice after the above. Might not be luxury classified vehicle but practically is pretty darned close. The interior finish is impeccable and on par with the Germans, though it may not have all the "luxury gadgets" and cachet. I love the curves of that car- can one call it a sultry looking three row? I enjoy the drive - its handling is "tight" for a three row SUV. I often forget and instinctively reach behind the steering wheel for paddles like in my daily driver...and unfortunately find none. It could readily handle 50 to 100 more horses I believe! It's not perfect, but all things considered, particularly from a driver's stand point, it's a great package and I believe it is an underappreciated gem in the US car market. Now let's hope my bet on reliability is right and I can wring 100K miles out of it

 

[AWE46M3]

Great responses so far, everyone

It's not uncommon to read about horror stories involving maintenance and repair costs for European luxury vehicles (in this case SUVs)...Are they really that costly and problematic compared to the CX-9? Does the "horror show" really start after the warranty has expired?

IMO, they are definitely expensive (relatively speaking) if you're paying dealer service department rates. If you can DIY for basic stuff, that helps a lot.

Not unlike the majority of other cars on the road, most of the bigger repair costs come after the warranties expire - I think that gets exaggerated at times because of the higher costs. If I used my Lexus as an example, since I have been out of warranty I have had two alternators fail, fuel pump, and water pump. I feel like if it were a German/Euro car, some people would start telling me it's an unreliable money pit...

 

[sm1ke]

IMO, they are definitely expensive (relatively speaking) if you're paying dealer service department rates. If you can DIY for basic stuff, that helps a lot.

Not unlike the majority of other cars on the road, most of the bigger repair costs come after the warranties expire - I think that gets exaggerated at times because of the higher costs. If I used my Lexus as an example, since I have been out of warranty I have had two alternators fail, fuel pump, and water pump. I feel like if it were a German/Euro car, some people would start telling me it's an unreliable money pit...

I think people are generally more vocal about the repair costs on a Euro because they typically are more expensive to buy. You also see it mentioned a lot more on the internet because most of the time, they have not been as reliable as the Japanese options. There's always a chance of your car being a lemon, it just doesn't seem to happen as often as it does to Euro brands.

 

[GTA-CX9]

I looked at Murano, Lexus nx, and mdx.

Being honest, MDX seemed better except for interior but was quickly getting out of range with options. And nx was quick no as the size was just not what we wanted...not even sure why I bothered.

I initially liked Murano, as I don't really need 7 seats, but more I got into it I realized there'd be no handling penalty for 2 extra seats. Opposite actually, Muranos cruise great but are not known for cornering. So then, I could get 7 seater with better overall features IMO, and only penalty was length and price. It was still in budget so we went for it.

It is long, but we're in burbs now so no biggie. Yrs ago I had a cx7 in the city, and that seemed big given the geography. Not sure Murano or nx would have lost if I were still there.

 

[Antoine]

If I used my Lexus as an example, since I have been out of warranty I have had two alternators fail, fuel pump, and water pump. I feel like if it were a German/Euro car, some people would start telling me it's an unreliable money pit...

Really! Wow...Interesting point as well...

I think people are generally more vocal about the repair costs on a Euro because they typically are more expensive to buy.

Good point!

I initially liked Murano, as I don't really need 7 seats, but more I got into it I realized there'd be no handling penalty for 2 extra seats. Opposite actually, Muranos cruise great but are not known for cornering. So then, I could get 7 seater with better overall features IMO, and only penalty was length and price. It was still in budget so we went for it.

So you cross shopped with other Japanese options...Interesting to know your thought process there...I wonder if CX-9 Owners have cross shopped with other Japanese makes more so than German ones..? The CX-9 is in a higher price bracket than the CX-5 right..?

 

[youri]

So you cross shopped with other Japanese options...Interesting to know your thought process there...I wonder if CX-9 Owners have cross shopped with other Japanese makes more so than German ones..? The CX-9 is in a higher price bracket than the CX-5 right..?

I also cross shopped with other Japanese vehicles, but to be fair I cross shopped with pretty much every other option. The Murano was also on my list, but the lack cargo space turned me off. I thought it was a larger 5 seater but the combination of high cargo floor and slope rear roof really reduces the cargo capacity.

The CX-9 is more expensive than the CX-5, but it is not in a higher price bracket in its class. What I mean is the CX-5 is in the same brackets as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, Ford Escape,etc. The CX-9 is in the same price bracket as the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, etc. That being said, the CX-9 is in a bit of a weird space because it is a bit small for a mid-size SUV, but still technically falls in that category. When people are comparing a CX-9 with BMW X3 or Audi Q5, they are comparing two different class of products. Price wise, comparing MSRP between let’s say a signature cx-9 and a base Audi Q7, you are looking at at a 8 000$ US difference, and if you opted for a GT it would be 13000 $ US difference.

 

[GTA-CX9]

I guess for me, I was looking for a little more than the cx5. It's a beautiful package, and I'd probably prefer it to my CRV now, since I have the size of the CX-9, but I just felt the Murano had a bit more presence than a fully loaded compact. I did want a bit more size too, but not a ton, left me with Murano, CX-9 and the US brands really. The GMC and Edge just didn't really review that well. The Jeeps are faves of mine, but get $$$$ fast. Didn't even go for visit to a USA brand showroom when looking at CX-9, and I've owned a good 5 or more GM vehicles. I likely would have looked at Passport if not for it's interior, I just can't get over the look inside.

The Canadian CX-9 Sig was going for about $53 000 in 2019,the Audi Q5 started in high 40s so it's not an insane comparo. On the surface.

Start to tick boxes on German brands and the difference is significant. But, if one isn't big on tech, I can see someone's list including Murano, CX-9, X3 and Q5 as they all are in high 40 to low 50k range. Let's be serious too, the CX-9 is a 7 seater, but if you truly needed 7 it isn't best pick. As a big 5 seater, fits well with those other 3, in my opinion.

 

[Fruitwolf]

I test drove an X3, MDX, Q5, Touareg, XC60, Ford Edge, Sorento, RX 350 and others. I almost bought the X3.

A big part of why I chose the CX-9 is because it’s manufactured in Japan and whether or not this is true, I equate that with dependability. This goes back to the 1970’s when my dad bought a Corolla wagon. It ran forever with no issues. The dependability factor is huge considering where our family is financially.

Also, the CX-9 is a nice balance of comfort, sportiness and practicality. As one poster stated earlier, I do wish a six cylinder was an option.

I recently test drove a used Cayenne (my new dream car) and wish I’d never done that, lol. Regarding comfort, performance and how well a car can handle, it’s life changing, lol. However, after talking with a mechanic that has worked on them, he confirmed that maintenance costs are high. His wife’s Cayenne S burned through tires (every 25k miles) and that a transfer case repair (which is common if you push the car a lot, which I would do, OF COURSE) is a 5-6k repair. If I were a wealthier man and could afford it, I’d buy a Cayenne.

Again, our new CX-9 made the most sense over a German car because of price, balancing many nice attributes and it’s reliable. It’s the right vehicle relative to our financial situation.