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

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

  • Yes

    Votes: 36 67.9%
  • No

    Votes: 12 22.6%
  • I have both

    Votes: 3 5.7%
  • In the market and leaning towards the CX-9

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • In the market and leaning towards a European SUV

    Votes: 1 1.9%

  • Total voters
    53
British vehicles have terrible dependability reviews/ratings!
BMW's are expensive to maintain and repair, been there done that!
Was tempted by the (looks) of a 2018 Jaguar F-PACE. But the first year models had 3 major recalls! It comes with basically the same engine/performance of CX-9, less room/no 3rd row seating, leatherette seats! Are you kidding me, leatherette! I'd have to get the sport-R model Jaguar to get real leather seats like the CX-9 and the used jaguar was $10,000 more than the used CX-9. No brainer.
 
British vehicles have terrible dependability reviews/ratings!
BMW's are expensive to maintain and repair, been there done that!
Was tempted by the (looks) of a 2018 Jaguar F-PACE. But the first year models had 3 major recalls! It comes with basically the same engine/performance of CX-9, less room/no 3rd row seating, leatherette seats! Are you kidding me, leatherette! I'd have to get the sport-R model Jaguar to get real leather seats like the CX-9 and the used jaguar was $10,000 more than the used CX-9. No brainer.

Ya that is what I always find using the build option with luxury nameplates. It'd be wife in back with baby and she'd get no heated, leatherette, me in front with no ACC or blind spot monitor, hands gripping cold wheel in Canadian January.

If in future my budget allows for nicely equipped BMW, Acura etc, they are great vehicles from what I've heard/read. I'm sure I would enjoy one. Not there now.
 
Back in 2017 i was seriously considering buying a 2015 Audi Q7 TDI (turbo-diesel) Prestige. At the time, my daily drive was a fully tuned 2012 Audi S4. You can see i like Audis and i am pretty capable to maintain and work on them if and when needed. My Audi S4 had over 100k miles when i sold it, it was far from stock, it was driven pretty hard and it was very reliable, as long as i maintained it properly (correct fluids, parts, etc at the right intervals). Again - i work on my cars and i don't pay the dealer for every little thing. Taking an Audi or any German car to the dealer for repairs/maintenance will be a very costly experience. I call it a rip-off.

Since we have 3 kids, the S4 was not cutting it, so i was looking at larger SUV options with 3rd row seat. The Q7 was on top of my list, especially with the very capable, high torque and good MPG TDI engine. The one thing that bothered me at the time was the very dated infotainment system in the 2015 Q7. Even though this was a 2015 model SUV, the body/interior was introduced back on 2008, so i was looking at 2008 design and it was so so obvious. On top of that, the price for a low miles Prestige trim was close to $40-42k.... and dealers were not interested in negotiating.

This is where my 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature came in the picture. By pure luck, i found it at a local dealership - Fully Certified, with only 8k miles, for $36k. I test drove it 4 times and i really liked it. It was practically a new car, with great warranty, great looks, much more modern interior than the 2015 Q7, nicer infotainment system and decent gas mileage from the 4-cyl turbo. Yes, less torque than the German TDI, no quattro awd, but for a daily driver, i figured the Mazda will be sufficient. So i pulled the trigger. Still happy with it 3 yrs later, and i am not ready to get rid of it yet. :) I did discover some weaknesses with the CX-9, especially around the primitive AWD system, the so-so audio system, so-so seats, half-baked "luxury" options, and overall lack of real power from the 4-cyl turbo. I still love the looks, inside and out. I also like the handling....and the fact that it has been trouble free and i got it at a great price. It gets the job done well.

Earlier this year, my wife decided that it was time to upgrade her daily driver and we sold our old but super reliable Lexus GX470 (great SUV). After some searching and serious negotiating, we pulled the trigger on a brand new 2019 Audi Q7 Prestige 3.0T. We bought the car for $13K under the sticker price because the new 2020 model was starting to show up on the dealer lots. It was a great deal, almost too good to pass it up.
Well.... let me just say this - it is VERY obvious why the Q7 costs more than the CX-9. The Q7 is in Prestige trim (top level) and my Mazda is Signature trim. Comparing the two SUVs is almost unfair. One is a true luxury SUV and the other is a true "Premium" SUV. The Q7 is more powerful, much more quieter inside, handles really well, better AWD, better seats, better leather, better lighting, better brakes, amazing dashboard (digital cockpit is very cool), nicer sounding stereo system, glass roof, roomier second row seating, better done safety features, really well working cooled and heated seats, same if not better MPG, super smooth 8-speed ZF transmission.... and the list goes on and on. So yes, Q7 is a more expensive vehicle, but in my opinion, there is a list of good reasons why it's more expensive.

