The Mazda CX-9 is sleek, oddly attractive to drive, and features a premium cabin design, but that’s not enough to save it. In the face of capable rivals, the order has been clear. The 2023 style year will be the CX-9’s last.
The CX-9 has long been the flagship of the Mazda lineup, or, at least, the larger styling introduced by the Japanese manufacturer, but that crown is being stripped away. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 will occupy the most sensitive place, a larger space. , three-row SUV, more sumptuous and more competitive. Later in 2023, we’ll see the 2024 Mazda CX-70 featured, meanwhile, a two-row mid-length styling more similar in length to the CX-9.
This diversity realignment means that while the CX-5 and CX-50 were allowed to coexist, sales of the CX-9 will continue through the end of this year. The CX-90 will arrive in the spring, with attractive boots to fill.
Since the CX-9’s styling hasn’t changed much since this second-generation style was introduced in 2016, it’s impressive how new it still looks. Where the festival has followed the sharp edges and imitated genuine off-road machines with their aesthetic (often enjoyed or hated), the Mazda has more taste. These smooth corners mean the CX-9 doesn’t feel as giant or monolithic as many of its existing rivals.
Some sharp main points help as well. The slender angle of the grille gives the fairing a useful appearance, while the judicious application of chromium elevates it without losing taste in the process. The pronounced tread on the sides emphasizes how the CX-90 looks like a slab between the contrasting wheels. The arc edge of the contrasting black wheel provides a touch of thin sparkle, I suspect few owners of this specific Mazda will travel through wilder territory than Costco’s parking lot.
At the rear, one could almost mistake the trunk of the CX-9 for that of one of Mazda’s hatchbacks. Everything is fashionable and still eye-catching, especially in the optional Soul Red paint ($595) and with the Signature 20- inch alloy wheels.
Standard trim levels are high and, despite its age, the Mazda’s cabin looks and feels more premium than the price suggests. Everything from the $38,750 (plus destination) CX-9 Touring base edition to the benefits of automatic LED headlights, three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, keyless remote access and push-button start, forced tailgate and forced moonroof. Leather seats, heated front seats, wireless phone charging, 4 USB ports, and stressed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, with a 10. 25-inch infotainment screen that Mazda calls for you to navigate with a dial in the center console.
Older models charge things like moment-row blinds, two additional third-row USB charging ports, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. They also build the driver’s screen length from 4. 6 inches to 7 inches, and when it hits the $48,460 Signature trim, you get Nappa leather with padding and piping in the first and second rows.
The number of seats you get also depends on the level of equipment, unlike the maximum three-row SUVs, it is not automatically the case that the lower editions accommodate the maximum number of people. The Touring and Carbon editions have space for six people, thanks to the second. -row captain’s seats and a central walkway; Touring Plus and Grand Touring have seven popular seats, with optional captain’s seats. Finally, the Signature edition has six seats and a center console with garage between the captain’s seats. Any type of rear-seat entertainment package is conspicuous by its absence from Mazda’s list of options. . So make sure kids bring their own tablets and phones.
Mazda’s upcoming CX-90 would possibly have a choice of engines, adding a mild hybrid and a highly anticipated plug-in hybrid, but only a transmission option for the CX-9. This is the Skyactiv-G 2. 5 Turbo, a 2. 5-liter four-cylinder engine ready for 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. That’s assuming you force it with premium gasoline: it will drop to 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on normal fuel.
All-wheel drive is standard, as is the six-speed automatic transmission. The more responsive versions have paddle shifters to play with, though there’s not much impetus to take care of things yourself. Mode introduced by the CX-9: The Mazda may not convince you that it’s a Miata.
That’s not to say you’ll disappoint behind the wheel; Far from it. In fact, the CX-9 is more misguided in favor of motive force dynamics (or as much as possible in a three-row circle of familiar SUVs) than most of its counterparts. Possibly I wouldn’t have the cinematics. The posture control formula that Mazda developed for the MX-5, as the CX-90 will gain advantages, is a wonderful example of the automaker’s core expertise in global tuning.
There’s no nifty adaptive suspension here, no adjustable surprise dampers. Instead, Mazda opts for an inflexible setup overall, which helps avoid excessive lean cornering. Its external dimensions mean it’s not exactly compact for an SUV in its class. However, the way it conducts makes it feel much smaller: balanced and cheerful.
The problem is, unsurprisingly, that driving the company may be less fun on poor quality roads. The CX-9 avoids collisions, and it’s not like you have to make an appointment with your chiropractor right away, however, you definitely prefer a smoother asphalt. Rival SUVs with a more comfort-oriented tilt, such as Kia’s Telluride or Hyundai’s Palisade, deal with uneven surfaces with a little more decorum.
The result is an SUV that looks wonderful and is more rewarding for those who know how to drive. The other aspect of the coin is less cabin space for other people and cargo.
The first and second rows are fine, with the captain’s seats in the latter sliding back and forth to balance legroom with the seats farther away. Still, it’s a comfortable adult position in the rear, with the sloping roofline reducing headroom. and an upper floor that pushes the knees up. Mazda has called a bigger third row as a key merit of the larger CX-90, and that’s a welcome thing.
The trunk space is also reduced compared to the apparent rivals. With all seats raised, it has 14. 4 ft3 on the CX-9. If you lower the third row, it extends to 38. 2 cubic feet; It folds the row at the moment and extends to 71. 2 ft3.
Kia’s Telluride, on the other hand, provides about 3 inches more third-row headroom and 21 cubic feet of shipping area with all seats raised. It will also surpass the CX-9, with a score of 5,000 pounds versus the Mazda’s 3,500 pounds.
The CX-9 reaps some cost-saving advantages. The EPA says it does 20 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg combined. That’s two things ahead of Tellurid in each category.
CX-9 offerings are based on paper specifications. Of course, competing SUVs are more spacious, can carry more cargo and tow more. and offer a variety of driving modes for other road conditions; all things beyond this Mazda.
However, it’s also hard not to be enchanted by the CX-9’s personality. Most three-row family vehicles are designed to attract an enthusiastic driver; those who are have a tendency to be Mercedes-AMG superpower luxury giants and the like, with six-figure value tags that only add to their debauchery. The fact is, Mazda’s SUV engages behind the wheel in a way that none of its live competitors can only match.
Like so many cars in the automaker’s range, it’s all about who gets the deciding vote: the driving force or all. However, this argument is settled, but it is better to do it quickly. The 2023 CX-9 is on loan, and like the previous Mazda6, we may not realize what we had until it’s gone.