CX-9 least reliable on Consumer Reports

jal142 said:
I have a CR subscription.

They liked the handling, agility, and quietness. They also liked the ride quality, so Mazda got the balance between handling and comfort just right, according to CR.

They also complemented the "presence" of the car, and they liked the interior materials.

What they didn't like: lack of seat adjustments, small-ish interior, "tedious and cumbersome" infotainment (that lacks android auto and apple carplay).

They gave middling reviews to the engine - it gets 1 mpg better than larger, V6 powered competitors, but isn't as smooth, which isn't a good tradeoff in their opinion.

Overall, it is ranked pretty low in midsize SUVs (ouch). Highlander, Sorento, Santa Fe, Pilot, Santa Fe Sport, Murano, Edge, Pathfinder, Atlas, 4Runner all score higher.

The "predicted reliability" is 1/5. Unfortunately, the web site does not appear to break out the specific areas and just reports overall reliability. The 2016 and 2018 both get the same score, but there is no score for the 2017 because they didn't have enough data.
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Looks like they didn't even drive a 2018. Lack of seat adjustments? Adjusts in all the usual ways. Even the passenger seat has height and lumbar adjustment, which some competitors don't have.

It beats all those mentioned competitors in almost every comparison test by actual car publications. What are they smoking?

1/5 in "predicted reliability" based on what, a crystal ball? It's really quite laughable, but also sad. The 2016 came out a year and a half ago and has performed largely flawlessly. There's examples with over 25,000 miles with no problems. All the while they're "guessing" that this is the next Fiat 500L.

If anyone has any data to show that this is built like a Chrysler, I'd pay to see it.
 
JPL said:
Looks like they didn't even drive a 2018. Lack of seat adjustments? Adjusts in all the usual ways. Even the passenger seat has height and lumbar adjustment, which some competitors don't have.

It beats all those mentioned competitors in almost every comparison test by actual car publications. What are they smoking?

1/5 in "predicted reliability" based on what, a crystal ball? It's really quite laughable, but also sad. The 2016 came out a year and a half ago and has performed largely flawlessly. There's examples with over 25,000 miles with no problems. All the while they're "guessing" that this is the next Fiat 500L.

If anyone has any data to show that this is built like a Chrysler, I'd pay to see it.
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Yes, they reviewed a 2016 or 2017. The 2018 should fix a bunch of their complaints about the seats.

While it is true that it does well in car magazine competitions, you don't have to look too hard to find reviews in the non-enthusiast press that are less than glowing. One I read called the CX-9 a "family hauler that can't haul." So, the reviews aren't all positive. The biggiest strike against it is the interior volume, it is a lot smaller than it's competition. One review stated that it has the same amount of cargo room as a CR-V. $45k is a lot of money for that kind of space.

Overall, the tone of the CR review was quite positive. The road test score, by itself, put it up towards the top, but the reliability score pulled it down. On the reliability front, it is disappointing that CR doesn't break out subcategories anymore (at least on the web site). I remember the magazine used to list major areas and give individual scores. I'm curious what is pulling the scores down. If I had to guess, looking at the forum, I'd say the infotainment is a candidate, followed by the AC, then driveline issues (vibration, pinging, etc.)...
 
Most here look at the wrong reviews that just focus on driving and looks not at the family practicality. See YouTube and independent reviews.
 
CrazyBiker said:
Most here look at the wrong reviews that just focus on driving and looks not at the family practicality. See YouTube and independent reviews.
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I watched and read them all. It's completely practical for a family. A 6 foot + man can sit comfortably in all 7 seats at the same time. It can't haul kids? Most of the extra volume in competitors will go unused 99% of the time. It's just there for "airiness".
 
For the longest time, sedans we're largely the go to family hauler. This idea that a 3-row of any kind is an inadequate family car is amusing.
 
jal142 said:
Yes, they reviewed a 2016 or 2017. The 2018 should fix a bunch of their complaints about the seats.

While it is true that it does well in car magazine competitions, you don't have to look too hard to find reviews in the non-enthusiast press that are less than glowing. One I read called the CX-9 a "family hauler that can't haul." So, the reviews aren't all positive. The biggiest strike against it is the interior volume, it is a lot smaller than it's competition. One review stated that it has the same amount of cargo room as a CR-V. $45k is a lot of money for that kind of space.