If my budget is $36-40k ... i still feel the CX-9 Signature is a strong choice if new. However, i would also very seriously consider a certified used ('17-18) Audi Q7 3.0T in the same price range. It's just a better built, true luxury SUV.
 
Back in 2017 i was seriously considering buying a 2015 Audi Q7 TDI (turbo-diesel) Prestige. At the time, my daily drive was a fully tuned 2012 Audi S4. You can see i like Audis and i am pretty capable to maintain and work on them if and when needed. My Audi S4 had over 100k miles when i sold it, it was far from stock, it was driven pretty hard and it was very reliable, as long as i maintained it properly (correct fluids, parts, etc at the right intervals). Again - i work on my cars and i don't pay the dealer for every little thing. Taking an Audi or any German car to the dealer for repairs/maintenance will be a very costly experience. I call it a rip-off.

Since we have 3 kids, the S4 was not cutting it, so i was looking at larger SUV options with 3rd row seat. The Q7 was on top of my list, especially with the very capable, high torque and good MPG TDI engine. The one thing that bothered me at the time was the very dated infotainment system in the 2015 Q7. Even though this was a 2015 model SUV, the body/interior was introduced back on 2008, so i was looking at 2008 design and it was so so obvious. On top of that, the price for a low miles Prestige trim was close to $40-42k.... and dealers were not interested in negotiating.

This is where my 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature came in the picture. By pure luck, i found it at a local dealership - Fully Certified, with only 8k miles, for $36k. I test drove it 4 times and i really liked it. It was practically a new car, with great warranty, great looks, much more modern interior than the 2015 Q7, nicer infotainment system and decent gas mileage from the 4-cyl turbo. Yes, less torque than the German TDI, no quattro awd, but for a daily driver, i figured the Mazda will be sufficient. So i pulled the trigger. Still happy with it 3 yrs later, and i am not ready to get rid of it yet. :) I did discover some weaknesses with the CX-9, especially around the primitive AWD system, the so-so audio system, so-so seats, half-baked "luxury" options, and overall lack of real power from the 4-cyl turbo. I still love the looks, inside and out. I also like the handling....and the fact that it has been trouble free and i got it at a great price. It gets the job done well.

Earlier this year, my wife decided that it was time to upgrade her daily driver and we sold our old but super reliable Lexus GX470 (great SUV). After some searching and serious negotiating, we pulled the trigger on a brand new 2019 Audi Q7 Prestige 3.0T. We bought the car for $13K under the sticker price because the new 2020 model was starting to show up on the dealer lots. It was a great deal, almost too good to pass it up.
Well.... let me just say this - it is VERY obvious why the Q7 costs more than the CX-9. The Q7 is in Prestige trim (top level) and my Mazda is Signature trim. Comparing the two SUVs is almost unfair. One is a true luxury SUV and the other is a true "Premium" SUV. The Q7 is more powerful, much more quieter inside, handles really well, better AWD, better seats, better leather, better lighting, better brakes, amazing dashboard (digital cockpit is very cool), nicer sounding stereo system, glass roof, roomier second row seating, better done safety features, really well working cooled and heated seats, same if not better MPG, super smooth 8-speed ZF transmission.... and the list goes on and on. So yes, Q7 is a more expensive vehicle, but in my opinion, there is a list of good reasons why it's more expensive.

If my budget is $36-40k ... i still feel the CX-9 Signature is a strong choice if new. However, i would also very seriously consider a certified used ('17-18) Audi Q7 3.0T in the same price range. It's just a better built, true luxury SUV.

true...just also that the Audi Q7 is more expensive to maintain (you did mention in your post that it was a rip off at some dealers)than the CX9...it is simply relative. The higher the vehicle class, the more expensive it gets therefore also more expensive to maintain. The lower the class, the cheaper it is in price therefore the lesser cost to maintain. Generally speaking that is.
 
Back in 2017 i was seriously considering buying a 2015 Audi Q7 TDI (turbo-diesel) Prestige. At the time, my daily drive was a fully tuned 2012 Audi S4. You can see i like Audis and i am pretty capable to maintain and work on them if and when needed. My Audi S4 had over 100k miles when i sold it, it was far from stock, it was driven pretty hard and it was very reliable, as long as i maintained it properly (correct fluids, parts, etc at the right intervals). Again - i work on my cars and i don't pay the dealer for every little thing. Taking an Audi or any German car to the dealer for repairs/maintenance will be a very costly experience. I call it a rip-off.

Since we have 3 kids, the S4 was not cutting it, so i was looking at larger SUV options with 3rd row seat. The Q7 was on top of my list, especially with the very capable, high torque and good MPG TDI engine. The one thing that bothered me at the time was the very dated infotainment system in the 2015 Q7. Even though this was a 2015 model SUV, the body/interior was introduced back on 2008, so i was looking at 2008 design and it was so so obvious. On top of that, the price for a low miles Prestige trim was close to $40-42k.... and dealers were not interested in negotiating.

