I can't see running boards working on the CX-9. If you look at the doors, they extend very low, well below the door sills and around the bottom of the car. If you could mount running boards they would have to be very low and would kill your ground clearance. The wrap-around doors are nice in that they keep the door sills clean...no dirt to get on your pants legs when you enter/exit the car. The downsides are that the door is very low...sometimes leading to clearance issues if you're parked next to a high curb or other object. I've also noted that the doors really transmit splash sounds when driving through puddles or slush. I guess another downside is that you can't fit on running boards, but it really isn't such a high car to climb into. (The Ford Flex is the only other car I've noticed with a similar door design.)