Overall, the tone of the CR review was quite positive. The road test score, by itself, put it up towards the top, but the reliability score pulled it down. On the reliability front, it is disappointing that CR doesn't break out subcategories anymore (at least on the web site). I remember the magazine used to list major areas and give individual scores. I'm curious what is pulling the scores down. If I had to guess, looking at the forum, I'd say the infotainment is a candidate, followed by the AC, then driveline issues (vibration, pinging, etc.)...
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Infotainment is perfect in my vehicle. The engine and transmission are almost imperceptible.

We're supposed to be rating reliability. The question still remains on what is "unreliable" about this vehicle that was just launched about 20 months ago.
 
JPL said:
For the longest time, sedans we're largely the go to family hauler. This idea that a 3-row of any kind is an inadequate family car is amusing.
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With Your logic, That way we should have been driving horse carriages [emoji12] extending it all the way back.
 
CrazyBiker said:
With Your logic, That way we should have been driving horse carriages [emoji12] extending it all the way back.
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Sedans are still neck and neck with crossovers for sales and family duties. I'm a family of four for the last 5 years and just now got a crossover. We did just fine with a Toyota Corolla. The CX-9 is empty most of the time.
 
JPL said:
Infotainment is perfect in my vehicle. The engine and transmission are almost imperceptible.

We're supposed to be rating reliability. The question still remains on what is "unreliable" about this vehicle that was just launched about 20 months ago.
Click to expand...

Wow, you must have the only CX9 with no infotainment issues. Congratulations. The giant thread on this forum about problems with the electronics is indicative of problems with the system. Similarly, many of the reviews (even the ones where the CX9 wins a competition) give the electronics a low score, even the 2018 model.

Similarly, there a a few threads about driveline problems: pinging, vibrations, etc. Not surprising given that it is a new design.

These days, if you have to go back to the dealership for any reason, it is unacceptable. Period. There are very few cars sold these days that are going to leave you at the side of the road (Alfa Romeo being the exception). The standards of reliability have changed. It is a shame the CR has dumbed down the reliability results, and I am sure they have limited data, but the fact is that a lot of CX9 owners on this forum had annoying issues that required trips back to the dealer to fix.
 
jal142 said:
Wow, you must have the only CX9 with no infotainment issues. Congratulations. The giant thread on this forum about problems with the electronics is indicative of problems with the system. Similarly, many of the reviews (even the ones where the CX9 wins a competition) give the electronics a low score, even the 2018 model.

Similarly, there a a few threads about driveline problems: pinging, vibrations, etc. Not surprising given that it is a new design.

These days, if you have to go back to the dealership for any reason, it is unacceptable. Period. There are very few cars sold these days that are going to leave you at the side of the road (Alfa Romeo being the exception). The standards of reliability have changed. It is a shame the CR has dumbed down the reliability results, and I am sure they have limited data, but the fact is that a lot of CX9 owners on this forum had annoying issues that required trips back to the dealer to fix.
Click to expand...

"Giant thread on this forum regarding problem with electronics"?. Where? The issue is with the bogus software. Mostly related with GPS.

I believe you don't have a Mazda Cx9. It's a great SUV. I check Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander among others before purchase, and at the end, the cx9 have the best design, driving dynamics and cost benefits (at least for me).

Do you talk about reliability? Before the cx9 turbo 2016 I have now I had the cx9 V6 2011 and before that, a Volvo.

I changed tires (all four when the car was 4 months old). I changed the battery 2 times in 2 years. I changed the subwoofer after 14 months of purchase. The dealer changed engine support 5 times in 3 years. At 26 months the 2nd gear in the transmission failed and warranty was only 2 years so I pay myself 2000 USD for a fix. These are only just few of the issues I have. Was really annoying and desapointed .

So after 36 months I sell it and will never purchase a Volvo again. Was so unreliable you now don't see almost a single Volvo dealer in Mexico city. Sales go from low sales to zero so this is why you only see one Volvo every 15 days here when you see 50 Mazdas every minute.

This is high end Japan tech my friend. Very reliable. My 2nd cx9 and very happy.
 
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cubanomx said:
"Giant thread on this forum regarding problem with electronics"?. Where? The issue is with the bogus software. Mostly related with GPS.

I believe you don't have a Mazda Cx9. It's a great SUV. I check Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander among others before purchase, and at the end, the cx9 have the best design, driving dynamics and cost benefits (at least for me).

Do you talk about reliability? Before the cx9 turbo 2016 I have now I had the cx9 V6 2011 and before that, a Volvo.

I changed tires (all four when the car was 4 months old). I changed the battery 2 times in 2 years. I changed the subwoofer after 14 months of purchase. The dealer changed engine support 5 times in 3 years. At 26 months the 2nd gear in the transmission failed and warranty was only 2 years so I pay myself 2000 USD for a fix. These are only just few of the issues I have. Was really annoying and desapointed .

