Some new owner observations - 2021 CX-9

[JC707]

Been about two weeks into ownership of our 2021 CX9 GT and thought I'd post a few observations. Granted we've drove 80 miles total only, but will be taking a nice long drive in a few weeks!

1. I must have watched 50+ YouTube reviews on the CX9. Almost every video complained about the split opening center console. I have to say after owning it a few weeks, I think its the best idea since sliced bread! Lol my Tahoe big center console I need swing it up and open my arm gets in the way etc...but the CX9 I just lift up one of the two doors and grab my things and go. Love it!

2. HUD, coolest thing ever. We've never had a HUD vehicle so maybe it's that but still very very cool. Once I added the SD card to get speed/traffic sign recognition, took it to another level. I will never buy another vehicle without it!

3. Seat comfort. I am a smaller guy length wise but stalky weight wise (do a lot of weight training) sitting at 5'7" 200lbs. I feel the front seats fit me well and my legs aren't cramped against lower center console area and feel good. YMMV

4. 3rd row vents, my wife was very let down with no 3rd row vents but I can live with it. We won't have many 3rd row passengers but I can guarantee the new redesign will include 3rd row vents. Heck even the redesigned MDX which we loved but didn't love the price tag doesn't include 3rd row vents from the YouTube vids I watched (tho I could be mistaken).

5. 2nd row climate controls....put plainly it sucks that you can't control the 2nd row climate controls from the front, like all of the other SUVs on the market. I guess it mainly effects families like ours with kids who are very young. So what I do is preset the 2nd row climate from the back and just use the front control to turn it off/on.

6. Space. Is it the roomiest? No...but we have our spacey Tahoe for that. Plus nothing feels roomy anymore after owning our 2018 Honda Odyssey Van (which we traded in). But we wanted a luxury feeling SUV without the luxury price, got tired of the dad/mom mini van life! CX9 checks all the boxes. We love this vehicle!

 

[JC707]

I have to add to list...I love how Mazda uses nice bright white exterior bulbs! Even the license plate bulbs are bright white...wasn't expecting that one and was already shopping for replacements until I saw the rear end at night the other day.

I am outside with my 19' Tahoe now changing all the ugly yellow bulbs to 6000k white. For some reason chevy put a nice daytime LED 6000k white strip in front but the fogs/headlights are yellow. I have to get them to match so swapping out the bulbs finally.

Kudos Mazda!

 

[dougal]

I would also add that compared to the 2018 CX-9, the AWD performance is dramatically improved on the 2021 model. Not sure if they changed something before or not, but I find the difference dramatic. On the 2018, when you accelerated from a stop in the rain, you would get wheel spin and torque steer. I find on the 2021 model, that is gone and the car just goes.

I personally also really like the paddle shifters. Silly I know but I love being able to use them to drop down a couple of gears when heading into a traffic circle.

 

[tekbiz]

Been about two weeks into ownership of our 2021 CX9 GT and thought I'd post a few observations. Granted we've drove 80 miles total only, but will be taking a nice long drive in a few weeks!

1. I must have watched 50+ YouTube reviews on the CX9. Almost every video complained about the split opening center console. I have to say after owning it a few weeks, I think its the best idea since sliced bread! Lol my Tahoe big center console I need swing it up and open my arm gets in the way etc...but the CX9 I just lift up one of the two doors and grab my things and go. Love it!

2. HUD, coolest thing ever. We've never had a HUD vehicle so maybe it's that but still very very cool. Once I added the SD card to get speed/traffic sign recognition, took it to another level. I will never buy another vehicle without it!

3. Seat comfort. I am a smaller guy length wise but stalky weight wise (do a lot of weight training) sitting at 5'7" 200lbs. I feel the front seats fit me well and my legs aren't cramped against lower center console area and feel good. YMMV

4. 3rd row vents, my wife was very let down with no 3rd row vents but I can live with it. We won't have many 3rd row passengers but I can guarantee the new redesign will include 3rd row vents. Heck even the redesigned MDX which we loved but didn't love the price tag doesn't include 3rd row vents from the YouTube vids I watched (tho I could be mistaken).

5. 2nd row climate controls....put plainly it sucks that you can't control the 2nd row climate controls from the front, like all of the other SUVs on the market. I guess it mainly effects families like ours with kids who are very young. So what I do is preset the 2nd row climate from the back and just use the front control to turn it off/on.

6. Space. Is it the roomiest? No...but we have our spacey Tahoe for that. Plus nothing feels roomy anymore after owning our 2018 Honda Odyssey Van (which we traded in). But we wanted a luxury feeling SUV without the luxury price, got tired of the dad/mom mini van life! CX9 checks all the boxes. We love this vehicle!

The split opening console was copied from Mercedes...the other advantage of the split opening is the rear passengers can also grab something from behind vs the upright opening although majority of consoles designed to open upright

 

[Trip CX90]

5. 2nd row climate controls....put plainly it sucks that you can't control the 2nd row climate controls from the front, like all of the other SUVs on the market. I guess it mainly effects families like ours with kids who are very young. So what I do is preset the 2nd row climate from the back and just use the front control to turn it off/on.

Controlling the rear HVAC from the front should be easier. It’s not intuitive and there should be a rear temp read out in the front display that you can monitor and adjust.

