why i purchased a cx9 ?? :)

When one drives in a daily basis in a city with traffic and ppl stressed out because being late to where they have to go etc.. driving stops being a pleasure,
Pleasure was something I had every time I stepped into my car , no matter where I was going.. it was always fun to drive ...that word pleasure disappeared from my mind when I had to drive my wifes suv... plus things have changed in the big cities and cars have evolved on that way . we are now driving boring suv's designed for everything but for the joy driving.
When I purchased my cx9 , 6 months ago, I had already tried every suv that was sold in my country between 40 to 52k US. this included :

ford explorer limited
dodge Durango
Chevrolet traverse
land rover discovery sport
Honda pilot
kia Sorrento
Hyundai santa fe
jeep cherokee

As I tested all these cars to make a decision, ( I was replacing a hyudai santa fe v6, which was great) I wasn't happy with anyone, all of them were lacking something, yes all were big, and spacious and almost all had 7 seats and all were silent and with powerful enough engines for their size. but they were lacking something, something that would make a suv more for me, to enjoy to be happy as I am every time I step into my car ( hatch back) something designed with me in mind and to enjoy .. ... none of the above had that, none gave me that grin in my face while I was driving.. none had something different.

Then when I had already decided on the Honda pilot because it was enormous and was by far the fastest when u pressed the accelerator, ( no other factor ) I had a call from a rep ( that had started to work at mazda) that I have known from several years telling me that they had just received the 2017 mazda cx9 ( in peru the new cx9 came as a 2017 model) and he would like for me to drive it cause hew was sure it was the perfect suv for me.

ok deal, ill go , this guy had prepared the suv for me to test and had only 45 kms on the odometer, a beautiful metallic red colour ( has a very fancy name that I cant remember) I saw the design and was radically different from the others, it was lower , long very long, with a grill that made the suv look aggressive, sporty and again, big.. one could see from the outside that the rear seats were kind of high and very comfy, making a huge difference from the other suv that are designed so they can fold and be super spacious and super practical but making it uncomfy for the rear passengers (unless u opt for captain chairs) also you could see that the tires were sider than usual for the segment, which are ussualy narrower because wide spoils the aerodynamics and consequently also the gas consumption . hmmm the first impression was going good, my mind was accepting the differences with all the other suvs and my smile started to shine . the sales guy started noticing that my attitude went from... hmmmphhh to .. hmmm...

I stepped inside the cx9 and I noticed that the seats were comfy, that the leather had a nice smell, that the cabin was gorgeously designed to be ... wait... NOT FAMILY PRACTICAL, but inviting , comfy, luxurious, a place that invites u to be , that gives u the feeling of performance , that every button is in the right place, the steering wheel ,, damn!!!... its in the right position to drive!! not to give more space to other things... this is an alfa romeo ? or an suv? ( talking about the driving position) .. hmmmm .. yes my smile started to grow... .. .. the gear selector is in the perfect place .. for driving, close enough to the steering so you can quickly change a gear and get back ur hands to the steering wheel.. and high enough so in some cases u can rest ur hand on it .. ( only well designed sport cars have this) ooh!! the original aluminum looks great... and cold to the touch!

as for then ... I noticed my face had a big smile and that the sales guy noticed soo.. I went back to my now hypocrital hhmmmpphhggg face.. and asked.. engine?? same all v6 290 hp? ... nope .. !! 4 cylinder turbo.... turbo?? (lets say that in peru we have very high roads up to 16,000 feet high while crossing the andes and non turbo engines no matter how powerful really struggle) .. really?? so he handed me the keys ..