So after 36 months I sell it and will never purchase a Volvo again. Was so unreliable you now don't see almost a single Volvo dealer in Mexico city. Sales go from low sales to zero so this is why you only see one Volvo every 15 days here when you see 50 Mazdas every minute.

This is high end Japan tech my friend. Very reliable. My 2nd cx9 and very happy.
Click to expand...

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...-9-Infotainment-System-Rebooting-and-Freezing

Start there.

I'm not surprised by your Volvo experience. I looked at XC90's - they are very nice looking inside and out. Then I looked on the Volvo forums, and the number of lemon buybacks is stunning. I won't be buying one of those...

As far as reliability goes, the standards have changed. 30 years ago, it used to be enough to just start and run every time you turned the key - that was above average, and that's how the Japanese built their reputations. GM, Ford, and Chrysler were really making bad cars in the 1980's. Now, mechanically, it is really hard to find a bad car - almost everything starts and runs the first time, every time. What is differentiating the makes now is the electronics. It's kind of a moving target, and maybe even unfair, but those are the new rules of the game. It's a shame that Mazda pushed the CX-9 out the door before the electronics were ready for prime time. However, it isn't just Mazda that tried this - Ford's Sync has been an ongoing disaster, GM's system has been criticized, and the Volvo's are even worse.

What worries me is what all these cars are going to be like to own and service 5-10 years down the road. Most of the electronics are sole source and ridiculously expensive to purchase. Eventually, the touch screen or some critical electronic part is going to break, and it's going to total the car.

I do have a 2010 CX-9. It was the best option for my family in the 3-row class when I bought it. The new one is not. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice vehicle. I sat in a Signature, and it was definitely nicer inside than mine. But...

It's too small for my needs (2 kids, occasional grandparents in the car, 2 big dogs, etc.). I can fit the dog crates in the back and still have room in the current version. The new one is a little cramped. My wife and I have just started looking around for the current CX9's replacement. Unfortunately, I am going to have to look elsewhere.
 
jal142 said:
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...-9-Infotainment-System-Rebooting-and-Freezing

Start there.

I'm not surprised by your Volvo experience. I looked at XC90's - they are very nice looking inside and out. Then I looked on the Volvo forums, and the number of lemon buybacks is stunning. I won't be buying one of those...

As far as reliability goes, the standards have changed. 30 years ago, it used to be enough to just start and run every time you turned the key - that was above average, and that's how the Japanese built their reputations. GM, Ford, and Chrysler were really making bad cars in the 1980's. Now, mechanically, it is really hard to find a bad car - almost everything starts and runs the first time, every time. What is differentiating the makes now is the electronics. It's kind of a moving target, and maybe even unfair, but those are the new rules of the game. It's a shame that Mazda pushed the CX-9 out the door before the electronics were ready for prime time. However, it isn't just Mazda that tried this - Ford's Sync has been an ongoing disaster, GM's system has been criticized, and the Volvo's are even worse.

What worries me is what all these cars are going to be like to own and service 5-10 years down the road. Most of the electronics are sole source and ridiculously expensive to purchase. Eventually, the touch screen or some critical electronic part is going to break, and it's going to total the car.

I do have a 2010 CX-9. It was the best option for my family in the 3-row class when I bought it. The new one is not. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice vehicle. I sat in a Signature, and it was definitely nicer inside than mine. But...

It's too small for my needs (2 kids, occasional grandparents in the car, 2 big dogs, etc.). I can fit the dog crates in the back and still have room in the current version. The new one is a little cramped. My wife and I have just started looking around for the current CX9's replacement. Unfortunately, I am going to have to look elsewhere.
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Volvo has been so bad at least in Mexico at the point no one purchase a new or used Volvo even with ridiculous discounts. Volvo dealer shops have been closed more and more and at this point, they don't have any here. You rarely see a Volvo on the street. the xc90, xc60 and other models are really good looking but is too late. they lost users confidence. they started with 2 years warranty (this is why I was unable to apply for warranty when my transmission failed) and now they are trying with 5-year warranty stock. nobody cares, nobody purchases Volvo anymore at least here. The Mexican market is special due to the amount of traffic and speed bumps. You can go on a short 4-mile trip and see more than 20-speed bumps because people don't follow traffic speed limits. This is hard for a transmission because you need to accelerate and brake every 100 - 300 meters. This is why I tell you Mazda it's really good. I never ever hear a transmission issue of Mazda here. I know very good transmission mechanics and they only have Volvos, Jaguar, Land Rovers and a couple of BMWs and Audis to work with.