This is where my 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature came in the picture. By pure luck, i found it at a local dealership - Fully Certified, with only 8k miles, for $36k. I test drove it 4 times and i really liked it. It was practically a new car, with great warranty, great looks, much more modern interior than the 2015 Q7, nicer infotainment system and decent gas mileage from the 4-cyl turbo. Yes, less torque than the German TDI, no quattro awd, but for a daily driver, i figured the Mazda will be sufficient. So i pulled the trigger. Still happy with it 3 yrs later, and i am not ready to get rid of it yet. :) I did discover some weaknesses with the CX-9, especially around the primitive AWD system, the so-so audio system, so-so seats, half-baked "luxury" options, and overall lack of real power from the 4-cyl turbo. I still love the looks, inside and out. I also like the handling....and the fact that it has been trouble free and i got it at a great price. It gets the job done well.

Earlier this year, my wife decided that it was time to upgrade her daily driver and we sold our old but super reliable Lexus GX470 (great SUV). After some searching and serious negotiating, we pulled the trigger on a brand new 2019 Audi Q7 Prestige 3.0T. We bought the car for $13K under the sticker price because the new 2020 model was starting to show up on the dealer lots. It was a great deal, almost too good to pass it up.
Well.... let me just say this - it is VERY obvious why the Q7 costs more than the CX-9. The Q7 is in Prestige trim (top level) and my Mazda is Signature trim. Comparing the two SUVs is almost unfair. One is a true luxury SUV and the other is a true "Premium" SUV. The Q7 is more powerful, much more quieter inside, handles really well, better AWD, better seats, better leather, better lighting, better brakes, amazing dashboard (digital cockpit is very cool), nicer sounding stereo system, glass roof, roomier second row seating, better done safety features, really well working cooled and heated seats, same if not better MPG, super smooth 8-speed ZF transmission.... and the list goes on and on. So yes, Q7 is a more expensive vehicle, but in my opinion, there is a list of good reasons why it's more expensive.

If my budget is $36-40k ... i still feel the CX-9 Signature is a strong choice if new. However, i would also very seriously consider a certified used ('17-18) Audi Q7 3.0T in the same price range. It's just a better built, true luxury SUV.
Thanks for your thoughts. It paints a nice picture of the differences in these cars.

I love to drive. Like I said in an earlier post, if I were a wealthy man, I would get a Cayenne. I really connected with that car. That is my idea of what a great car feels like.

I’m German / Italian and I just dig the feel of German cars. Even if I could afford a Porsche, I wouldn’t buy new, only certified. I would also find a great independent mechanic to do as much of the service and repair work as possible.
 
Back in 2017 i was seriously considering buying a 2015 Audi Q7 TDI (turbo-diesel) Prestige. At the time, my daily drive was a fully tuned 2012 Audi S4. You can see i like Audis and i am pretty capable to maintain and work on them if and when needed. My Audi S4 had over 100k miles when i sold it, it was far from stock, it was driven pretty hard and it was very reliable, as long as i maintained it properly (correct fluids, parts, etc at the right intervals). Again - i work on my cars and i don't pay the dealer for every little thing. Taking an Audi or any German car to the dealer for repairs/maintenance will be a very costly experience. I call it a rip-off.

Since we have 3 kids, the S4 was not cutting it, so i was looking at larger SUV options with 3rd row seat. The Q7 was on top of my list, especially with the very capable, high torque and good MPG TDI engine. The one thing that bothered me at the time was the very dated infotainment system in the 2015 Q7. Even though this was a 2015 model SUV, the body/interior was introduced back on 2008, so i was looking at 2008 design and it was so so obvious. On top of that, the price for a low miles Prestige trim was close to $40-42k.... and dealers were not interested in negotiating.

This is where my 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature came in the picture. By pure luck, i found it at a local dealership - Fully Certified, with only 8k miles, for $36k. I test drove it 4 times and i really liked it. It was practically a new car, with great warranty, great looks, much more modern interior than the 2015 Q7, nicer infotainment system and decent gas mileage from the 4-cyl turbo. Yes, less torque than the German TDI, no quattro awd, but for a daily driver, i figured the Mazda will be sufficient. So i pulled the trigger. Still happy with it 3 yrs later, and i am not ready to get rid of it yet. :) I did discover some weaknesses with the CX-9, especially around the primitive AWD system, the so-so audio system, so-so seats, half-baked "luxury" options, and overall lack of real power from the 4-cyl turbo. I still love the looks, inside and out. I also like the handling....and the fact that it has been trouble free and i got it at a great price. It gets the job done well.