oh!!... as I suspected, the sound.. damn it was like turning on a blender ( dull 4 cylinder sound) , hmmm that was a downside.. ok lets go .. ... closed the door and suddenly it felt I was on a submarine, s***.. this is supper silent.. rep immediately answered double glass windows in the front .. ok... grabbed the gear selector and put it into drive.. hmmm.. with my fake hmmmpphhhggg face .. well this is not a slow suv... torque is inmediate.. suddenly passing cars going at 2000 rpm while accelerating was even starting to be fun, there was no need to lower the gear... hmmm ok ok .. no I cant fake this face any more... lets get back to the smile... suddenly a round about was close so I accelerated and wnet ittno it at around 100 kmh and suddenly I felt something I only feel on my other car.. the back was there.. the front of the car was glued and I had this eagerness to get into the curve and try to loose the tail... and see what happens.. ( just to have the feeling to do it because a car gives u the confidence is a lot) front glued, back tailing , took my foot out of the accelerator tail started to move, put the foot back tail was in again.. .. damnnn.. this fieels like a sporty hatchback ... nice!!! steering precise , gear selector usable ... miata like sturdiness to roll... what is this????? !!!... I laughed..loudly and my expression was unmistakable.. soo??? the rep guy asked...
damn I'm having fun!! .. ok ok the blender sounding engine wasnt that bad so it didn't spoil the moment.

brakes... ?? gees.. damn good.. !! ok lets go to the highway... 180.. 190... 200.. 210 ... hey wheres the limiter.. ... no limiter said the rep guy.. 218kmh I managed.. on a 4 cyilindre quite as a tomb suv that felt so sticked to the floor It felt kike a bmw or Porsche.. ..damn this is nice!!
ok ok .. lets got to the mountains.. ok he said.. u pay for the gas.. ok ok ill pay..
100 meters above sea level.. great.. 20 mins later 2000 .. great .. 45 mins later 3500 great.. 1 hour 45 mins later 4900 ( 16000 feet ) high and the mazda engine was at a walk in the park passing every suv car truck etc with any effort .. curves?? this is the suv to have for a mountain road.. damn!! in out easy .. sliding like a hatch back. controllable .. press the accelerator out u go.. take the inside the tail follows... ..

ok enough.. lets have lunch!!
down we went again .. curves... braking points.. acceleration.. great.. yes brakes were giving up when we went out.. but if not.. the suv would not have been of this world.. yes the brakes gave up ..lets give the excuse that they were brand new and had to settle.... but no car will manage to go down these moutains really fasut with out having the brakes heated to the red zone.
nope..
ok .. convinced.. there is nothing like this on this price range.. go q7 or range rover or bmw x5 .. .. or jaguar ( haven't driven it yet) nope .. no lexus.. lexus aren't drivers cars ..

back to the mazda store.. .. ok .. where do I sign???,...

so there, this is when I got my smile back after years of a dull face while driving the family suv.. now I have a deal with my wife that I use the cx9 every Wednesday and shell use my car that day ( that never had happened before, no way!)

so.. if u want practicality.. go buy ur Honda ... u want to have fun , the kids to be really comfy ( family of four) in the back.. .. ur 6 year old telling u dad faster dad .. faster !! hehe.. and ur 13 year old daughter.. dad I'm going to puke.. and ur wife chatting over the phone cause she doeasnt feel that ur going that fast .. then.. .u understand what I mean. pay 70k or buy a cx9 ..


MY smile is back!!!!
M

Nice expressive write up.

The thing people need to understand is that the CX-9 is really a luxury crossover competitor for less rather than comparing to the boring class it competes in on price. So it's not the plain box on wheels with the most space as the priority. There's just nothing special about the competition. The CX-9 is a work of art that you find excuses to drive and want to show off. A VW Atlas drives by and no one cares. Might as well be a refrigerator modified into a vehicle.

JPL said:

Nice expressive write up.

The thing people need to understand is that the CX-9 is really a luxury crossover competitor for less rather than comparing to the boring class it competes in on price. So it's not the plain box on wheels with the most space as the priority. There's just nothing special about the competition. The CX-9 is a work of art that you find excuses to drive and want to show off. A VW Atlas drives by and no one cares. Might as well be a refrigerator modified into a vehicle.

Click to expand...

I don't know....