Regarding electronics: the electronic components used in cars are top notch, low tolerance high-end components. near military grade. You don't want an ABS sensor or controller to fail with an SUV full of family members. I don't believe the Mazda have issues with hardware or electronics in the new cx9. the infotainment hang/crash etc issue has been around for years now, before the 2nd cx9 generation. they have been trying to fix it via firmware and I believe some people have good results but what they need to do is to hire a great team of developers for fix this issues for once and for all and in order to add new features like apple carplay, android auto, video player, etc. the hardware is powerful enough.

Can hardware fail? sure. even spaceships with a zillion dollar costs fail and go down. but cars are reliable nowadays.

the point regarding space is a totally different monster. if you need more space, you need to go in another direction, I think, like Pilot, Pathfinder or even Infiniti 80, Armada, etc. At least for my family It's OK enough (me & mywife, little baby boy and baby girl arriving in feb 2018).
 
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jal142 said:
Wow, you must have the only CX9 with no infotainment issues. Congratulations. The giant thread on this forum about problems with the electronics is indicative of problems with the system. Similarly, many of the reviews (even the ones where the CX9 wins a competition) give the electronics a low score, even the 2018 model.

Similarly, there a a few threads about driveline problems: pinging, vibrations, etc. Not surprising given that it is a new design.

These days, if you have to go back to the dealership for any reason, it is unacceptable. Period. There are very few cars sold these days that are going to leave you at the side of the road (Alfa Romeo being the exception). The standards of reliability have changed. It is a shame the CR has dumbed down the reliability results, and I am sure they have limited data, but the fact is that a lot of CX9 owners on this forum had annoying issues that required trips back to the dealer to fix.
Click to expand...

Precisely my point I have been harping all this while. Here on the forum people think that these issues are minor as long as the car drives and looks well. Reliability is one and lack of practicality is other. How did the interior volume shrink from almost 100 cu ft to a paltry 72 cu ft between generations? Thats what happens when you give styling designers a free reign.

I have close friends who work in autonomous driving companies as well as google streetview and are in reliability testing. The first thing they tell me is to beware of electronics on modern cars. Usually if they are not working right in the 1st year itself, thats a ominous sign of what to come in the future.
 
CrazyBiker said:
Precisely my point I have been harping all this while. Here on the forum people think that these issues are minor as long as the car drives and looks well. Reliability is one and lack of practicality is other. How did the interior volume shrink from almost 100 cu ft to a paltry 72 cu ft between generations? Thats what happens when you give styling designers a free reign.

I have close friends who work in autonomous driving companies as well as google streetview and are in reliability testing. The first thing they tell me is to beware of electronics on modern cars. Usually if they are not working right in the 1st year itself, thats a ominous sign of what to come in the future.
Click to expand...

To be honest, it feels like the market is changing so fast in terms of electronics that the reliability is suffering a bit. Too much new stuff too fast is causing issues. I remember in the early 1980's when fuel injection became mandatory, and the sensors required weren't quite there in terms of reliability. The 1980's vintage cars I owned/used had all sorts of sensor failures (MAP/MAF, crank position, engine temperature, etc.), which caused the fuel injection system to take a dump. By the 1990's, those sensors were more or less bulletproof.
 
cubanomx said:
Volvo has been so bad at least in Mexico at the point no one purchase a new or used Volvo even with ridiculous discounts. Volvo dealer shops have been closed more and more and at this point, they don't have any here. You rarely see a Volvo on the street. the xc90, xc60 and other models are really good looking but is too late. they lost users confidence. they started with 2 years warranty (this is why I was unable to apply for warranty when my transmission failed) and now they are trying with 5-year warranty stock. nobody cares, nobody purchases Volvo anymore at least here. The Mexican market is special due to the amount of traffic and speed bumps. You can go on a short 4-mile trip and see more than 20-speed bumps because people don't follow traffic speed limits. This is hard for a transmission because you need to accelerate and brake every 100 - 300 meters. This is why I tell you Mazda it's really good. I never ever hear a transmission issue of Mazda here. I know very good transmission mechanics and they only have Volvos, Jaguar, Land Rovers and a couple of BMWs and Audis to work with.

