Who is towing with their CX-9?

towing

Thanks everyone so far.

I'm more concerned with the vehicle than the boat. I think I'd be fine with an aluminum 18-20' one. I like fiberglass better, but it isn't a big deal. About the braking, I think I saw where the 2014s have vented front discs. So that would help with the heat. I do like that the 2014s have port injection, not direct injection like it seems all manufacturers (including Mazda with Sykactiv) are going to now.

Can you put electric braking on a standard one axel boat trailer?
 
Direct injection is much better on fuel mileage. All vehicles these days have vented front brakes (but not slotted or drilled). I would find it very odd if the pre-2014 CX-9 did not have vented front discs.

I don't know very much about boat trailers. I imagine you can add brakes, but the question would be how they handle getting submersed in salty water. I would research that on a boating forum.
 
Chris, thanks for the link but the CX-9 is not listed on the website.

Wally, I think you should decide on a boat before you buy a new vehicle. Keep in mind you need to know the weight of the boat, the trailer, and all passengers and equipment in the vehicle. You also need to know the tongue weight. If the boat alone weighs 3,500 lbs you should probably be looking at something with a 5,000 lb rating to be safe. As far as reliability goes, I think you are much safer with a Mazda than anything sold by GM. Mazda has a much better track record in that department, just check consumer reports. When it comes to brakes, some say they are the weak point on the vehicle. I'm not a big fan of the brake feel on my 2013 but I plan to change out the fluid in the spring and eventually upgrade to drilled/slotted rotors. When it comes to braking distances as tested by magazines the CX-9 brakes are on par with its competitors. Just don't expect a larger SUV like this to stop as quickly as a sedan or sports car. When towing over 1,000 lbs I'd recommend trailer brakes and an electronic controller.

One last item...if you do decide on the CX-9, make sure you get one with AWD. The FWD models are only rated for 2,000lbs. All AWD models come with the tow prep package that bumps the rating to 3,500 lbs. Most AWD models won't have a hitch, but they'll have the important bits like a larger transmission cooler, radiator fan, and reprogrammed ECU. You can add a hitch and pick up the harness at your dealer.

You would have to call them; it is probably listed a a ford part e.g my cs-5 spring said Lincoln mkz and ford edge on the box (same spring size)
 
Looked at and drove a few vehicles. Haven't actually driven the CX-9 yet, but it is a Mazda and I'm sure it will be sporty. Think I narrowed it down to the CX-9 and Explorer. Now will wait until Memorial Day or 4th of July sales or so, test drive both with the wife, and see what one we like better and what the offers are.
 
Wally look at my post 18' boat trailer fuel etc no issues I once saw on here if you look on Mazda's site in Australia the same car tows 4400 lbs towing capacity braked I assume this is with trailer brakes.... I remember doing a lot of research before I bought my boat and literally have 0 issues towing it
 
I would advise against using ratings in other countries to justify hauling more weight. There are numerous factors that go into the ratings. Some may claim politics is one of those factors but if a manufacturer doesn't have a vehicle with different options rated higher, the rating for your vehicle is probably accurate. Consider the following factors that could cause ratings to vary between countries...

1) Speed limits. Here in the US drivers expect to tow at 65-75 mph. In many countries it is illegal to tow over 60 mph.

2) Climate. The US has roads at very high elevation and places with extreme temperatures. The SAE Test uses an 11 mile climb in Arizona heat to rate vehicles.

3) Suspension tuning. The US has some very rough roads and cars destined for our country often have softer suspensions to handle pot holes and frost heaves. This can affect the allowed tongue weight.

4) Always consider tongue weight and overall capacity. If the tow rating is 3,500lbs that assumes 10% tongue weight of 350 lbs. If you load up 200 lbs of gear in the back of your truck then hook up a 3,500lb trailer you'll be putting 550 lbs on the back of the vehicle which could seriously mess with handling.
 
I would advise against using ratings in other countries to justify hauling more weight. There are numerous factors that go into the ratings. Some may claim politics is one of those factors but if a manufacturer doesn't have a vehicle with different options rated higher, the rating for your vehicle is probably accurate. Consider the following factors that could cause ratings to vary between countries...

1) Speed limits. Here in the US drivers expect to tow at 65-75 mph. In many countries it is illegal to tow over 60 mph.

2) Climate. The US has roads at very high elevation and places with extreme temperatures. The SAE Test uses an 11 mile climb in Arizona heat to rate vehicles.

