Cx 9 captain chairs?

Tkraus10

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Mazda CX 9
Does anyone know if Mazda is planning to put in captain chairs in their 2020 model? I currently have a 2012 cx 9 that I absolutely love but I will be looking for a new vehicle within the next year or two. I love how the cx9 drives but hate that it doesn*t have options like nearly every one of it*s competitors. Example the captain chairs, pano sunroof, etc And apparently I*m not the only one asking. When I went in for my last maintenance visit I asked the salesman about it and he said he constantly gets asked that question. It also just baffles me that they put them in the CX 8, an suv they won*t bring over to the US for being too similar in size to the CX9. So why wouldn*t they offer them in the CX 9 as well? If anyone has heard anything please share.
 
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Why are captain's chairs such a big deal for a car with a small 3rd row that barely fits adults? 3rd row ease of access would not be much improved by standing in the middle of the car and trying to walk between the 2nd row seats (due to low/sloping roofline and small 3rd row area). The fold-down armrest in the 2nd row bench is a good size and padded, making for a pretty comfortable ride back there, so captain's chairs would not greatly improve passenger comfort there either. And in going from 2nd row bench to captain's chairs, you would also lose some "cargo" transporting capability by not having a full-width seat back to fold down.

In a van or larger/taller SUV, I can see where captain's chairs in 2nd row make sense (as long as they are removable and 3rd row folds flat or is removable), but there is almost no benefit in a smaller SUV other than saying "me too" when it comes to having this feature.

I think what Mazda (and some other manufacturers) are doing currently by 1) making the 2nd row slide/fold forward as much as possible and 2) increasing the width of the 2nd row door opening is a much better use of resources in trying to make 3rd row entry/exit easier.
 
I get what your saying and you make some good points but for me it is a personal preference. I only have two kids and dont necessarily need a third row. In fact 95% of the time the third row is down and not used unless we have our nieces and nephews or kids friends in tow. I choose the cx9 cause I liked the leg space in the second row and when the 3rd row is down I have all the space I need to do a Costco run or pack for a road trip. For me it is that perfect size and the room in the 3rd row is not a deal breaker. Its a great option to have when I need it but rarely use it. Now I agree with you on making it easier to get to the 3rd row. Majority of the time the kids do not even bother using the levers or moving the seat forward cause they are to hard for them to use and just climb over. And for me that 2nd row middle is always the one seat the nobody wants so it would not be missed in my situation and grant access to the third row. Or if they ever brought it over from the cx8, I would choose the captains chairs with that extra center console. Having that extra storage instead of the middle seat would be a better fit for me but once again ease of access to the third row would have to be addressed. However I do not think widening the door opening would help because it would ultimately make the side door longer and when your parked in between two vehicles it would leave less room to open the doors without hitting the cars next to you. Now bench vs captains chairs like I said that is a personal preference. If I were given a choice it would be a captains chair all day long and I know my kids it would be the same. I loved it when my parents got a minivan with captains chairs and that feeling of having my own space but ultimately I do not need the space of a van. I know a lot of moms that will not even consider an suv unless they have them as an option. Now I am not going that far but it would be nice to have a choice and in doing so could bring more customers to the table. Obviously Mazda is aware of it since they put it in the cx8 just why not the cx9? I get that not everyone wants them but for some it isa deal breaker. The cx9 is such a nice vehicle and may be getting over looked cause they do not have it.
 