After messing around with it for awhile this weekend, there is a way to set the rear temp from the front.

From the front, turn off “Rear”. Set the driver’s front temp. (Doesn’t matter if sync is off or on.) Turn on “Rear”. The rear temp wil set to whatever the front temp is.

BUT, the rear temp will not adjust as the front temp adjusts. To readjust the rear temp, adjust the driver temp and turn ”Rear” off and back on.

You can continue to adjust the front and the rear temp won’t change until you double tap “Rear” again. If someone touches any of the rear controls, it will go out of sync and you’ll have to double tap “Rear” to re-sync.

PITA but at least there is a way to adjust it.

 

[JC707]

Controlling the rear HVAC from the front should be easier. It’s not intuitive and there should be a rear temp read out in the front display that you can monitor and adjust.

After messing around with it for awhile this weekend, there is a way to set the rear temp from the front.

From the front, turn off “Rear”. Set the driver’s front temp. (Doesn’t matter if sync is off or on.) Turn on “Rear”. The rear temp wil set to whatever the front temp is.

BUT, the rear temp will not adjust as the front temp adjusts. To readjust the rear temp, adjust the driver temp and turn ”Rear” off and back on.

You can continue to adjust the front and the rear temp won’t change until you double tap “Rear” again. If someone touches any of the rear controls, it will go out of sync and you’ll have to double tap “Rear” to re-sync.

PITA but at least there is a way to adjust it.

Awesome tip, I am going to mess around with this tomorrow. Does the same apply to the fan speed by chance?

 

[youri]

In my 2018, when the rear is set to sync it will follow the front temperature if i change it at the front. Same goes for the fan speed, but not for the vents selection. Pressing any of the rear control will take it out of sync mode however.

 

[Trip CX90]

In my 2018, when the rear is set to sync it will follow the front temperature if i change it at the front. Same goes for the fan speed, but not for the vents selection. Pressing any of the rear control will take it out of sync mode however.

How do you set the rear to sync in your 2018? In my 2021, there’s only a front passenger sync that doesn’t seem to affect the rear.

 

[youri]

It is not obvious at all in the owner manual. I think the “rear” button on the front act as a sync button as well as turning the rear system on. When it is off and you press it on. Then the rear turns on and sync is displayed on the rear screen. I agree it is poorly executed, but it works. You still have to rely on the automatic vent control however (i.e. you can’t tell it to manually blow at the face instead of the feet from the front).

 

[Trip CX90]

I need to correct what I said previously. Youri is correct. The rear will sync AND adjust. I played with it some more last night *without* the 7 year old bouncing around the cabin

As soon as “Rear” is on in the front, the rear display will say ”AUTO/Sync” ... don’t know how I missed it. The rear temp will set and adjust with the *driver's* temp. The passenger temp or passenger Sync doesn’t seem to affect the rear at all.

The rear temp will stay in sync and in AUTO until “Rear” is turned off in front (which shut off the rear display) or if any of the rear buttons were adjusted.

It works a little better than I previously thought but still wish there was a remote/independent way to adjust the rear. Typically I like it cooler and the kids like it warmer so they‘ll either have to adjust it if they can reach or the driver or front passenger will have to reach back and adjust if for them.

 

[JC707]

I need to correct what I said previously. Youri is correct. The rear will sync AND adjust. I played with it some more last night *without* the 7 year old bouncing around the cabin

As soon as “Rear” is on in the front, the rear display will say ”AUTO/Sync” ... don’t know how I missed it. The rear temp will set and adjust with the *driver's* temp. The passenger temp or passenger Sync doesn’t seem to affect the rear at all.

The rear temp will stay in sync and in AUTO until “Rear” is turned off in front (which shut off the rear display) or if any of the rear buttons were adjusted.

It works a little better than I previously thought but still wish there was a remote/independent dent way to adjust the rear. Typically I like it cooler and the kids like it warmer so they‘ll either have to adjust it if they can reach or the driver or front passenger will have to reach back and adjust if for them.

Thanks all.

So just to confirm here...if I hit rear on in front it will turn on the rear and sync it to the drivers settings. A good workaround of not having true indepdendent control of the 2nd row is to turn on rear and adjust it via drivers side from controls then if I hit rear off it will stay with the settings I selected?

Then I can adjust drivers side however I like my climate controls and be set?

 

[youri]

I don’t think so. I think if you hit rear off it will shut off the rear system. It really need an independent sync or off button, but that’s not there.

 

[Trip CX90]

The rear will stay in sync with the drivers temp. If the rear button is turned off, the rear HVAC will turn off. To leave the rear on at X temp independent of the driver temp, touch a button on the rear console.

 

[biggened]

New 2021 T here. I have a question There is a small i will call it a door on the console by the gear shift. It is above the RDN markers. It looks like is should open but I cant figure out what it is. Sorry no pictures. I assume you guys will know what i am talking about

 

[tekbiz]

New 2021 T here. I have a question There is a small i will call it a door on the console by the gear shift. It is above the RDN markers. It looks like is should open but I cant figure out what it is. Sorry no pictures. I assume you guys will know what i am talking about

It’s where the button or shift lock is located to manually unlock the shifter from P to R to N in case car needs to get towed (in case the car doesn’t start up).