3) Suspension tuning. The US has some very rough roads and cars destined for our country often have softer suspensions to handle pot holes and frost heaves. This can affect the allowed tongue weight.

4) Always consider tongue weight and overall capacity. If the tow rating is 3,500lbs that assumes 10% tongue weight of 350 lbs. If you load up 200 lbs of gear in the back of your truck then hook up a 3,500lb trailer you'll be putting 550 lbs on the back of the vehicle which could seriously mess with handling.
 
A couple of points, The reason for US tow ratings on many vehicles being lower than overseas has a lot to do with trailer tongue weights. US designed trailers often 10-15% of their weight on the tongue, overseas its more like 4-7%. 75kg-125kg is normal for small 18-22ft Caravans in Europe and therefore allows smaller vehicles the ability to tow and carry passengers. Overseas CX9s have 4400lb / 350lb capacity ratio because trailer design allows this.

Payload capacity of the vehicle is also important, 5 examples I checked recently, (yellow sticker by drivers door, my 2007 CX9 ~1160lbs, my 2002 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro ~1100lbs, My friends new Honda minivan ~1400lbs, my brother in laws 2010 Tundra V8 2wd extended cab base model ~1340lb!!!, my coworkers 2013 Ford 150 Raptor 6.2liter extended cab~ 880lbs!! The CX9 payload matches very well with a 3500-4000lbs trailer. My brother inlaws Tundra payload does not match well with the 1000lb tongue weight of his 33ft Flagstaff Bunk house plus the weight family (4), and other stuff.

Truck brakes are designed to stop the GVW of the truck not the weight of the truck and the trailer. No vehicle is designed to that.
A 1984 Dodge 120hp minivan rated at 3500lbs towing capacity, crap engine, crap brakes, crap handling etc. CX9 is no better tow vehicle than this van? Oh and its hot in Australia and roads are rough.
Towing at 70mph gets me 7-8mpg, towing at 59-60 gets me 11.5-12mpg. Takes the same time as I am not stopping for gas, This is same for all vehicles towing a barn door.
 
I've tried towing a single axle trailer with less than 10% tongue weight...it is by no means safe above 50mph. I pulled over on the side of the highway to fix it. Of course overseas they don't tow much faster than 50 mph anyway though...and perhaps a dual axle trailer would behave a little better.

Payload on the raptor is 980lbs according to this which seems low...but its a special model with suspension designed to absorb rugged offroad trails, which is the exact opposite setup you would want for hauling a lot of weight. That model is basically an oversized dune buggy, not a truck. Payload is important, but not as important as tow ratings. They both tell a similar story about the vehicle, but for different purposes. A higher payload usually means brakes to handle that payload...which helps with towing...which is why vehicles with high payloads also have high towing capacities.

Oh and towing capacity of a 1984 Dodge Minivan was 1,000lbs (2,000lbs if you had the V6).
 
2007 Wife's GT AWD tows, accelerates, maintains 60-70+ mph and handles and stops my 2009 3500lb StarCraft Travelstar 18RB travel trailer (W/brakes) perfectly...

Tom, It's nice to see someone towing a TT that size. We just purchased a 2014 CX-9 AWD but weren't seriously considering a TT when we made the purchase...now we (kind of) are. We're looking at the KV Spree Escape E18RBT since it's the lightest TT that size that I can find. The Unloaded Vehicle Weight is 2690lbs and the tongue weight is 350lbs for the E18RBT. I'll be adding a class III (4000lbs/400lbs) hitch and a Weight Distribution System if we decide to make the purchase. I figure once it's all loaded up we'll basically be maxing out the CX-9 according to the specs. Interesting enough, I can't seem to find any limit on the tongue weight for the CX-9. The manual simply states that it needs to be 10-15% of the trailer weight. That would mean for a 3500lbs trailer, Mazda recommends a tongue weight of 350-525lbs. Assuming the frame of the CX-9 can handle more than 350lbs and since the hitch is rated at 400lbs I almost feel comfortable with the 350lbs tongue weight of the TT.