Regarding electronics: the electronic components used in cars are top notch, low tolerance high-end components. near military grade. You don't want an ABS sensor or controller to fail with an SUV full of family members. I don't believe the Mazda have issues with hardware or electronics in the new cx9. the infotainment hang/crash etc issue has been around for years now, before the 2nd cx9 generation. they have been trying to fix it via firmware and I believe some people have good results but what they need to do is to hire a great team of developers for fix this issues for once and for all and in order to add new features like apple carplay, android auto, video player, etc. the hardware is powerful enough.

Can hardware fail? sure. even spaceships with a zillion dollar costs fail and go down. but cars are reliable nowadays.

the point regarding space is a totally different monster. if you need more space, you need to go in another direction, I think, like Pilot, Pathfinder or even Infiniti 80, Armada, etc. At least for my family It's OK enough (me & mywife, little baby boy and baby girl arriving in feb 2018).
Click to expand...

EXACTLY! All the points I have made before and they think I am trolling, LOL. I am not the only one. There are many here with the same review of the car. I was so excited by the new CX-9 that I delayed my 3-row SUV purchase by a year waiting for the CX9 only to be bummed.

And its not just the Nav, many are reporting issues with the system hanging, rebooting, going dark!

Mazda dropping 6 places is a telling sign on the CR and CX-9 is solely responsible for that as that is the only new model Mazda has made in a year. Now here, people will say CR is bogus which makes me chuckle. That way, then tell me what is not bogus? Owner reviews, sure. Spending some time on forums is enough to tell me there are issues.

I was also about to buy the new XC90 until I jumped on the forums to find leaking panoramic roofs, blacking out infotainments, car stalling at freeway speeds, yada yada.

My Mazda6 has been pretty good but it does have issue. Bad infotainment and bluetooth that hangs sometimes, I get forward sensing camera warning every now and then, and now warped brake rotors after 30-35k miles. These are all common on forums
 
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jal142 said:
Wow, you must have the only CX9 with no infotainment issues. Congratulations. The giant thread on this forum about problems with the electronics is indicative of problems with the system. Similarly, many of the reviews (even the ones where the CX9 wins a competition) give the electronics a low score, even the 2018 model.

Similarly, there a a few threads about driveline problems: pinging, vibrations, etc. Not surprising given that it is a new design.

These days, if you have to go back to the dealership for any reason, it is unacceptable. Period. There are very few cars sold these days that are going to leave you at the side of the road (Alfa Romeo being the exception). The standards of reliability have changed. It is a shame the CR has dumbed down the reliability results, and I am sure they have limited data, but the fact is that a lot of CX9 owners on this forum had annoying issues that required trips back to the dealer to fix.
Click to expand...

You realize I have a 2018 and that these infotainment issues were largely early 2016 units? I'm not lying when I say mine is flawless. Bluetooth is flawless. Do you think it's possible that because there were troubles at launch that maybe Mazda would address it and not do nothing for the life of the car?

The few other issues were also reported by early adopters. Why do you think I didn't get a 2016? Just about every model has something wrong in the first year, even every Toyota.

Reliability is a top 5 priority item for me and I was confident enough with the CX-9 from everything I had read.

CR is making a ludicrous prediction on 2018's on unfounded data. There actually isn't any data.

Again I'll reference a reliability "king", the Highlander. CR will give it top scores in reliability but I spent tons of time on ToyotaNation where owners reported transmission replacements, leaking engine oil, leaking pano roofs, squeaking components, loose headliners, etc. This is all ignored by CR? The Highlander was my other choice. The CX-9 was ultimately better in every way other than total volume.
 
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There is a difference between whether the issues were fixed or not. Mazda doesn’t have a fix for many of these issues
 
CrazyBiker said:
There is a difference between whether the issues were fixed or not. Mazda doesn’t have a fix for many of these issues
Click to expand...

You guys esp the ones who look like are just trolling in this forum are blowing this infotainment issue/reliability out of proportion. You will see gripes and complaints in forums and may seem a lot but you don't hear from owners who have no issues therefore just focusing on the negatives. I suggest to look at facts instead of reading just several posts on this forum then blowing it up and generalizing and passing on judgement.

How many in total were the documented-reported issues? 20, 30, 50, 100? And out of what? CX9s sell on ave 2-3K units per month since launch in US and 15% of that in Canada. If you run simple math, for all we know the total issues only amounted to less than 10%! Maybe huge to some by their standards maybe low to others but don't forget no manufacturer is perfect even the so called bullet proof brands like Toyota, Lexus and Porsche have their own issues as well.
 
I owned a CX-3 that had infotainment issues. Took it into the dealer and they upgraded the software to the newest one, fixing all the issues. But apparently Mazda doesn't have a fix for these issues.
 
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