Earlier this year, my wife decided that it was time to upgrade her daily driver and we sold our old but super reliable Lexus GX470 (great SUV). After some searching and serious negotiating, we pulled the trigger on a brand new 2019 Audi Q7 Prestige 3.0T. We bought the car for $13K under the sticker price because the new 2020 model was starting to show up on the dealer lots. It was a great deal, almost too good to pass it up.
Well.... let me just say this - it is VERY obvious why the Q7 costs more than the CX-9. The Q7 is in Prestige trim (top level) and my Mazda is Signature trim. Comparing the two SUVs is almost unfair. One is a true luxury SUV and the other is a true "Premium" SUV. The Q7 is more powerful, much more quieter inside, handles really well, better AWD, better seats, better leather, better lighting, better brakes, amazing dashboard (digital cockpit is very cool), nicer sounding stereo system, glass roof, roomier second row seating, better done safety features, really well working cooled and heated seats, same if not better MPG, super smooth 8-speed ZF transmission.... and the list goes on and on. So yes, Q7 is a more expensive vehicle, but in my opinion, there is a list of good reasons why it's more expensive.

If my budget is $36-40k ... i still feel the CX-9 Signature is a strong choice if new. However, i would also very seriously consider a certified used ('17-18) Audi Q7 3.0T in the same price range. It's just a better built, true luxury SUV.

Good, informative post. I'm in a similar boat as you were in; debating whether or not to go with a German CPO trying to stay around $40K. X5 would be the most likely for us at this point. The CX-9, however, is a very nice alternative and we would buy new vs CPO, but there are a few things about it I'm still unsure of. It also doesn't help that it would be my wife's car who is currently in a diesel Cayenne, and she has a few reservations about the CX-9 as well - which is fair I guess given she's comparing to what she's currently driving like most people do.
 
Good, informative post. I'm in a similar boat as you were in; debating whether or not to go with a German CPO trying to stay around $40K. X5 would be the most likely for us at this point. The CX-9, however, is a very nice alternative and we would buy new vs CPO, but there are a few things about it I'm still unsure of. It also doesn't help that it would be my wife's car who is currently in a diesel Cayenne, and she has a few reservations about the CX-9 as well - which is fair I guess given she's comparing to what she's currently driving like most people do.

When looking at the Cayenne Diesel and X5 (i test drove both, before i bought the CX-9 back in 2017) the one thing was an "issue" for me was the size. They are just smaller SUVs. If you need the occasional 3rd row seat or even larger trunk, the Cayenne especially was just small. We have 3 kids under 10. Having the extra 3rd row seat for trips is very important. Also, having enough room on the 2nd row seat to fit them all 3 together, with two kids in booster seats was also VERY important. The CX-9 was wider (rear door to rear door) when compared to both the Porsche and the BMW X5. The 2nd row in the Cayenne felt very cramped for 3 kids to sit next to each other. X5 not a lot better.

As far as driving dynamics, i loved both the Cayenne Diesel and the X5, no question about it. The Cayenne was my favorite on the road, but again, the interior size was a deal breaker for us. I had some concerns with reliability of the transfer case too.

If your wife already likes the size of the Cayenne and you do not need a 3rd row & bigger trunk, and you have 2 kids or less, i think the X5 or another Cayenne will keep her very happy, as long as they are CPO covered. A brand new CX-9 will be very nice and a safe choice, but the lack of power may disappoint her.
My wife used to like how "smooth" and "peppy" my CX-9 is. Now, after driving her new Q7 3.0T for 3-4 months .... she finds my CX-9 very sluggish, very noisy and rough when accelerating. What can i say... :)
 
When looking at the Cayenne Diesel and X5 (i test drove both, before i bought the CX-9 back in 2017) the one thing was an "issue" for me was the size. They are just smaller SUVs. If you need the occasional 3rd row seat or even larger trunk, the Cayenne especially was just small. We have 3 kids under 10. Having the extra 3rd row seat for trips is very important. Also, having enough room on the 2nd row seat to fit them all 3 together, with two kids in booster seats was also VERY important. The CX-9 was wider (rear door to rear door) when compared to both the Porsche and the BMW X5. The 2nd row in the Cayenne felt very cramped for 3 kids to sit next to each other. X5 not a lot better.

As far as driving dynamics, i loved both the Cayenne Diesel and the X5, no question about it. The Cayenne was my favorite on the road, but again, the interior size was a deal breaker for us. I had some concerns with reliability of the transfer case too.