The last CX-9 was a Ford with a Mazda suit on. I looked at the Flex and the Edge, and it was amazing (to me, anyway) how much better the CX-9 was executed inside than either of the Ford options. It was basically the same price, too. Mazda doesn't have a "luxury" brand to protect, unlike Ford (Lincoln), so they are free to actually use quality materials. However, it still sold rather poorly, which I still struggle to understand. The buying public just doesn't think of Mazda in this market segment, I guess, or the Mazda brand has no cachet.

At the end of the day, I think it was a mistake to downsize the car and focus on the driving dynamics. The last one drove better than everything else and still didn't sell. Doubling down doesn't seem like the right approach. I'm afraid that without Ford subsidizing the development costs, there isn't going to be a CX-9 in a few years if the sales don't pick up.

jal142 said:

I don't know....

The last CX-9 was a Ford with a Mazda suit on. I looked at the Flex and the Edge, and it was amazing (to me, anyway) how much better the CX-9 was executed inside than either of the Ford options. It was basically the same price, too. Mazda doesn't have a "luxury" brand to protect, unlike Ford (Lincoln), so they are free to actually use quality materials. However, it still sold rather poorly, which I still struggle to understand. The buying public just doesn't think of Mazda in this market segment, I guess, or the Mazda brand has no cachet.

At the end of the day, I think it was a mistake to downsize the car and focus on the driving dynamics. The last one drove better than everything else and still didn't sell. Doubling down doesn't seem like the right approach. I'm afraid that without Ford subsidizing the development costs, there isn't going to be a CX-9 in a few years if the sales don't pick up.

Click to expand...

Mazda has always come across to me as a niche player. I myself stumbled on the brand purely by accident when I was looking for a cheap Mazda 6 that my co-worker was selling. Still, I see your point, it's an anomaly considering how well a comparable brand like Subaru seems to be doing. I think the major issue here is their marketing strategy. Most of the bigger brands have a recurrent presence in media, with recurrent messaging. Toyota's safety suite, Chevy with the (dumb) "real people, not actors" thing, Volkswagen's (awful) clean diesel campaign but you'd be hard pressed to recall a mazda campaign. While I admittedly watch very little live TV, the first and only time I saw a Mazda commercial was on a Thursday night football game, and even then they exclusively focused on the wood inserts and craftsmanship on the new CX-5. IMO, unless you have actual experience with one, this comes across in an abstract way for most potential customers as compared to VW's automatic braking advertisements. I have also seen zero information on the year-end clearance deals either. Lastly, there's the dealership experience which for me was hit or miss. Even here in Indianapolis where I have access to 4 in the metro area, only one really wanted to earn my business / seemed remotely interested in my search. I think there's definitely work for corporate to do.

About the CX-9 going obsolete. You may have a point there as well, I understand they are now considering bringing the CX-7 back in around 2021, in which case, the writing would be on the wall given the fact that it would further cannibalize the already limited sales of the 9.

The CX-9's sales are plenty enough to justify it's existence. While it's less than other mainstream brands, it's comparable to luxury models. Take the Volvo XC-90 which is often compared to the CX-9. It sells in very similar numbers and it is considered popular. It's all relative. High end luxury cars sell in tiny numbers. If Mazda was just chasing sales they would just do what everyone else is doing. They are niche on purpose.

Coming from a RAV4 V6 , power is a consideration in getting a new car. The CX-9 is not a large 7 seater but oh man that car was fast. It drove like my V6 with SPRINTBOOSTER. The interior was sweet. It was comparable to an AUDI loaner car I had for a week.

JPL said:

Nice expressive write up.

The thing people need to understand is that the CX-9 is really a luxury crossover competitor for less rather than comparing to the boring class it competes in on price. So it's not the plain box on wheels with the most space as the priority. There's just nothing special about the competition. The CX-9 is a work of art that you find excuses to drive and want to show off. A VW Atlas drives by and no one cares. Might as well be a refrigerator modified into a vehicle.

