So we've had some temps over 95F recently with the dashboard temp gauge reading 106F ambient when getting into the car parked in the sun in the hot work parking lot.(shocked)
So I've noticed a few things...
First, if the windshield is facing the sun, the car is MUCH hotter than when the sun is hitting the sides and rear.
Considering my dark blue car with black interior should be getting MORE sun when the long side is facing the sun, that is telling me that the side window tint, with the sunscreens UP is doing a great job of stopping much of the sunlight from heating up the car.
It also tells me that the huge black dash, black console and black leather seats are absorbing a lot of solar radiation and converting it to heat.
And because the console wraps around the passengers more than in some cars, that means you are surrounded by lots of material that is radiating heat both when you first jump in on a hot day and when driving down the road.
Next is the vents; my wife's 2017 Mazda3 has big round vents and they have MUCH better rotation and variability in where they point.
In the CX-9 I struggle to get the two central AC vents to point at me so I can comfortably feel the air flow.
In the 3 I can easily point the vents at me and quickly get frozen out with the AC set at 74F.
So pay particular attention to how your vents are set in the CX-9.
I'm 6'6" and sit as far back as possible and find can actually get more air form the passengers central vent than form the drivers.
When riding alone, they both point at me and I shut the far passenger vent entirely.
Next if you hit the Auto AC button, check your settings.
If you are riding alone, turn off "Rear." The AC runs needlessly for people who aren't there.
Also make sure you use Recirc (the arrows pointing in an oval shape.)
It is much more efficient to cool cabin air than outside air.
Resist the urge to use the fresh air setting unless absolutely neccesary, such as window fogging.
So to cool your car quickly...
Park where the sun will be hitting ideally the rear or at least side of your vehicle IN THE AFTERNOON.
It doesn't matter where the sun hits your car the rest of the day, it matters where it hits your car in the few hours before you get inside it.
Use the 2nd row sunscreens. They work. If you have kids, make sure they put them up when exiting the car (or better just leave them up all the time, I like the extra tint and security they provide.)
When getting in the car it will almost ALWAYS be hotter than outside air, so roll down all windows immediately to get hot air out.
Set AC to 60F and make sure it is on Recirc. Note that if you switch to Defog or hit Auto, the AC will select fresh air as default, you need to set it back to Recirc.
If you do not have rear passengers turn off Rear.
When you feel cold air coming from vents, close windows.
I HATE heat and while the CX-9 cockpit is a heat magnet, once moving the AC does a great job of keeping things cool.
I do NOT see the AC as a problem at all, it's simply a symptom of the interior layout, interior color and possibly darker vehicle colors.
Once moving, I don't even give the AC a second thought and can run it on the lowest fan settings and fairly high temp settings (74F) and remain very comfortable.