If your wife already likes the size of the Cayenne and you do not need a 3rd row & bigger trunk, and you have 2 kids or less, i think the X5 or another Cayenne will keep her very happy, as long as they are CPO covered. A brand new CX-9 will be very nice and a safe choice, but the lack of power may disappoint her.
My wife used to like how "smooth" and "peppy" my CX-9 is. Now, after driving her new Q7 3.0T for 3-4 months .... she finds my CX-9 very sluggish, very noisy and rough when accelerating. What can i say... :)

We have two kids, 5 and under, so we are looking for something with a 3rd row and there are some X5s out there with that option. It's obviously not a large 3rd row, but it would be sufficient for the amount of usage it will see in the near future. One thing we like about the CX-9 is the Captain's Chair option for the second row to make access to the 3rd row easier. Both kids are in Diono car seats right now, which are a slim design, so we have squeezed someone in between but it's not ideal to sandwich a person between two car seats... haha Realistically, our next SUV is probably just a bridge vehicle until the kids get old enough to not abuse the hell out of things then we'll probably look at more full-sized options (X7, GLS, etc.).

So, that said, yes the Cayenne interior space is starting to be an issue - on occasion. I think my wife would be fine with the CX-9, but she'll probably have similar sentiments as your wife comparing to her Q7. The near-instant torque in the TDI and MPG will also be tough to give up... haha
 
I have both, the other car is a BMW.

If you want to stick with slightly lower price, a slightly more reliable Japanese vehicle, yet is up there in terms of luxury and design as the Germans, then you can't go past the CX-9. Forget the over priced Lexus, and the dreadful looking Toyota interior.

The positives of a CX-9:
1) Good looking inside out
2) Great interior design, rivalling Lexus and German automaker
3) Infotainment - it has the best infotainment for any Japanese car maker. The fact that it has a rotary control and support for CarPlay and AndroidAuto (even letting you retrofit) and that those can be controlled directly using the rotary knob just crushes anything from the other Japanese offering
4) Comfortable and good highway drive/handling, engine very well packaged together
5) Useable third-row, where you can move 2nd row to give more leg room space for the 3rd row
6) You can access third-row with child-seat still secured in 2nd row (no need for a tumble fold like in Audi Q7)
7) You get top quality European level safety and tech from a Japanese brand (the use of LED and all drive assist and safety tech)
8) Good comfy seats


The negatives of a CX-9 and also what is lacks in comparison to say a BMW:

1) Transmission - the biggest let down, I know they are trying to develop and use their own tech, but the SkyActiv transmission is hopeless, in city/suburban driving, the gears hold too long in 2nd and 3rd, and it only has 6 gears. Most European cars with torque converter transmission uses the very capable ZF8HP 8-speed super fast super smooth and super efficient gearbox

2) Exhaust and Noise - sounds dreadful, it has a lot of back-pressure, and there isn't a lot of aftermarket choice unfortunately

3) Meaningless Sports Mode - does nothing more than holding the gear longer. It does not sharpen the steering and drive feel, it does not make the transmission shift quicker, and it does not make the exhaust sounds better. Just a bad old 1990s marketing gimmicks

4) Brakes - terrible brake and feel. It is soft and spongy and the size are really too small for the size of the wheel and the vehicle. I struggle with it when I drive alone, if you have a full load it is even worse, and it nose dive when braking hard

5) Infotainment - though the best from a Japanese manufacturer, it can be unreliable, at times completely blacking out on me. Also some of the UX needs work for example, when you are going through the radio station lists, you scroll down to the station you want to hear, then you want to go back to the list, it takes you right back to the top of the lists, every single time. Why can't it just stay on wherever it is on the list of the last selected radio stations?

6) Electronics and power - It has the typical Japanese power management, you turn off engine and the power cuts off entirely, and you need to turn on the accessories mode to use any of the electronics if engine is not started. Unlike the Europeans, even if you shuts off engine but still remained in the car the radio and electronics continue to work without interruption, like wise when you are using the radio when engine is off, then you go and turn on the engine there is no interruptions or cut off

7) No full-size sunroof

8) Lacking the fully optimised tech experience - in my BMW, as I am nearing an object during really low speed driving (i.e. when trying to park), it will activate the 360 camera and automatically switches the most relevant camera angle view (i.e. when I am parking head first into the wall, it will activate full front top down view camera), and when parking sensors are activated, it actually beep/chimes on appropriate speakers corresponding to the side the sensors are getting triggered (i.e. if I am backing into a pole on the rear driver side, I will hear the beep from the rear speakers on the drive side)

9) Radar cruise control - Not as refined as the European, the traffic start stop is edgy and rough. When it starts braking it's actually quite close to the car in front already and it brakes hard. And when the traffic starts moving again, it takes quite a while and a huge 2-3 cars length before it starts moving again (this is even with the distancing set to the lowest)

10) Trims and Powertrain - I wished Mazda had come up with more trim options (like blacked out no-chrome trim from factory like BMW and Mercedes), and different drivetrain option, let us have the ability to choose an even more power performance drivetrain

Still end of the day, this car is very well packaged together for a Japanese brand and you can't go wrong for the money, the only other Japanese car brands that comes close is Lexus, but they have awful infotainment, and their pricing is stupid, you might as well get a much more refined BMW/Mercedes for that kind money.
 