Click to expand...

thanks, yes it was fun to write it.
on the other hand, as I see it , mazda is a brand with a special philosophy, they have been one of the greatest in gtp endurance, they have always had different options like rotative engines etc etc.. they have always been a niche and they will stay that way.
I took some time to understand that they prefer to have the gear selector near the steering wheel instead of having 2 huge comfy cup holders for example.. but now I understand its all around a concept they have had for 40 years now or more.i like that individual philosophy to stand out of the ordinary. in time they will be famous for that and ppl will start to understand , which is what I believe.. what they want.

jal142 said:

I don't know....
Mazda doesn't have a "luxury" brand to protect, unlike Ford (Lincoln), so they are free to actually use quality materials.

Click to expand...

Not having a lux brand is a good thing. One brand Mazda itself can be migrated to premium level and eventually people will understand and perceive that way. Toyota has a constraint to make a great Toyota as it will compete with Lexus and same with other brands that have a separate luxury line. It may be a good business model and they can maximize their profits but not good for us.

Old Mazdas are comparable to Ford. There is a day and night difference between older Mazdas and the newer generation Mazdas. So it is premium car, in my mind. I don't care about what others perceive. Ford Explorer is attractive, but kind of bulky for my taste and you have to pay more to get a turbo. CX 9 is simple and neat, both in design and trim levels.

Besides, I want to drive a special car. Not the one that everyone in my street drives.

Fantastic write up , it shows how enthusiastic you are of your new Mazda CX 9. I have one too only 5 k miles on it. My wife and I love the car. It's my daily ride to from work. On weekend it's hers. We have family of 6 and it's perfect. Empty on the weekdays with just me and my boy to and from school. Weekends the wife, kids, granny and costco. Perfect for her. It drives like a sedan full and empty. The acceleration and torgue thrilling for an SUV.

Funny thought, initially I didn't even know the CX9 existed. We went the Highlander, pilot, serrento route first. Took the test drive and was very much let down ( they all drove like a truck. slow and guzzling.) So much so that we were actually thinking about a couple years old X5 or M350 Mercedes. Which still hovered around low 40 mid 40k.

Than from edmunds saw a Mazda CX9 review on 7 seaters. The first impression was cool nice looking design. Mazda? eh never even thought about mazda brand. But went to do a test drive bc of the design/look of the car. Very Modern design language. Found out that the designer used to design for Audi. No wonder its look and finished is so refined.

In anycase, a fantastic car for us that provides a thrilling ride, with enough room for family and costos on the weekends.

JPL said:

The CX-9's sales are plenty enough to justify it's existence. While it's less than other mainstream brands, it's comparable to luxury models. Take the Volvo XC-90 which is often compared to the CX-9. It sells in very similar numbers and it is considered popular. It's all relative. High end luxury cars sell in tiny numbers. If Mazda was just chasing sales they would just do what everyone else is doing. They are niche on purpose.

Click to expand...

The difference is the average selling price of those other models is $15k-20k higher. They can afford to sell fewer when the margin is that much higher.

It looks like Mazda has planned this out, so the CX-9 can soldier on - move upmarket and platform sharing. I'm assuming that the upcoming CX-7 (https://jalopnik.com/mazda-is-planning-another-crossover-for-the-american-ma-1820763759), the CX-8 (in other markets), and the CX-9 are all built on derivatives of the same platform. The CX-7 concept looks nice.

I hope Mazda hits their sales goal so I can eventually buy a new RX-7 (drinks).

Good writing. Great to know how enthusiastic Mazda fans are.

I am all excited to give an offer on a Soul Crystal Red CX 9 GT. Couple of years before, I was thinking about other SUVs like Infinity QX60, Ford Explorer, GMC Acadia. But after seeing the preview of the 2016 CX 9 in the LA auto show, I filtered out all other SUVs and having only the CX 9 in my mind. I loved my MPV and that is one reason to have delayed this much. It drives and handles so good. Except it is little noisy at 75 db, comparing to 57 db noise levels in the new CX 9. Now, we have a valid reason. At 158K miles, MPV's check engine light lit up and looks like the catalytic converter had gone bad and convinced my wife to go for the CX 9 sooner.

Why I am buying another Mazda?