The following text is just me trying to work out all the weights involved in this, hopefully someone will find this helpful...
I researched the specs on the CX-9 today and calculated the payload at 1438lbs. After subtracting the 350lbs for the tongue weight, that leaves 1088lbs for people and gear inside the CX-9...but, the GCWR is only 8547lbs. So, we can't max out the GVWR and the towing capacity because that puts us 950lbs over the GCWR. So now we have new numbers to work with: GCWR (8547lbs) - (Trailer Wt (2690lbs) + Curb Wt (4559lbs)) = 1298lbs. This seems to be the magic number, I have 1298lbs to work with after the trailer is hooked up. It's unlikely that I'll exceed the GVWR so I'm not too worried about that, my concern is exceeding the GCWR. My family of four weighs about 550lbs, if the dogs tag along we're looking at 680lbs for the family of six. Now my problem is knowing how much my gear weighs...for a typical four day weekend would we be packing more than 600lbs worth of clothes, food, and whatever else?

I've read that the CX-9 is actually a pretty capable tow vehicle so that makes me feel a little better, but if something were to happen (accident on the road for whatever reason) I want to be sure that the insurance co. isn't going to deny the claim because I exceeded the limits of the vehicle. My guess is, load everything up and take it to a weigh station before committing to the purchase...is there any other way?

Sorry to make my first post here so long winded. If anyone has any input on what I've said here please let me know.
 
My biggest concern with your post is "weight distribution system". Mazda technically does not offer nor feel obligated to warranty a vehicle with a class III hitch and as you may know the class II hitch Mazda does offer cannot be used with a weight distribution system. Although you aren't going to be adding a ton of weight to the back, these systems can put stress on the vehicle's frame. They are fine for body-on-frame vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs built on truck platforms (Nissan XTerra, Toyota FJ, Jeep Wrangler, etc) but can cause problems with unibody vehicles like most crossover SUVs. Please consider how they work. They take weight off the rear wheels by passing it through the frame of the vehicle and applying it to the front wheels.

Your best bet would be to keep the trailer under the rated 3,500lbs and the tongue weight under 350 lbs. If Mazda did their math right, you shouldn't see any excessive suspension droop with that weight. Also, be very careful about manufacturer's reported weights for trailers. They have a tendency to list the dry weight of the base model. Options can add 500+lbs and your food/supplies/gear will often add 500+lbs. We have a 16' Scamp. The website says 1,700lbs. It is 2,500 with gas, food, and gear (but without water). I haven't pulled it with the CX9 yet but I can report back in a few months once I've taken it on a few trips.
 
Thanks for your input chuyler1. I'm still a little concerned about the weight of the trailer myself and will probably look for something smaller/lighter. The wife is dead set against a popup, but I say it's better than a tent!
 
Brad,
A couple of things I did for piece of mind, was weigh the trailer empty and disconnected on a Sunday morning at local Truck stop ($8), for me ~2880lbs leaving 620lb or so. I than stopped while on the way for a weekend trip loaded with myself, wife, kids, bikes gear etc, Weighed CX9 on two scales and 18RB on 3rd scale. This gave me axle loads. I have a 1000lb Sherline tongue scale (steep at ~$160) which I utilized to weigh Trailer loaded prior to hook up. With single axle you can move items around some to manipulate tongue weight. Usually around 320-340lbs for me, minimum sag and no sway. Quick calculation and you get nearly accurate figures for weights I have also messed around at truck scales with disconnecting weight distribution bars to see the difference in CX9 front and rear axle loads. Yes, wife and kids hate it, but usually combined with fill up and weighing vehicle is max 20minutes. Worth mentioning is that CX9 GVW is ~6000lbs, GCVW weight is ~8500lbs, unloaded vehicle weight is ~4500 pending model and options. SO 4500 Plus 3500trailer is 8000 leaving 500lbs for passengers etc. From the way the vehicle handles the 3500lb, I am very comfortable, will pull 4-5 and even (6th, not recommended) gear with tail wind at 65+mph, drops down to 3rd with strong head wind or long hills at ~3000rpm, note I have old 3.5L liter which gives up 25ftlbs of torque and a few HP to 3.7L.
 
I am glad to see many people pulling a trailer with the CX-9, but some of you are much braver than me. I did put a hitch on my and it has the towing package. I bought a 6'x9' flatbed trailer for my quads and the Mazda. I can tell you I will not pull anything heavier with the CX-9, the trailer loaded can handle 1500lbs and the trailer its self weighs 550lbs. I have had 2 full size quads on there (what it was made for) and the railer was just under 2000lbs total and the Mazda was gutless. I had to manually shift or it would shift too early, and before you say it I drive like an old man and am not a speedster. I don't drive faster than 65 mph towing any trailer, I believe the Mazda will do fine around town but have ruled out taking trips to the mountains with it and the trailer. The sad part is the CX-9 does great in the mountains with no trailer.
 
