CX-9 for my traveling son?

Thinking of a CX-9 for my son in his new job which will require travel. Anyone here use theirs in business? He has a Jeep GC Overland—not great on gas. Also thinking of waiting for the 2021 model with wireless charging and a marginally larger screen. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.
 
You're a pretty cool dad, buying a 30,000+ dollar car for your son. I hope I can do something like that some day. (y)

Is his heart set on a CUV? A Mazda 6 gets better mileage, is faster, corners better, is more comfortable, better looking (IMO), less expensive, and has nearly as much cargo space as a CX-5. You just don't sit as high up.
 
Thinking of a CX-9 for my son in his new job which will require travel. Anyone here use theirs in business? He has a Jeep GC Overland—not great on gas. Also thinking of waiting for the 2021 model with wireless charging and a marginally larger screen. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.

Depending on your son's needs, unless he needs the extra cargo space that the CX-9 has, I would also suggest getting pretty much any other Mazda as it would be a more fun/economical vehicle to drive. That said, the CX-9 is an excellent highway vehicle - really quiet and rides quite nicely for a 7-seater.
 
Thanks. He is a former pro golfer on the mini tour and an SUV makes more sense since he still plays But not for a living. I have a sports car collection —none of which he is interested in so speed, cornering etc mean nothing to him.
 
Thanks. He is a former pro golfer on the mini tour and an SUV makes more sense since he still plays But not for a living. I have a sports car collection —none of which he is interested in so speed, cornering etc mean nothing to him.

What other details might help us here? Does he have kids? Planning to? Road trips?

I recently upgraded from a CX-5 to a CX-9 for the third row, more space, and a more luxurious ride. I used to own a Mazda3 that I loved before kids were a thing, and frankly would probably do that again if it were just me and the wife again.
 
Wouldn't golf clubs fit into a CX5 with the rear seats folded?
The latest CX5s are very quiet and smooth riding, so you might not want to focus solely on the Cx9.
If I were your son, I'd prefer either the 3 or 6 if each is large enough for the clubs.
 
Cx9 has a longer wheelbase. I read that cx9 sales have really picked up recently. The cx5 has been a bigger seller but maybe people that prefer larger vehicles are noticing Mazda as an option.
 
Welp as you probably see, the 9 gets about 25 or 27 freeway. If MPGs is his priority there are better offerings. The Highlander, escape hybrid (smaller vehicle), the new Toyota venza hybrid, are examples. The Mazda fun factor is way higher but you said he doesn't prioritise those.

Not knocking the Mazda but it's not the winner in MPGs it sets the bar for a fun to drive SUV for those who want a 3 row but don't want a boat like an explorer or Tahoe, but at the sacrifice of space.

I love mine especially vs my old Transit connect minivan. So it didn't have to do much better to be a better vehicle, but in the end it does everything better short of the MPG side of things.
 
Obviously I'm a little biased (lol), but for me, one of the selling points of the CX-9 was/is the interior. It's very well appointed. Not to knock the Highlander or Venza - I just like the CX-9 interior more.

Wireless charging is a nice convenience - The 12V socket for charging a cellphone is located in the passenger side footwell, so in most cases you'd need a longer charging cable just to use that socket. With wireless charging, you could just toss it onto the pad.

The larger screen is not the only benefit. With the larger screen, you'd be getting the latest version of Mazda Connect, which is currently used in the new Mazda3. You'll also be getting a higher resolution display, which was something that people had asked for quite bit here.
 
I think we are all a little bias, but looking objectively they each do their own thing.

The venza is a 40mpg, wireless charging, 12 inch center display full 7 inch led dash and a crazy 10in HUD optional. Wireless charging as well. The venza splits the difference between Lexus and Toyota like the Avalon does. It's a sweet ride. And the prices between the two are nearly identical with the venza only having 3 trims and the CX9 having 4.
Now I wanted a Mazda due to always having an econobox (stratus, 2 Saturns, a minivan, and my wife's DD a Volt) so ilthe Mazda was hands down my choice. But if I was looking for amenities and MPG as my top necessities. Boy the Venza ticks those boxes very well. It's not a escape hybrid which looks too normal, and it's not an blazer that is all show and no go.
But it's obvious they cater to completely difference audiences.
It was just my suggestion since he drives a lot. If I drove a lot, especially for work, I would put budget and driving comfort over sporty driving dynamics personally.
 
At his height, make sure he sits in it for a good drive. If he's built wide as well, some feel the cx9 seats are too narrow, making for very uncomfortable pressure points.

I know you said speed doesn't matter, but if he's coming from a hemi to the cx9...it might suddenly matter.
 
Not sure what the CX-9 fuel capacity is but the one in our CX-5 is abysmally small. CX-5 is not a good travel car because you need to refill every 300ish miles.
I cross-shopped Mazda CX-9 with Acura MDX. I drive 30k+ miles per year and I chose the MDX because it has active lane centering which makes long drives less fatiguing, especially here in New Mexico where high winds are constantly pushing the car around. Because I'm 90% highway, I average 26.6 mpg (calculated at the pump), not bad for a 3 row SUV.
CX-9 is a newer car with better technology though. I wish my car had the great interior of the Mazda, the active-bending headlights, and the heads up display. Every car is a compromise of something though.
 
CX-9 is a newer car with better technology though. I wish my car had the great interior of the Mazda, the active-bending headlights, and the heads up display. Every car is a compromise of something though.

I love my cx9, but technology is a big descriptor. If his son loves using the infotainment system, I'd argue that tech lags.

Your MDX AWD is more advanced, as is the lane centering.

If OP thinks of these 3 things as tech, the Mazda could be improved.
 
He is 6’6” and coming out of a Jeep GC Overland , so I don’t think he wants to go smaller.

If he is that tall then I would not recommend. I'm 6' I'm about tall as I think the CX-9 can handle unless you have super long gorilla arms. The seat does not have the greatest configurability, even in the top trims, and while you can move it back, the telescoping range of the steering wheel is limited. So if you move the seat back to give yourself leg room, then its a huge reach to the steering wheel unless you sit very upright. Probably one of the most common ergo complaints I hear about the CX-9 is the drivers seat leg room.

For your son, I'd recommend a used Lexus sedan or maybe a 3-series wagon if he wants plenty of storage room. German cars tend to accommodate tall occupants very well.
 
Valid points. Keep in mind that torso length and leg length can vary, so while headroom for one person may not be an issue, it could be for someone with a longer torso. Also keep in mind that seating position varies from person to person - I see a lot of people slouching with one hand on the wheel, and a lot of people who prefer to be leaning forward with their forearms resting on the wheel.

The manual also details how the seat should be adjusted. If OP's son is new to Mazdas, I would have him test drive the car with the seat adjusted using Mazda's recommendations (if he can't get a comfortable fit after making his own adjustments).
 
I'm 6'2"/ 190lbs and recently bought a Golf R (don't judge! Mazda abandoned me, not the other way around!) because I wanted a turbocharged hatchback that I can fit my surfboards, dog and friends into, but still have some fun.

Crazy how much more leg and shoulder room there is compared to an MS3 or MSP. My theory is because one was designed in Japan, and the other was designed somewhere where people are...larger.

That said, I've never even been in a CX-9, so forget it. lol

Like sm1ke said, have him sit in the Mazda. 👍
 
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