2021 CX-9 Changes

In general, NA market (Canada/USA) receive the same updates so its quite a bummer to see that Canadians do not get the new infotainment system. And to be honest I am really questioning the marketing and how they ended up doing like this.
 
You'd think it would actually cost them MORE to sell two different versions in NA, the differences are so minuscule (Change the speedometer basically).
 
In general, NA market (Canada/USA) receive the same updates so its quite a bummer to see that Canadians do not get the new infotainment system. And to be honest I am really questioning the marketing and how they ended up doing like this.

Are we sure yet that Canada isn't getting the same updates? It does seem bizarre that they would keep using 2 infotainment systems in the same year for different regions. Seems like more work and supply chain management.
 
Are we sure yet that Canada isn't getting the same updates? It does seem bizarre that they would keep using 2 infotainment systems in the same year for different regions. Seems like more work and supply chain management.
This is from Mazda Canada news letter. No word on the new infotainment.

 
The speedometer and odometer are user controlled by the push of a button. At least that’s the case for the GT/ Sig instrumentation. Really find it hard to believe Mazda would ship two versions to the NA market. But then what do I know?
 
Are we sure yet that Canada isn't getting the same updates? It does seem bizarre that they would keep using 2 infotainment systems in the same year for different regions. Seems like more work and supply chain management.

Someone asked Mazda Canada on Facebook and they confirmed we are only getting the 9" screen.
 
Back in the mid 80s dad used to pack us into the Subaru wagon (yup we'd lie in the back seats folded down) and go to NYC. He always wanted things we couldn't get here. Clothing, bikes, VCRs, watches, anything.

He'd take tags off and say we brought it all so we owned no duty. Even worked for the VCR. The good old days.

There is a small part of population here who will go south, buy a car and bring it home...Though it's usually when the exchange rate is favourable, not for car features necessarily.
 
"Carbon Edition model helps owners express their individuality with bold styling. Mazda North American Operations today announces the 2021 Mazda CX-9 will arrive in dealerships later this month." So few more days? Really?
 
paddle shifters!!!!😭😭 coming one year too late. That is probably the absent feature I wished for most.

Lol, no worries! I'm sure someone will eventually DIY the paddle shifter installation like they did for the Mazda6 (y)
 
I still can't believe they are going to ship 2021 to Canada with the old 9" display...
Can it be some sort of mistake on their website? I really hope so...
I see that wireless Apple CP is coming and it was not an option on the "old" infotaiment. Do they say they spend an extra money and effort to implement wireless acp on old hardware instead of providing us with same new display as for the US market? Does it really make any sense at all?
That would be a deal breaker for me. 5 years ago Mazda lost me as a customer due to lack of many features on CX9 comparing to a Highlander. I'm on a market again, and it seems like Highlander will win it again. I dont really care about the minor price difference between them. I just don't seem myself staring every day, for a next 4-5 years, on that crappy old monitor thinking - "well, its ok, I don't really care that I could get a better car south of the border for the same money".
 
The only thing I can think of is that Mazda may have an agreement in place with a supplier to purchase a certain number of components and they haven't reached the magic number. Or, they've already purchased a supply of parts and they are running through them in the Canadian bound cars. It doesn't make much sense to keep multiple sets of part numbers and configurations going. On the other hand, Mazda seems to make a whole host of incremental changes from year to year, so perhaps it is not much of an additional cost to support the multiple configurations.
 
I still can't believe they are going to ship 2021 to Canada with the old 9" display...
Can it be some sort of mistake on their website? I really hope so...
I see that wireless Apple CP is coming and it was not an option on the "old" infotaiment. Do they say they spend an extra money and effort to implement wireless acp on old hardware instead of providing us with same new display as for the US market? Does it really make any sense at all?
That would be a deal breaker for me. 5 years ago Mazda lost me as a customer due to lack of many features on CX9 comparing to a Highlander. I'm on a market again, and it seems like Highlander will win it again. I dont really care about the minor price difference between them. I just don't seem myself staring every day, for a next 4-5 years, on that crappy old monitor thinking - "well, its ok, I don't really care that I could get a better car south of the border for the same money".

Sounds like a question for Mazda Corporate. It doesn't really make sense to me either, unless the situation is as jal142 described.. but even then, Canadian buyers getting the short end of the stick does sting. Didn't Mazda do something similar with parking sensors on the US vs. Canadian CX-5?

Since the 2016 was released, Mazda has made some really good improvements with every year, some of which directly address the concerns you had when you were shopping in 2016. Thigh adjustment, easier access to the 3rd row, option for captain's chairs in the 2nd row, outboard 2nd row heated seats, AA/ACP option (with the ability to retrofit older models), 360-degree cam, power folding mirrors. I'm not including 2021 changes, but there's probably a bunch of other stuff I'm missing. Over the years some complaints have popped up about seat comfort, both in the CX-9 and the CX-5 (and probably other models as well). One thing I wasn't aware of was that Mazda goes through the seat adjustment procedure in the owner's manual. Some owners who have/had seat comfort issues followed the procedure and were able to get a more comfortable seating position just by following the manual's recommendations. It might be worth a second dealership visit?
 
I also can’t figure out why canada would get a different infotainment than the U.S. But honestly not a big deal for me at all. The infotainment or “tech” is absolutely not on my priority list when I am shopping for a car. That is even more true nowadays when most people will just use apple carplay or android auto most of time (especially now that it is wireless).
 
When I bought my 2019 CX-9 GT I was coming out of a 2013 Toyota Venza Ltd and was seriously looking at a 2019 Highlander Ltd Platinum. Their infotainment and nav system in that trim level had a software problem where the voice commands would not work and you had no voice prompts when using the GPS/nav. There was a cumbersome workaround and of course the dealer claimed no knowledge until I showed them a TSB I found on a Venza owner's forum. It was a deal breaker for me and gave the Mazda the edge in my purchase decision.

Fast forward to today and the 2020 Highlander redesign their infotainment system still gets complaints on their Toyota Nation website. I also hate the design aesthetics of it; looks like a cheap early 80's computer sticking out of the dash. Agree that Mazda should make a bigger screen going forward and try to speed the boot-up time of the system.
 
Here's a youtube link to a first glimpse of the carbon edition cx-9. Get a better idea how the poly metal gray looks and also the interior red seats.

 
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