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I get what your saying and you make some good points but for me it is a personal preference. I only have two kids and dont necessarily need a third row. In fact 95% of the time the third row is down and not used unless we have our nieces and nephews or kids friends in tow. I choose the cx9 cause I liked the leg space in the second row and when the 3rd row is down I have all the space I need to do a Costco run or pack for a road trip. For me it is that perfect size and the room in the 3rd row is not a deal breaker. Its a great option to have when I need it but rarely use it. Now I agree with you on making it easier to get to the 3rd row. Majority of the time the kids do not even bother using the levers or moving the seat forward cause they are to hard for them to use and just climb over. And for me that 2nd row middle is always the one seat the nobody wants so it would not be missed in my situation and grant access to the third row. Or if they ever brought it over from the cx8, I would choose the captains chairs with that extra center console. Having that extra storage instead of the middle seat would be a better fit for me but once again ease of access to the third row would have to be addressed. However I do not think widening the door opening would help because it would ultimately make the side door longer and when your parked in between two vehicles it would leave less room to open the doors without hitting the cars next to you. Now bench vs captains chairs like I said that is a personal preference. If I were given a choice it would be a captains chair all day long and I know my kids it would be the same. I loved it when my parents got a minivan with captains chairs and that feeling of having my own space but ultimately I do not need the space of a van. I know a lot of moms that will not even consider an suv unless they have them as an option. Now I am not going that far but it would be nice to have a choice and in doing so could bring more customers to the table. Obviously Mazda is aware of it since they put it in the cx8 just why not the cx9? I get that not everyone wants them but for some it isa deal breaker. The cx9 is such a nice vehicle and may be getting over looked cause they do not have it.

If captains chairs is a must for you on your next vehicle then the Subaru Ascent might be the better option for you. Highly unlikely that the CX9 will have this as an option even in future...Mazda*s sales in NA is lagging vs the competition with that option and probably the reason why Mazda won*t offer it. Besides they*re already suffering on the practicality aspect vs others and losing another seat would make it a 6-seater vs the usual 7-8 other brands have. If other brands have that 6-seat option they likely have the sales numbers to afford offering said option.
 
Why are captain's chairs such a big deal for a car with a small 3rd row that barely fits adults? 3rd row ease of access would not be much improved by standing in the middle of the car and trying to walk between the 2nd row seats (due to low/sloping roofline and small 3rd row area). The fold-down armrest in the 2nd row bench is a good size and padded, making for a pretty comfortable ride back there, so captain's chairs would not greatly improve passenger comfort there either. And in going from 2nd row bench to captain's chairs, you would also lose some "cargo" transporting capability by not having a full-width seat back to fold down.

In a van or larger/taller SUV, I can see where captain's chairs in 2nd row make sense (as long as they are removable and 3rd row folds flat or is removable), but there is almost no benefit in a smaller SUV other than saying "me too" when it comes to having this feature.

I think what Mazda (and some other manufacturers) are doing currently by 1) making the 2nd row slide/fold forward as much as possible and 2) increasing the width of the 2nd row door opening is a much better use of resources in trying to make 3rd row entry/exit easier.

I'm with you--I don't want Captain's chairs. Why do I want a 3-row SUV that only seats 6? That's just one more than a CX-5. I suppose on models where you "could" fit 3 in the 3rd row, then I could live with that.
 
My Mazda 5 has second row captains chairs with a smaller third row. We also had them on our previous Ford Freestyle but with a center console that with some effort came out. I found it a plus in both situations. So much so I am constantly looking for a set for my Ford Excursion. It makes access to the third row easier. We have three kids and the youngest sits in the back and sometimes need to get out before the others.
 
If captains chairs is a must for you on your next vehicle then the Subaru Ascent might be the better option for you. Highly unlikely that the CX9 will have this as an option even in future...Mazda*s sales in NA is lagging vs the competition with that option and probably the reason why Mazda won*t offer it. Besides they*re already suffering on the practicality aspect vs others and losing another seat would make it a 6-seater vs the usual 7-8 other brands have. If other brands have that 6-seat option they likely have the sales numbers to afford offering said option.

If you really want captain chairs, another vehicle to look at is the new Kia Telluride. Looks very much like a Ford Explorer but with a nice kia interior.
 
captain's seat would be a pretty cool option, maybe a premium feature that we can select.
I also would LOVE for them to add the dang PANO roof! come on!
 
LOL@ the people picking on the guy because he wants captains chairs. I also want them: They are convenient for getting in and out of the car and if you have two kids and want to put another person in the back- it's a lot easier with the captains chair's. If they can be swapped out w/a newer model's chairs- why not?
 
I don't think anyone is "picking on" the OP, we're just discussing the viability of the option.

Personally I don't like them. My buddy has a 2017 or 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe XL with the captain's chairs. I'm 5'7" and 210 lbs and getting to the back seat is just as awkward as getting into the 3rd row of the CX-9, just in a different way.
 
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