Hi all.

I came from a 2008 Volvo XC90 V8 which I absolutely loved but eventually it made no financial sense to keep repairing it. Had to replace the transmission at 100k miles, then the ignition system failed, then a valve cover leak, then I needed to overhaul the front suspension… most of this stuff happens when you get to high mileage though. Sold it at 170k miles last year and bought a 2014 Q7 S-Line from a neighbor. The engine was smooth but didn’t sound too pleasant and the ride with the 22s was far from luxurious, even with the air suspension. It was a nice car and checked all my boxes, but never made me excited. A month after warranty expired the AC went out. After that big bill I decided I don’t want to have to shell out big bucks every time something went wrong (and on a car like that, there’s lot to go wrong). Long story short, sold the Q7 after 6 months and started my SUV search over again, but this time around I would buy with low miles, with a warranty, and Japanese for the expected reliability. My requirements were full-speed adaptive cruise control and continuous lane-centering for my commute, all wheel drive for my ski trips and overlanding treks, and comfortable ride. “Sporty” handling characteristics were preferred for the 95% of the time the vehicle will spend on-road though.

After ruling out the perfectly utilitarian, but dreadfully boring Highlander, my final choices were between the CX-9 and Acura MDX. I ended up with a CPO MDX with 20k miles because it was in my price range and had the lowest mileage of my search criteria. The acceleration is quick, the engine begs to be revved and sounds great (IMO), the torque vectoring AWD is phenomenal in the bends, highway gas mileage is above 28 during my commute, and the Honda V6 has been around forever so I expect it to be reliable. Acura warranty on it was for 100k miles or until 2023 so my fears of out-of-pocket expenses will be quelled for a while.

I personally think the CX-9 is a better car with better value and technology integration, especially if you are buying new. Not to mention the CX-9 is the most gorgeous SUV on the road and the interior is significantly better looking than that of my Acura. Why did I choose Acura then? The 16-17 models don’t come to full stop in traffic with ACC, and at the time there were no 2018+ CX-9s in my price range. Additionally, no models offer active lane-centering (not just the subtle lane departure nudge). The lack of these two features was the deal breaker for me. Hopefully future model years add that functionality then the CX-9 would be impossible to beat.

Several months in, I do not regret my purchase and have had no issues so far. Some things that I do miss from the CX-9 are the head up display, the adaptive headlights, and the low-end torque of the engine for city driving. Luckily, I can get my fill of that when I take my partner’s CX-5.
 
Hi all.

I came from a 2008 Volvo XC90 V8 .....

I personally think the CX-9 is a better car with better value and technology integration, especially if you are buying new. Not to mention the CX-9 is the most gorgeous SUV on the road and the interior is significantly better looking than that of my Acura. Why did I choose Acura then? The 16-17 models don’t come to full stop in traffic with ACC, and at the time there were no 2018+ CX-9s in my price range. Additionally, no models offer active lane-centering (not just the subtle lane departure nudge). The lack of these two features was the deal breaker for me. Hopefully future model years add that functionality then the CX-9 would be impossible to beat.

Several months in, I do not regret my purchase and have had no issues so far. Some things that I do miss from the CX-9 are the head up display, the adaptive headlights, and the low-end torque of the engine for city driving. Luckily, I can get my fill of that when I take my partner’s CX-5.


Well said. Personally coming from a 2017 MDX, I think that's an honest balanced review.
 
the interior is significantly better looking than that of my Acura.

I've wondered when Acura will get on this. TLX as well. The leather quality I find nice, but the dash treatments are a gen behind. At least. Cause if infiniti is a gen behind (infotainment screens are a mishmash and Q sedan hasn't been updated in forever), Acura is likely more.

The RDX, which to me is the serious contender in the price range of a CX9 despite 2 less seats, does better...but then sit in a Passport with it's minivan armrests and plastic dash.

Best interior in that company stable is the accord. Shame they can't/refuse to replicate it.
 
I have both, the other car is a BMW.

If you want to stick with slightly lower price, a slightly more reliable Japanese vehicle, yet is up there in terms of luxury and design as the Germans, then you can't go past the CX-9. Forget the over priced Lexus, and the dreadful looking Toyota interior.

