First impressions of my new 2013 CX-9 Grand Touring (I like it but pheeeew)

[satwar]

I must admit to being exhausted from the learning process, there's a lot to learn and I think room for trouble. If you don't like reading, then stay away from the bells & whistles on the Grand Touring, because you'll never figure it out on your own. The Mazda way is not always as straight forward as I'd like it to be, for example use of remote start is quite a process, lack of automatic door unlock as you approach vehicle to mention but a few. I can't help but think that with all this technology they need to continue working on simplifying things. They've made a good start but it's not there yet. It will take me a few more weeks before I'll be ready to try voice commands. My USB tab in the Audio section is ominously greyed out and I have not yet been able to connect my first generation ipod nano through the usb port (yes I have been careful of when I plug it in & out).

Of course the ride, engine power, seat comfort are excellent along with outstanding ground clearance and superb traction with snow tires. Rear view camera works very well. The pretend wood accents on front dash are terrible as is the flimsy silver paint finish (scratched in no time). I can't help but find that the switch gear for electronic controls also rather flimsy, hope they last better than they look and feel.

Overall an excellent vehicle, I made a good choice, but the Grand Touring has a painful learning curve.

P.S. If someone has an easy way of testing the operation of the USB port, please let me know. Is the USB tab supposed to be greyed out with no device plugged in ? I was thinking of putting some song files on a memory stick and plugging it in.

Got it working ! The problem was outdated firmware on my first generation iPod nano. Works perfectly with 1.3.1.

 

[ceric]

Congrats on your new purchase.
Just a question, though: why do you want "automatic door unlock as you approach vehicle"?
Is there any vehicle out there with such a feature?
Most vehicles require a simple touch to unlock the doors...

 

[satwar]

Oh yes, many have auto unlock. It makes sense because there's no need to have a separate unlock request step. Actually it gets into two unlock request steps for the other doors on the car, except that there's a Personal Preference which allows all doors to unlock with a single unlock request. Opening the front doors is admittedly rather smooth, even with the unlock request step, but the rear liftgate is where it is most annoying. You have to fumble around to find the unlock request switch, and then fumble around to find the door latch.

 

[LawHawk]

The CX-9 has a personal preference option to unlock all doors with a single request? How do you activate that?

 

[satwar]

The CX-9 has a personal preference option to unlock all doors with a single request? How do you activate that?

Your dealer has to do it.

Personal Preference options available are explained in section 10-8 of the user manual. Why Mazda makes these options so difficult to find and change is beyond me. My 17 year old Nissan Quest had the duration of delay for automatic headlight off feature integrated into the dashboard. I started hunting for this headlight delay feature and found the door unlock controls bundled in this same secretive area.

 

[Senor Valasco]

Personal Preference options!!!???? I had no idea! I guess that's why they tell you to RTM. Of course, the dealer could have clued me in on this.

I would love to have all doors unlock with a single press.

 

[LawHawk]

Wow. I read the manual when we got my wife's CX-9 a year ago. I can't believe I missed that page. I am definitely going to my dealer with a list of requests.

 

[tex2670]

Congrats on your new purchase.
Just a question, though: why do you want "automatic door unlock as you approach vehicle"?
Is there any vehicle out there with such a feature?
Most vehicles require a simple touch to unlock the doors...

Oh yes, many have auto unlock. It makes sense because there's no need to have a separate unlock request step. Actually it gets into two unlock request steps for the other doors on the car, except that there's a Personal Preference which allows all doors to unlock with a single unlock request. Opening the front doors is admittedly rather smooth, even with the unlock request step, but the rear liftgate is where it is most annoying. You have to fumble around to find the unlock request switch, and then fumble around to find the door latch.

I'd be interested in learning what cars have this feature. I've never seen it. I'm wondering if this is urban legend. My Lexus has a Smart Key, and lots of people on Lexus forums were under the mistaken impression that the car automatically killed the ignition and locked itself if you walk away with the key in your pocket--which is false.

The new Escape has the foot swipe under the rear hatch--but I've never heard of any other car with an auto unlock as you approach it.

 

[LawHawk]

I strongly believe the auto-lock-when-walking-away-with-fob is a dealer-enabled feature on Toyota Highlander but I can't find evidence to support that right now. I swear I ran across discussion of it while deciding between Highlander and CX-9.

 

[dsc888]

On my TSX Wagon, the option to unlock ALL DOORS is easily assessable in the dash computer. Mazda didn't need to make it so hard for us owners. When your hands are full, it's a pain the rear end to unlock the remaining doors. I'm asking my dealer to do this as well at my next oil change.