• I am having a great experience with my existing Mazdas. They are reliable, looks cute, great highway cruisers, fun to drive and much different than other cars on the road. When I got my first Mazda, I used to compare with Honda and feel little sad. But, after that I started to understand why Mazdas are lighter and smaller and learned to appreciate it.
• More I look into SUVs like Benz GLC300, BMW X3 and Q5, I develop more love towards CX 9. They don't have a 3rd row. Besides if you want to have the GT's premium features like heads up display, adaptive cruise control, you have to pay around 50K. I love the trim levels of a Mazda. We don't have to worry about adding features separately and bloat the price. Bad example is GLC 300. You add the base model and after that each and every small thing is an extra option and it was like looking into a fancy restaurant menu. I feel like it is more stress to buy other SUVs.
• I am ready to pay for Mazda's philosophies, like Jinba Itaia, zoom zoom, performance without sacrificing fuel economy. Can not be proven, but I believe them. Also like their future direction turbo diesel, skyactive x, elevating to a premium brand.
• Cost of ownership is moderate. Premium gas is optional. European vehicles should be at-least 3 times more expensive to maintain than a Mazda.

On the blender thing.. yes cold start up is pretty horrible sounding. Even more so with the non turbo skyactiv motors, but once they are warmed up the idle quiets down. I think its down the unusually high compression.

forties said:

On the blender thing.. yes cold start up is pretty horrible sounding. Even more so with the non turbo skyactiv motors, but once they are warmed up the idle quiets down. I think its down the unusually high compression.

Click to expand...

yes it seems to be the high idle plus the unusual compression of the engine.

Idle and up to 2k rpm its kinda choppy. But when you get on the throttle IMO the forced induction sounds beat any 6. Maybe the FI noises are an acquired taste..

I agree with all that is in the original post. Any of those other car models in the list would have been fine for me. When you find something beyond "fine" well, you'll know it when you drive it.

jal142 said:

I don't know....

The last CX-9 was a Ford with a Mazda suit on. I looked at the Flex and the Edge, and it was amazing (to me, anyway) how much better the CX-9 was executed inside than either of the Ford options. It was basically the same price, too. Mazda doesn't have a "luxury" brand to protect, unlike Ford (Lincoln), so they are free to actually use quality materials. However, it still sold rather poorly, which I still struggle to understand. The buying public just doesn't think of Mazda in this market segment, I guess, or the Mazda brand has no cachet.

At the end of the day, I think it was a mistake to downsize the car and focus on the driving dynamics. The last one drove better than everything else and still didn't sell. Doubling down doesn't seem like the right approach. I'm afraid that without Ford subsidizing the development costs, there isn't going to be a CX-9 in a few years if the sales don't pick up.

Click to expand...

I agree at some point. It's true, you don't see too many cx9 out there... but wait! I don't see too many Honda Pilots either! or too many Pathfinders!... this SUV segment (at least in MX City) is not so wide like smaller Suvs like cx5, honda crv, etc.

Kia & Hyundai started in Mexico about 2 or 3 years ago and they has been pretty aggresive with prices and warranty. On the initial months when I purchase mine (june 2016), I don't see a single cx9... today I see 1 or 2 every weeks. But is the same for Honda Pilot! I even believe I see less Honda Pilots than Cx9.

It's a great purchase for sure, but I'm about to visit my dealer because I have only 5000 miles in mine (GT AWD purchased on 2016 june) and have very anonying noises on brakes and shock absorbers. Really, this is not expected from a 35k+ USD SUV in less than 2 years and 5000 miles of use.

Other than that, I'm very happy with the purchase. My wife don't like to drive it because she says is "too big" and yes, perhaps from the inside is not comparable with the Pilot or Pathfinder but from the outside, it's like a boat (I like it!).

I believe Mazda needs to change something if they want the sales to go up.

Gatuno said:

yes it seems to be the high idle plus the unusual compression of the engine.

Click to expand...

agree. when cold start up, sounds like a diesel.... for a minute...

karthik1516 said:

Good writing. Great to know how enthusiastic Mazda fans are.

