A luxury seven-seat family SUV, the CX-9 has been Mazda’s flagship model since it
arrived here in 2007.
With seven seats standard across its range, vehicles such as the CX-9 have effectively
replaced people movers especially when they come, as the CX-9 does, with the choice
of front- or all-wheel drive.
The former contributes to better performance, lower fuel consumption and reduced
emissions — the latter providing extra traction for towing or mild off-road capability.
The current, second generation CX-9 has been around since 2016 and is due to be
replaced in August by the all-new and significantly more expensive, CX-90.
Mazda Australia has indicated that the CX-9 will remain on sale until at least the end of
this year. As such, we thought a final review worthwhile.
CX-9 is offered in Sport, Touring, GT, GT SP, Azami and Azami LE variants. All but the
Azami LE are available with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive – LE is AWD only.
Our test vehicle was the entry-level Sport FWD.
STYLING
Although the design of the current CX-9 is nearly seven years old it has aged gracefully
and is still a very neat and attractive vehicle.
The front of CX-9 is dominated by an extra-large version of the very successful Mazda
Kodo grille that’s flanked by wide, relatively large, headlights.
Sport and Touring ride on 18-inch alloy wheels, all others get 20-inch alloys.
INTERIOR
Mazda CX-9 is just over five metres in length and even third row legroom is almost
okay for adults with access via a switch on the side of the seat cushion that tilts the
seat forward.
The front seats are soft and wide, while the second row of a double bench layout has
generous head and leg room.
The window line is quite high and could restrict the vision of young children.
Cargo capacity is better than many in the seven-seat class, with a reasonable 230 litres
available with all seven seats in use or 810 litres with the third-row seats folded. The
loading height of the floor is a comfortable 805mm.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
In contrast to the wide range of grades, there’s just the one powertrain. The Skyactiv-
G2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 170kW of peak power at 5000 rpm
and 420Nm of maximum torque from a low 2000 revs.
The engine is mated to Mazda’s SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission.
The powertrain features Mazda’s stop-and-go function, designed to maximise fuel
efficiency. It works by cutting the motor when the vehicle comes to rest, restarting it
once brake pedal pressure is relaxed.
Anyone looking for extra performance should wait for the CX-90 which will come with
the choice of high-output petrol or diesel engines both of which use a new
turbocharged in-line six 3.3-litre configuration together with a 48-volt mild hybrid.
SAFETY
Mazda has never been a company to cut corners on safety equipment and all CX-9
variants come with a wide range of driver support systems, including Mazda’s i-
Activsense that uses radars and cameras to recognise potential hazards. There is pre-
crash safety technology to prevent or reduce the severity of impacts.
There’s also smart city forward and rear brake support, autonomous emergency
braking including night time pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross
traffic alert, driver inattention alert and radar cruise control with stop/go function.
Lane departure warning is also fitted, with lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, high
beam headlight control, Isofix child seat anchors in the outer second-row seats, and
head-up display.
The only safety features missing from the CX-9 Sport are front parking sensors
(Touring and above) and a 360-degree camera (Azami and Azami LE).
It almost goes without saying these days, but the big Mazda cruiser has a five-star
ANCAP rating.
INFOTAINMENT
The 7.0-inch screen in the Sport looks tiny inside the CX-9’s large front console.
Touring steps up to a 9.0-inch screen while all from GT upwards expand the screen to
10.25 inches.
The Mazda MZD Connect system provides access to the internet, social media, email,
Pandora, Stitcher and Aha as well as hands-free voice and text messaging through
Bluetooth.
Although it is a touchscreen, we quickly switched over to using the traditional Mazda
Command Control knob and buttons on the centre console which are much easier to
reach and use.
Satellite navigation is standard across the range as is wired Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto. A wireless smartphone charging pad is located at the bottom of the front console
in GT and higher variants.
Sport and Touring have a six-speaker sound system, others get a 12-speaker premium
Bose unit with 294-watt amplifier and speakers.
There are only two USB-A ports, located in the centre console storage box, accessible
to both front and second-row seat occupants.
DRIVING
The large dimensions of the CX-9 make for easy access. The front seats are relatively
narrow but supportive and comfortable. In the entry-level Sport that we tested they lack
power adjustment.
Sport does have a reversing camera, but not front parking sensors or 360-degree
camera which are available in higher-spec variants.
This Mazda has good low-down torque that makes it pleasant to drive on a day-to-day
basis, though it’s obviously no sports machine. An 11.8 metre turning circle can make
parking a hassle in tight spaces, particularly in underground carparks.
Out of town it’s like a luxury cruising sedan with sound deadening material added as
part of upgrades, meaning the cabin is lovely and quiet.
Steering is relatively light, but responsive and predicable. The ride is smooth with low
levels of noise, vibration and harshness.
Sport Mode can be activated through a switch on the centre console. This increases
throttle response, while moving auto transmission shift points for improved acceleration,
for example when looking to overtake, or filtering on to a motorway.
Fuel consumption is listed at a combined 8.4L/100km. We were initially sceptical about
what is a low number for such a large vehicle, but were pleasantly surprised when we
averaged an 8.6L/100 km during our week-long test, albeit predominantly in motorway
and rural conditions.
SUMMING UP
The CX-9’s spacious and comfortable cabin, refined ride and handling and very
competitive pricing combine to make for a very attractive package. It’s an excellent
long-distance cruiser and almost falls into the luxury saloon class.
But … it’s nearly seven years old and that shows mainly in the tech features that lag
behind most competitors as well as its upcoming CX-90 successor which also brings
new petrol and diesel engines.
We’ll be testing the CX-90 when it arrives around August and let you know whether the
significant price increases (at least 25 percent) are justified.
All Mazdas come with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty. Service intervals are 12
months or 10,000km.
RATINGS:
Looks: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 8/10
Thirst: 9/10
Practicality: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Tech: 6/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 7.9/10
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Sport FWD: $47,600
Touring FWD: $55,200
GT FWD: $64,700
GT SP FWD: $65,200
Azami FWD: $67,900
Sport AWD: $51,600
Touring AWD: $59,200
GT AWD: $68,700
GT SP AWD: $69,200
Azami AWD: $71,915
Azami LE AWD: $75,165
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your
local Mazda dealer for drive-away prices.
SPECIFICATIONS (Mazda CX-9 Sport 2.5-litre five-speed wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.488 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Maximum Power: 170 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 420 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Fuel Type: Petrol 91 RON
Combined Fuel Cycle (ADR 81/02): 8.4 L/100km
CO2 emissions 197 g / km
DRIVELINE: Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 5075 mm
Wheelbase: 2930 mm
Width: 1969 mm
Height: 1747 mm
Turning Circle: 11.8 metres
Kerb Mass: 1878 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 72 litres
BRAKES:
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Solid disc
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Five years / unlimited kilometres
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