 

[satwar]

I'd be interested in learning what cars have this feature. I've never seen it. I'm wondering if this is urban legend. My Lexus has a Smart Key, and lots of people on Lexus forums were under the mistaken impression that the car automatically killed the ignition and locked itself if you walk away with the key in your pocket--which is false.

The new Escape has the foot swipe under the rear hatch--but I've never heard of any other car with an auto unlock as you approach it.

The luxury European cars have it. I'll see if I can find where I found it. Here's some generic information on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system Please look at Smart Keys section, there are two methods of implementing door unlocking with proximity detection. Method 1 is what is called automatic unlocking, Method 2 is the unlock Request

 

[LawHawk]

On my TSX Wagon, the option to unlock ALL DOORS is easily assessable in the dash computer. Mazda didn't need to make it so hard for us owners. When your hands are full, it's a pain the rear end to unlock the remaining doors. I'm asking my dealer to do this as well at my next oil change.

Plus, when you combine "press two times to unlock all doors" with "same button is pressed to lock all doors" you will sometimes unlock the driver's door with the first press and the re-lock it with the second press. I have finally got the rhythm down, but it's still annoying. They need to go to a system like Toyota where the unlock function is inside the handle and the lock function is a button.

 

[not_too_shabby]

Are you seeing the same issue with your iPod not resuming where it left off when you turn the car back on?

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...ith-2014-CX-5-GT-Tech-Stereo-and-other-issues

 

[ceric]

satwar,
It is entirely possible to have cars auto unlock when you approach. Same technology really.
Most automakers turn that off due to legal concern.
Same for 1st-touch-unlock-driver-door, 2nd-touch-unlock-all-doors setting, which is usually default from factory.
One has to ask the dealer to do it or does a sequence of sing-n-dance to change firmware.
(I have a Toyota Prius in the garage)
Again, this is due to legal concern. In areas where carjacking is not unusual, unlocking all doors with one touch is dangerous (at least lawyers think so!).

Mazda's systems in Japan allow auto unlocking when you approach (CX9 is not sold in Japan).
They just don't feel comfortable having that in US vehicles...

 

[drchuck]

Congrats on your new purchase.
Just a question, though: why do you want "automatic door unlock as you approach vehicle"?
Is there any vehicle out there with such a feature?
Most vehicles require a simple touch to unlock the doors...

My wife's Prius unlocks itself with operator proximity. It's great if you have your hands full.

 

[ceric]

Must be newer ones. My '05 does not. You can program it to one-touch-unlock-all.

 

[satwar]

What got me thinking about different ways of implementing proximity keyless entry systems was this reputable review of 2013 CX-9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDCMD9TqZ2Y

Now I said to myself, there's no way opening the liftgate has to be that bad, but it certainly shows how confusing things can get. You can certainly streamline the process by configuring the Personal Preferences to unlock all doors with a single unlock request and using the liftgate unlock request button instead of the advanced keyless remote. I'm satisfied with the way I've been able to configure the door unlock process, but I have to agree with the reviewer that it could be better.

 

[tex2670]

The luxury European cars have it. I'll see if I can find where I found it. Here's some generic information on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system Please look at Smart Keys section, there are two methods of implementing door unlocking with proximity detection. Method 1 is what is called automatic unlocking, Method 2 is the unlock Request

Ok--I don't think I have ever heard of a car having this feature--certainly nothing in this class. Maybe an S-Class or 7-Series.

 

[IgoZoom]

I have a 2012 CX-9 GT with the Advanced Keyless Entry (Smart Key).

I've had it for four months and I still haven't mastered unlocking ALL doors using the 'request button' on the door handle. It's that 2x press of the button that's a pain in the butt! At least locking all doors only requires a single press of the button...

What I find even more annoying is the process to open the Power Liftgate as you approach the vehicle. You must get close enough to the vehicle to first UNLOCK the doors with the remote, THEN press the Power Liftgate button to open it. The problem (besides too many steps) is that I arrive at the back of the car when the liftgate is barely halfway open! I just have to stand there for five seconds or more waiting like a dork for my car's technology to finish doing what I could've done manually much quicker!

I've just quit using it to open the liftgate from outside the car! I open it manually just like I have on my previous SUVs. But I do make use of the CLOSE button located on the liftgate itself.

 

[LawHawk]

I am also annoyed by the liftgate unlock-open process.

Going back to the first post, satwar, I agree that the fake wood on the GT looks bad. In the Touring, you get a shiny black plastic, and I think it looks great. Almost every car in the class has ugly fake wood on the top trim level. I say go with the plastic because it looks better.

You're getting scratches on the silver trim? We've had my wife's 2012 for a year and it has no scratches. I want to test it to see how tough it is but because of your post I'm afraid to!