The negatives of a CX-9 and also what is lacks in comparison to say a BMW:

1) Transmission - the biggest let down, I know they are trying to develop and use their own tech, but the SkyActiv transmission is hopeless, in city/suburban driving, the gears hold too long in 2nd and 3rd, and it only has 6 gears. Most European cars with torque converter transmission uses the very capable ZF8HP 8-speed super fast super smooth and super efficient gearbox

2) Exhaust and Noise - sounds dreadful, it has a lot of back-pressure, and there isn't a lot of aftermarket choice unfortunately

3) Meaningless Sports Mode - does nothing more than holding the gear longer. It does not sharpen the steering and drive feel, it does not make the transmission shift quicker, and it does not make the exhaust sounds better. Just a bad old 1990s marketing gimmicks

4) Brakes - terrible brake and feel. It is soft and spongy and the size are really too small for the size of the wheel and the vehicle. I struggle with it when I drive alone, if you have a full load it is even worse, and it nose dive when braking hard

5) Infotainment - though the best from a Japanese manufacturer, it can be unreliable, at times completely blacking out on me. Also some of the UX needs work for example, when you are going through the radio station lists, you scroll down to the station you want to hear, then you want to go back to the list, it takes you right back to the top of the lists, every single time. Why can't it just stay on wherever it is on the list of the last selected radio stations?

6) Electronics and power - It has the typical Japanese power management, you turn off engine and the power cuts off entirely, and you need to turn on the accessories mode to use any of the electronics if engine is not started. Unlike the Europeans, even if you shuts off engine but still remained in the car the radio and electronics continue to work without interruption, like wise when you are using the radio when engine is off, then you go and turn on the engine there is no interruptions or cut off

7) No full-size sunroof

8) Lacking the fully optimised tech experience - in my BMW, as I am nearing an object during really low speed driving (i.e. when trying to park), it will activate the 360 camera and automatically switches the most relevant camera angle view (i.e. when I am parking head first into the wall, it will activate full front top down view camera), and when parking sensors are activated, it actually beep/chimes on appropriate speakers corresponding to the side the sensors are getting triggered (i.e. if I am backing into a pole on the rear driver side, I will hear the beep from the rear speakers on the drive side)

9) Radar cruise control - Not as refined as the European, the traffic start stop is edgy and rough. When it starts braking it's actually quite close to the car in front already and it brakes hard. And when the traffic starts moving again, it takes quite a while and a huge 2-3 cars length before it starts moving again (this is even with the distancing set to the lowest)

10) Trims and Powertrain - I wished Mazda had come up with more trim options (like blacked out no-chrome trim from factory like BMW and Mercedes), and different drivetrain option, let us have the ability to choose an even more power performance drivetrain

Still end of the day, this car is very well packaged together for a Japanese brand and you can't go wrong for the money, the only other Japanese car brands that comes close is Lexus, but they have awful infotainment, and their pricing is stupid, you might as well get a much more refined BMW/Mercedes for that kind money.

After driving my 2018 CX-9 signature for the last month I agree with your positives. However many of your negatives are non-issues for me.

1) Transmission - Since I live out in the country and don't drive much in the city I haven't noticed a drawback to the transmission.

2) Exhaust and Noise - I desire a QUIET exhaust and QUIET cabin during driving. This would be in the positive category for me.

3) Meaningless Sports Mode - Mine has turbo and both my CX-9 and Mazda 3 accelerate generously when in Sport mode. I wouldn't compare it to my Lexus LS430 but it does what it needs to do. This would be in the positive category for me.

4) Brakes - The brakes aren't the most responsive but they do the job. I haven't felt the brakes to be dangerous in any situation yet.

5) Infotainment - I've not had an issue with the infotainment. This would be in the positive category for me.

6) Electronics and power - This is a non-issue for me. Pushing the button one more time is not that big of a deal.

7) No full-size sunroof - I would rather not have full size sunroof. I believe more sunroof weakens the integrity of the vehicle (less metal) and would most likely not ride as smoothly.

8) Lacking the fully optimised tech experience - It would be nice to have the 360 view camera especially at the Signature level.

9) Radar cruise control - I've only used this on the highway with cruise control and it works fantastic. This would be in the positive category for me.

10) Trims and Powertrain - The only issue I have is being forced to have the AWD at the Signature level. I don't want it nor do I need it. This would definitely be a con.
 
I agree with both Edgar_C and tradosaurus, but it is all a matter of perspective. Edgar_C list of negatives is accurate and well made, when taken from the point of view of what are the cons of the Mazda CX-9 compared to a luxury german vehicle (which is the original question). Those cons are expected for the price category of the CX-9, most of the CX-9 direct competitors have the same negatives when compared to BMW and Audis.

But those negatives may be positives when taken from a point of view of the Mazda CX-9 in its price category (which Edgar_C acknowledged when he mentioned the value of the CX-9 at its price point.)

