The Mazda CX-9 was the only vehicle in the Japanese automaker’s lineup that hadn’t received a full makeover using the company’s “KODO” design language, that is, until the 2016 model year CX-9. For the second generation, we get a completely redesigned large 7-seater CUV, and it looks absolutely stunning.
The previous generation CX-9 (read my review here) wasn’t a bad looking CUV, especially with the facelift it received for 2013, but it can not compete with the 2016 CX-9. I don’t normally call CUV’s “stunning”, but I had to pull out the big guns for this vehicle, it looks good in pictures and it looks even better in person. And the interior is another beautiful aspect of this car, especially in the “Signature” trim.
Pricing
In Canada, the 2016 Mazda CX-9 is offered in four trims, GS, GS-L, GT, and Signature. Prices for the GS trim start at $35,300, GS-L starts at $41,500, GT starts at $45,500, and the top of the line Signature has a starting price of $50,100. Our review car was the 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature, with a price tag of $52,295 which included the only option of $300 metallic paint and $1,895 Freight & PDE.
Engine/Driving
Unlike the first generation CX-9, the 2016 CX-9 is only offered with a 4-cylinder engine. But fear not, it’s a 2.5 liter turbocharged SKYACTIV 4-cylinder engine, producing 227 horsepower at 6,000 rpm on regular fuel, that figure is bumped to 250 HP at 6,000 rpm on premium fuel. The small engine produces an impressive 310 pound-feet of torque at a low 2,000 rpm. Power is sent to either the front wheels or all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission with sport mode. Front wheel drive comes standard on the GS trim and AWD is standard on the other three trims, GS trim does have optional AWD available.
According to Mazda, CX-9 with AWD should consume 11.2 L/100 km in the city and 8.8 L/100 km on the highway. In our week-long review, we averaged 11.1 L/100 km in 50/50 city/highway driving. Which is not bad, considering this is a large vehicle and our fuel consumption dropped from 14.7 L/100 km on the 2014 CX-9 with similar driving conditions.
The thing I like about this engine is that it gives you the option to either use regular fuel or premium fuel if you want more power. I’m sure a majority of buyers will fill up their CX-9’s with regular fuel, as the price difference between regular and premium is substantial in Canada.
Even with regular fuel, the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine makes a lot of power and diesel-like torque, which is great for getting off the line. The engine feels very strong, it definitely doesn’t feel like a 4-cylinder, I was quite impressed with the performance of this engine. Hopefully Mazda puts this engine in the Mazda6, that would make that car very very interesting.
The CX-9 also benefits from lighter weight compared to the outgoing model, with the FWD model weighing 190 pounds and AWD models weighing 287 pounds less than the previous generation CX-9.
The ride quality is softer than the CX-5, but the CX-9 is still a very “zoom-zoom” oriented cross-over, it is certainly more driver oriented than the Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander, two vehicles the CX-9 competes with.
Styling
The styling on the 2016 CX-9 is now inline with the rest of Mazda’s lineup, using the KODO design language. As I mentioned above, this is a beautiful looking cross-over, the exterior has a very elegant and sporty look to it, and the I absolutely love the front end of this car. Some of my neighbors commented on the very large grill area, but I personally like it a lot. The only thing I didn’t like is the size of the headlights, which are small and look a bit awkward especially with the large grill.
The 2016 Mazda CX-9 is also smaller on the outside compared to the outgoing model, but it has more room on the inside. The overall length is 1.2” shorter but the wheelbase is 2.2” longer, giving the car a much more athletic look, especially with the 20” wheels our test car was equipped with.
Interior
The interior on the 2016 CX-9 is a huge step froward from last year’s car; it’s very elegant looking, especially with the beautiful brown Nappa leather and rosewood trim on the Signature trim. The interior has a very simple and easy to understand layout and looks similar to other vehicles in Mazda’s lineup.
The Mazda3 and Mazda6 we reviewed over the last couple weeks had a HUD display, which is a small piece of glass or plastic that pops up out of the dashboard, however, the CX-9’s HUD display is shown on the windshield, like some of the higher end vehicles. Just like the Mazda6, the HUD display is brighter and crisper, with color. It shows you your speed, the posted speed limit on most roads, navigation direction (if you’ve put in an address), and even blind spot indicators. The same blind spot indicator was available on the 2017 Mazda6 and I liked it a lot.
The interior is also very comfortable, quiet, and luxurious. There is a lot of space for pretty much every one of the 7 occupants, the front cabin is roomy and can fit from the smallest to the tallest individuals. The second row seats are also very comfortable, with seats that can be moved forward/backward and they also recline. The third row isn’t as tight for leg room as you’d expect, but it is a bit short on headroom, I wouldn’t mind sitting there for an hour or so, but on longer trips, it’s better suited for kids.
Technology, Safety, & Convenience Features
Our review 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature was the top of the line model, with pretty much all the technology Mazda is offering on their vehicles, below is a list of all tech/safety/convenience features our review vehicle came with:
- Rearview Camera (wide angle)
- Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
- Roll Stability Control (RSC)
- Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
- Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring (ABSM)
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
- Smart City Brake Support (SCBS)
- Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC)
- Smart Brake Support (SBS)
- Distance Recognition Support System (DRSS)
- Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW)
- Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)
- Lane-keep Assist System (LAS)
- Rear parking sensor (corner and center)
- Power and heated exterior mirrors
- Turn signal indicators on exterior door mirrors
- LED headlights
- LED front and rear signature lighting
- LED fog lights
- Automatic headlights on/off
- Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS)
- Automatic leveling headlights
- High Beam Control System (HBC)
- Rain sensing wipers
- 8” color touchscreen display with Mazda Connect
- Bose premium audio system with AM/FM/HD Radio
- USB port (2) and auxiliary audio input
- 2 Additional USB ports in rear armrest
- Navigation system
- HMI Commander
- Bluetooth with Audio Profile
- SMS text message functionality
- Push Button Start
- 3-zone automatic climate control
- Heated steering wheel
- Advanced keyless entry (proximity and ignition)
- Auto dimming rear view mirror
- Power rear liftgate (height adjustable)
- Power windows one-touch up and down (front and rear)
- Retractable rear door sunshades
- Illuminated entry
- 12-volt power outlet (2)
- Heated front seats
- 8-way power driver’s seat (includes power driver’s lumbar support)
- Driver memory seat (2 memory setting)
- Power 4-way passenger seat
- Folding 60/40 second row rear seat and 50/50 third row seat
Impressions
I really liked the 2016 Mazda CX-9, I think Mazda has done a great job with the second generation of this 7-seat vehicle. It’s a very sporty looking car on the outside and it’s very luxurious on the inside, with a lot of available tech features. It also drives quite nice and isn’t too bad on fuel, considering its size. If I was in the market for a 7-seat CUV, the second generation CX-9 would definitely be at the top of my shopping list.
For more information on the Mazda CX-9, visit mazda.ca.