I've been hauling our 2,500lb fiberglass RV for the past week around the northeast with our 2013 AWD CX9. I don't have a WD hitch but I'm going to get one for our next trip. It pulls fine, but requires some effort to keep the transmission cool. Most trucks I've towed with have a tow setting which locks the transmission out of the top gear. In order for me to do that in the CX9 I have to run in manual mode, which means I have to pay attention and downshift when necessary.

With this load, the transmission locks out the torque converter and lets me cruise at 60-65 mph in 5th gear. I can only use 6th on downhills. For any climb lasting more than a mile the torque converter usually engages and RPMs jump up. This is fine if you're close to cresting the hill but for prolonged climbing i think it is safer to shift it down into 4th where it locks out again and has no trouble climbing any interstate road at 60-65 mph. So I can generally cruise the flats and moderate hills around 2,000-2,250 rpm in 5th and for longer climbs I'm at 3,000 rpm in 4th.

As for gas mileage, I've been hovering around 12.5 to 12.8 on the trip computer. I'm also tracking things at the pump and will figure out an overall average for our trip. I'm guessing based on past calculations at the pump that I'm really getting 13.5 to 13.8 mpg. Not great...but it could be worse.
 
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I can tell you from personal experience with my CX-9 there has been no lack of power if needed on the Hwy.
Been across the Rocky's, Cascades and the Appalachians with no issues at all.
Mine held hwy speed going up the mountains with no issues at all, really love the car and the way it handles both towing and not.
John


I am glad to see many people pulling a trailer with the CX-9, but some of you are much braver than me. I did put a hitch on my and it has the towing package. I bought a 6'x9' flatbed trailer for my quads and the Mazda. I can tell you I will not pull anything heavier with the CX-9, the trailer loaded can handle 1500lbs and the trailer its self weighs 550lbs. I have had 2 full size quads on there (what it was made for) and the railer was just under 2000lbs total and the Mazda was gutless. I had to manually shift or it would shift too early, and before you say it I drive like an old man and am not a speedster. I don't drive faster than 65 mph towing any trailer, I believe the Mazda will do fine around town but have ruled out taking trips to the mountains with it and the trailer. The sad part is the CX-9 does great in the mountains with no trailer.
 
Oh it'll definitely keep up with traffic if you want to. It's just a matter of being in the right gear and taking care of the transmission. I need to get a scangauge so I can watch the tranny temp more closely. I drove from Baltimore MD to Manchester NH on Sunday. Temps averaging in the 80s. I kept it between 65-70 mph (a few episodes of 75+ caused some trailer sway). 90% of the trip I was locked in 5th gear and it did fine.

At our last campsite a VW Toureg pulled up with a 25' Airstream behind it. The SUV looked tiny in comparison but then I spotted the TDI emblem on the back. Turns out that little f*cker can haul 7,700 lbs. I was jealous for a bit until I priced out the SUV and camper combo. Retail price had to have been $150k+ while our entire combo costs less than a base model Toureg.
 
I move around from Job to Job and State to State.
So my household and Motorcycle goes with me wherever I go :)
tow3.jpgtow 2.jpg
What are you pulling with the CX-9??
 
The toureg is a nice vehicle and with the TDI has a great pulling engine but the cost is so prohibitive for myself to purchase.
The Wife's Pilot has 4500 lb pulling capacity but she has a AWD and if she did not it would be limited to 3500 lbs.
We took a look at the toureg a few months back but just could not get over the price tag for the TDI. I liked it but the wife was not happy with losing capacity (8 seats vs 7).
Something to look at for my travels would be the Scangauge to monitor temps and such.

Oh it'll definitely keep up with traffic if you want to. It's just a matter of being in the right gear and taking care of the transmission. I need to get a scangauge so I can watch the tranny temp more closely. I drove from Baltimore MD to Manchester NH on Sunday. Temps averaging in the 80s. I kept it between 65-70 mph (a few episodes of 75+ caused some trailer sway). 90% of the trip I was locked in 5th gear and it did fine.

At our last campsite a VW Toureg pulled up with a 25' Airstream behind it. The SUV looked tiny in comparison but then I spotted the TDI emblem on the back. Turns out that little f*cker can haul 7,700 lbs. I was jealous for a bit until I priced out the SUV and camper combo. Retail price had to have been $150k+ while our entire combo costs less than a base model Toureg.
 
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