...But after seeing the preview of the 2016 CX 9 in the LA auto show, I filtered out all other SUVs and having only the CX 9 in my mind. .
[/LIST]

Click to expand...

exactly the same thing happens to me!. After I see the preview, I only had the new cx9 in my mind. I search for pictures, reviews etc and I love the design and want to trade the v6 for the new turbo. I don't regret. I had the cx9 v6 for 5 years only when sell it and never ever had an issue.

Hi,
New to this forum. I got the 2018 Machine Grey signature 2 months ago. Before this I drove a 2014 SL Pathfinder. It just so happened that when I bought my pathfinder the cx9 2nd generation was not out at that time, neither the new pilot.
So far I am very happy the way this car runs. It is fairly new and that is why I don't have any complaints.
The way to describe how it runs, it's ZOOM-ZOOM. You need to experience driving a Mazda to understand why I picked this car.Aesthetically why wouldn't you love it. Inside out it is well designed and materials are really high quality.
I used to have a Mazda 5 and thought that was a mini van, I loved the way that car runs considering it wasn't still a sky active engine.
All cars have problems, but from my previous experience with a Mazda, it didn't give me a big one, just the usual wear and tear of a car.
FUN FUN FUN driving this car. and yes I said car because it doesn't drive like a truck.

karthik1516 said:

Good writing. Great to know how enthusiastic Mazda fans are.

Why I am buying another Mazda?

• I am having a great experience with my existing Mazdas. They are reliable, looks cute, great highway cruisers, fun to drive and much different than other cars on the road. When I got my first Mazda, I used to compare with Honda and feel little sad. But, after that I started to understand why Mazdas are lighter and smaller and learned to appreciate it.
• More I look into SUVs like Benz GLC300, BMW X3 and Q5, I develop more love towards CX 9. They don't have a 3rd row. Besides if you want to have the GT's premium features like heads up display, adaptive cruise control, you have to pay around 50K. I love the trim levels of a Mazda. We don't have to worry about adding features separately and bloat the price. Bad example is GLC 300. You add the base model and after that each and every small thing is an extra option and it was like looking into a fancy restaurant menu. I feel like it is more stress to buy other SUVs.
• I am ready to pay for Mazda's philosophies, like Jinba Itaia, zoom zoom, performance without sacrificing fuel economy. Can not be proven, but I believe them. Also like their future direction turbo diesel, skyactive x, elevating to a premium brand.
• Cost of ownership is moderate. Premium gas is optional. European vehicles should be at-least 3 times more expensive to maintain than a Mazda.

Click to expand...

Even when I test drove, I did not realize the CX 9s are this great SUV.

The power boost that we get during acceleration is just amazing. Today, I just gently put foot and within seconds it reached 80MPH. Also in a traffic light, I just accelerated little bit and it reached 35 and I couldn't make an immediate turn. It is so much fun with this car.

And another thing I love is the accelerator peddle hinged to the floor, instead of hanging peddles, as used to have in my old Mazda. That gives a comfortable and a premium feel to accelerate.

Love the walk-away lock feature. The multi-layer reflective Soul Crystal Red is just awesome. It shows different shades of red. Now and then I will open the door and see its beauty in my garage

Heads-up display is so good. Now, I can not drive another car without it.

Update. Finally we had good some good flurries and icy condition. I had a chance to drive in highway. It was freezing and windy. The ride was so quiet and didn't even hear that much wind noise. Still had a great grip and didn't even feel any slip. Happy with the cold weather handling.

I feel like our CX9s are very much under-rated. It definitely deserves more sales. I did enough marketing to my close friends. See, if one of them buys a Mazda

Hi guys - as a former GM Engineer who worked at the GM Tech Center in Warren Michigan for 33 years – I am a “car nut”. I tell you this to prepare you for my lengthily reply!

I am a 1-week owner of a new 2018 Red GT - (I got dark tint on all the windows and it looks fantastic!).

I absolutely LOVE the Radar Cruise Control, I immediately used it on I-75 driving- it works perfect!