For example, I much prefer the Mazda 6 speed transmission to the honda 9 speed or the nissan CVT, but it may not be as nice as the BMW 8 speeds. The sport mode doesn't do much compared to what is available in sports car, but the CX-9 isn't equipped with adjustable suspension and variable exhaust, so there is only so much you can change (although throttle response change would have been nice)).

I also like the fact that most of the features in the Mazda are well implemented instead of poorly made feature that feels cheap. The adjustable steering in Hyundai's is a joke, it goes from light with no feeling to a little bit less light with no feeling, and there is tons of play in it. The Mazda electric steering is not adjustable, but it's one of the best in the business.

Good interesting comments from everyone though, this is a good thread.
 
I also like the fact that most of the features in the Mazda are well implemented instead of poorly made feature that feels cheap.

Isn't that the truth. With so many products...computers, appliances, heck I have thermometers that take me 30 sec to remember the sequence to activate before taking a temp (while baby screams).

Sometimes simple is better. Knobs instead of touchscreen is example. Why some companies want us to go into the interface to adjust HVAC controls is mystery.

Or advanced all wheel drive blah blah systems. So many tout their system as aiding handling. Yet their vehicles can't beat dynamics of CX9, no torque vectoring needed thank you ( I'm simplifying a bit, as AWD has snow benefits, and car size matters etc. but still) At end of day, sometimes doing it right from scratch is best. Many features are bandaids. Fixes for car shortfall, or our behavior shortfall.
 
Sometimes simple is better. Knobs instead of touchscreen is example. Why some companies want us to go into the interface to adjust HVAC controls is mystery.

IMO, this one in particular is to allow a more seamless integration of the automotive experience and a lot of our everyday lives. We control so much via mobile device or touchscreens, it makes sense that more touchscreen are going to the norm for autos. This will be especially true for the younger generations.

My current cars can control a lot of things via buttons/knobs or touchscreen and I know I always gravitate toward the screen. My 5 year old would have no idea how to use knobs, but she can navigate the screen to some degree...

I had a brand new 2019 Panamera loaner for a while and it pretty must had no traditional buttons on the dash. The "buttons" had a weird "haptic" sort of thing when you pushed them and they were quite sensitive to touch - I definitely preferred the touchscreen over those buttons.
 
I had a brand new 2019 Panamera loaner for a while and it pretty must had no traditional buttons on the dash. The "buttons" had a weird "haptic" sort of thing when you pushed them and they were quite sensitive to touch - I definitely preferred the touchscreen over those buttons.

Interesting. I remember Blackberry did that, when they finally abandoned actual buttons.

I'm not surprised to see it going the way of touch screens. Seeing pics of the expanse of screen surface in new Q7s and Escalades, this will surely drift down the lineup in yrs to come.

I prefer buttons, but don't mind the touch if done right. One particular nitpick i have with my CRV HVAC is if I want certain functionality (say, to switch vent flow from feet to upper), I first need to press a physical button marked climate. Then after a longer than appropriate delay, screen pops up and I can defrost the windshield, activate AC, etc. No option that I've found to keep this screen up. Radio can be pinned to screen display, not HVAC. In fact, they give physical buttons for vent speed and temp control too. So it's almost like they might as well have just given all the HVAC buttons, and twin the touch screen option for those who want.

Small things like that get me. Esp in winter when us Canadians shift those vents around like were being paid by the hour.

But done well, I could live with touch. Especially if the touch were as effectively sensitive as apple products. Other touch screens seem to just not respond just right to the touch/pressure. My one weider door lock requires more effort/pressure to touch screen than the other one does with physical buttons. I miss-key the code regularly on touch screen.
 
We bought our 2012 CX-9 GT from Carmax in late 2014, it had 32,000 miles and cost around $25,000. We looked at Mercedes Benz and some Big Three cars at the same time, however, we are very happy we chose the Mazda: as far as I can tell, European cars are holes in the road into which one shovels money. In the six years we've been driving the car, it has had nothing go wrong. We replaced the tires at 60,000 miles, front brakes at 65,000 and expect to replace the rear brakes at 85,000 in a couple of months. It's been six years and 38,000 miles of trouble free motoring, getting around 20 mpg. It's comfortable to drive and easy on the wallet. We have no plans to replace it any time in the near or medium term future. The only things I would like are dash/rear cameras (it does have a back up camera), and the new safety features like lane keep assist, cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise controls, and these are wants not needs. I prefer that it doesn't announce to the world that I have enough money/credit to be driving a European luxury car.
 
I did. First car is Q7. Was in the market for x3 but cx9 was about 9k cheaper for pretty much same options (minus adaptive cruise). The drive is definitely different than the rear architecture, even though it’s awd.
 
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