2019 CX-9 SG New owner

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Long time lurker. After a 2 year car search and countless hours on YouTube and sifting through forums and review articles for the Pilot, Highlander, CX-9, and Kia Telluride, I finally pulled the trigger on a demo 2019 Jet black Signature with 4200 Miles from the GM of the dealership. Its now my wifes daily driver. Right up front I will say we are very happy with our decision!

First the numbers:
Selling price 39,976
Rebate (2,500)
Accessories 1,200
TTL 3,100
8 year / 96k extended warranty 2,450
Down payment (9,000)
Amount financed 35,226

I feel that I got a pretty good deal, but please weigh in and let me know what you think. Given the fact the car was gently used, I opted to use some of the Cash savings towards the extended warranty for peace of mind. This car has a lot of electronics and a turbo so I feel better knowing that for the majority of the life of this vehicle (at least for as long as we own it) will be fully covered from manufacturer defects.

Back to the car search. I am coming from a 2013 Acura TL SH-AWD and DW is coming from a 2009 Subaru Forester non turbo. I am very familiar with the MDX as I have been given it as a loaner vehicle on multiple occasions for extended periods of time. I will say that from a blind price test perspective, I would opt for the 2019 CX9 signature over comprable MDX Hands down, mostly due to the interior and slight edge of driver experience from the CX9. The MDX looks like a dinosaur inside and the Napa of the CX9 is superior to the MDX. I never drove a CX9 until today before my purchase and I can confirm the reviews and articles when they say things like zoom zoom or that it handles like a car. I have summer performance tires on my TL and it handles really well, but I feel like the CX9 handles almost as well if not equal. This is very surprising to me given the height of the vehicle and length. It handles VERY well on its own let alone when you compare it to the segment. The MDX handles pretty well, but the transmission is not as smooth as the CX9 and the turbo 4 is just more responsive where you need it in the lower power bands that it makes it far more enjoyable than the MDX V6 imo. The transmission on the CX9 is very smooth as well. Quite pleased. I really like the exterior as well, a handsome car really. I like it best at night especially the front with the lit grill. Looks very nice. And the jet black with tinted windows is just aggressive enough to make it look a little bit more masculine. The fit and finish on the interior is superb, and I love the heated steering wheel, cooled seats, apple car play, heads up display, rear seat warmers, sun shades. My wife and I are small people 56 and 53, and I definitely feel like everything fits us perfectly like the seats and bolstering and even the 3rd row, we could manage a 2 hour trip if in a pinch. That said I can see why bigger people or bigger families (we only have one child and perhaps a second in the future) would feel that this car is too small and uncomfortable. It has plenty of cargo space for our needs, and given that we bought a hitch bike rack and cross bars for a Thule roof cargo box, I think we will manage just fine with space. For our needs and the fact that the CX9 has a luxury-esque interior, driver experience, and low cost, it has been the best option for us over the other competitors mentioned above.

Car shopping
If the Kia Telluride werent a phantom car, we probably would have got the SX prestige. We really like the look and luxury feel, despite that it drives like a boat. By phantom, I mean that they dont even exist on the car lot and people are waiting 6 months to get their special ordered car. And the dealer experience at Kia is just horrific enough to make you never want to buy a Kia in your lifetime. Next runner up was the Honda Pilot, solid choice but the high price point and bad transmission along with zero driver dynamics due to boat size is a major turn off. It is a very practical car for someone who really needs a lot of space and utilizes a third row frequently (not us). Pretty much same goes for the highlander. For these 3 vehicles, I am convinced these cars are for people who are too ashamed to drive a minivan because thats what they pretty much are, just dressed up to make them look like theyre not.

Back to the CX9, as you can tell I am thrilled with my purchase. But not everything will ever be perfect. I will admit there are flaws with this vehicle including the grainy poor quality back up camera and the 360 camera is just enough to provide some functional use. The minimum 87-91 octane gas and full synthetic requirements (I do this for my cars regardless so not sure its a con but worth mentioning), no precise tire pressure gauge (like really? This is basic af lol). The dealership experience is also subpar and it shows, they try their best but you can tell they get residual talent after Lexus and Acura get the pickings of the best sales and tech professionals. All in all I can live with these, and I am proud to say that the next vehicle that will serve my familys needs is the 2019 CX9 SG! Drop a line or comment and if you have any questions would love to respond the best I can!
 
How could I forget to mention my considerations for the 2020. Id be remised for not addressing this topic. I am pretty set on the highest trim level for our next car, and unfortunately for us as much as we love captain chairs, at this stage of our growing family, our needs are not accommodated by captain chairs. Additionally, while the new updates for 2020 appear to be solid and value add, I dont think the price difference given the discounts currently available make it worth the premium. Additionally, we got a pretty good trade in value and we needed a car relatively soon, so timing was spot on for us. Cant put a price on timing. Anyways thats it for now. Cant wait to take a family trip to the mountains in the new whip!
 
Congrats on the new car! I'm sure you'll enjoy it tons. I'm still very much enamored with my 2018.

That said, I think that you could have done better on price. We both paid about the same amount, but I only paid $1200 CAD for the extended warranty, was only eligible for a $500 rebate, and I bought it brand new. The MGM paint was also an additional $300. They should have thrown you a deal on the accessories and the warranty, at the very least. Of course, we are in different markets, so it is what it is.

Regardless, the CX-9 is worth every penny. Check out the links in my signature if you're interested in doing any small modifications! The Bose mod is one I would highly recommend.

Edit: Just FYI, the 2019 may have some minor changes to the license plate bulb housings (they may already be LED). I've never confirmed to be sure.
 
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Thank you for dropping by! Glad to hear your positive impressions of your CX9 still after having owned it for as long as you have! I forgot to mention the dealer included a clear bra and matching front window tint in addition to my $1200 in accessories which is comprised of a hitch, 4 bike Thule hitch rack, cargo soft liner, and roof rack cross bars. Youre probably right though, deals can always be better! I probably could have worked to get my warranty lower but all in all out the door I dont feel like I left the dealer with them getting the best of me. So that is always reassuring.

Ill be sure to check out your mods! Thanks again! Zoom zoom!
 
Congrats on the new purchase. I enjoyed reading your comparison and I think you got a pretty good price. Even if the dealer experience may have been so-so, I found my Mazda service to be hands and shoulders better than Acura's (both dealers are adjacent to each other). If you haven't already done your first, don't forget to ask the dealer for the first oil change on the house.

The Kias and Hyundais seem to be flying off dealer lots, I looked at the options available and it does seem like they were pretty comparable to the Mazda, and very practical. That said, I can't seem to reconcile the front grille designs for either like I can for Mazda, Infiniti, Acura and others. It just seems archaic, but to each his own.
 
Congrats on the car!

If it's a demo vehicle, it is likely sold as "brand new." The dealer I went to initially wanted me to get the same: demo with ~5,000 miles. I didn't take it because they weren't willing to budge on the price to adjust for the mileage so I asked them to find me a totally brand new one.

I'm still on the fence about getting an extended warranty on mine. With the amount of miles I drive, that 96k mile warranty will be used up in ~4 years lol, I'm at 21k miles within 8 months of ownership.
 
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