Even better, on our tiny island (Siesta Key), our only main road is packed with tourists crawling along, bumper to bumper at 10, 15, 20, 25 MPH – endlessly stopping, etc. The Radar Cruise follows them perfectly; all stop and go, so automatic and relatively smooth!

Now the only thing missing is “semi-autonomous steering” (Lane Keeping Assist that keeps you in the center of the lane so that you never even approach the lane markers (and need to be steered back toward the center.)

FYI – I was very undecided about purchasing this Mazda, I was really tore between it and the new XC60 Volvo. Why? Because Volvo has BOTH Radar Cruise Control (That seems to work exactly like Mazda’s), and PILOT ASSIST.

Volvo’s PILOT ASSIST (Which I test drove twice), is really incredible, it just keeps you perfectly in the center of the lane. It is (I guess), almost as good as Tesla’s (Who everyone agrees is the best “semi-autonomous” vehicle).

So why did I not buy a Volvo? Mainly because one with Pilot Assist costs about $12,000 more than my Mazda, and because of many other things I didn’t like about it. For example…

It has almost no actual buttons; everything is “touch-screen” on their giant tablet. (They do not have the Command Control knob & buttons like the Mazda has to control that screen). Just to change the temperature you have to use the touch screen (which misses about every other touch). And that 8 gear automatic transmission is jerky at slow speeds, not smooth!

Anyway, back to my new Mazda. I have followed the discussions on the internet Mazda forums for years as they discussed in detail, every tiny issue. (I don’t know if Mazda engineers read these forums, but they should. Just about everything they say about the 2016,2017,2018 CX-9’s I find very accurate.

Here’s some of my thoughts on my 2014 CX-9 GT I traded in and 2018 CX-9’s.

This 2018 is so much better in so many ways that I am very pleased with it, yet…

When I bought my 2014 and drove it home, I was blinded by the refection of the sun on the dashboard. (The dealer had put that shinny treatment on the dash).
After I cleaned it, it was better, but still always somewhat a problem.

Clearly Mazda tried to improve that dash with the absolutely dull black finish in the 16-18’s that fully solves the reflection problem, BUT as some form members have noticed, it really soaks up the sunlight and becomes very hot. (And it stays very hot for a fairly long time, not helping the AC)! Since I am in covered parking, this will not be a problem, and I’ll likely get a reflection cardboard to cover it when I leave it in the sun.

And speaking of the Air Conditioning, yes I have to agree with forum members that the AC is not as good as the older models, it certainly is not as powerful as my 2014 was. (I was hoping that by now the Mazda guys would have realized this and improved it for 2018, but it seems not).

Please don’t mis-understand me, I’m sure the AC will prove adequate for Florida, (Not sure about Arizona owners?). Likely only previous CX-9 owners will notice.
(In retrospect, my CX-9’s AC was without a doubt the best AC in any of the hundreds of vehicles I’ve owned.)

BUT there’s some much to LOVE about my new Mazda! (I am thrilled with it)!

I love the way it looks (Exterior and Interior), they hit a home-run!
I love the way it feels to drive it, quieter and (slightly) softer than my 2014.
I love the steering wheel feel. (And its heat on chilly mornings)
I love the Heads up display – especially because it displays the Blind-spot info!
I love the Heads up display – because it DOES NOT DISPLAY A USELESS tachometer.
I love the front parking assist – (and of course the rear one, which I had before)
I love the way it locks itself when I leave.
I love the Bose Sound System Bass, but as others have said, it could use more treble.
I love the Radar Cruise – (and to a lesser extent, the Lane Keep Assist)
I love the new engine (and the 6 speed (SMOOTH) Transmission. (I also tested a 9 speed Honda Pilot and couldn’t live with that jerkyness).
I love that it can COAST. (Important for good gas mileage). One thing I hated about my 2014 was you see a red light ahead and let-up on the gas. It immediately starts dragging your speed down, uselessly down shifts adding more drag, it would never simply “coast” – the 2018 coasts much better!
Finally I LOVE getting 24-25 mpg on regular! (The Volvo REQUIRED PREMIUM- I just knew that would drive me crazy at every gas stop)!