Hey Mbush. Coming from a guy who's had 2 generations of Honda Pilot, our 2019 FWD CX-9 is our best purchase ever in terms of refinement and quality. Ever. The slight reduction in interior capacity vs the Pilot is an easy trade for everything else you'll get in this car.
- How is the engine note/noise when driving at a speed of 140km/80mil? Is there like a humming or engine noise the gets into the cabin? Also, what is the rpm when driving at that speed?
** I actually pointed out to my wife how effortlessly the car was doing 75 mph on a 6% uphill grade with 4 people in the car and 3 carry-on roller bags in the back. RPM was 2300 with no vibration
- Are there any rattling noises in the cabin specifically from the plastics (creaking/squeaking)?
** rattles are a huge irritation for me. Our car has 10,000 miles on it and we have zero rattles/squeaks. The thing is so quiet (tire noise, wind noise too) that it's jarring when I drive my other car, a Honda Pilot. Makes it really enjoyable if you get the Bose Speaker upgrade.
- Hows the gear downshifts during traffic, is it smooth or is there any sluggishness?
** as long as you stay in Auto (not manumatic) they are very smooth. Beautiful for a 6 speed tranny.
- When merging into the highway, do you feel the CX-9 can pick-up speed smoothly?
** Again, very smooth and linear...the high torque of this engine is key here. I've never had to floor it to get to speed but one time. That being said. IF you floor it, it WILL torque steer. The sound is a bit rough above 4500 RPM too
- I see a lack of lights in important areas in the cabin, such as the glove box, doors, and footwell, is there any way to add light in those areas?
** The overhead interior lights are plenty bright if you need to access the glove box at night. Honestly I've never really felt the others areas are that significant. You can get door-sill lights as an add on dealer option however.
- In regards to the infotainment, hows the boot-up and response speed? Also is it stable enough that reboots do not happen frequently?
** Here is the one item that is a bit slow. It always has you "accept" a warning whenever you start the car. I'd say about once a month it gets a little laggy (inputs catch up after a short delay) to the point were it bugs me. It goes away after a couple minutes however. I have not experienced a "reset/reboot" however.
** APPLE CARPLAY: I use this most of the time and it worked very well. A recent IOS update last month has me experiencing Google Map crashes (via USB). I assume its an Apple or Google bug since it was fine for 6 months before that. Also, I had to turn my IOS music EQ settings to Bass Reducer. The Bose subwoofer can get boomy sounding in a hurry. Mine is set to -3 or -4 and it feels perfect.
- Is there an option to add engine hood struts as an aftermarket modification?
** don't know
- Do the LED front head lights turn with the steering?
** on my Touring with Tech package, no they do not. But if anything they illuminate a wider path (side-to-side) then they do vertically. Kinda the way it should.
- How is the quality of the leather after 2 years, is there a crack or discoloration on the seats, steering wheel, or gear knob?
** Still beautiful after 7 months. My kids car seat (the big forward facing ones) has left indents in the cushioning however. I would look into a seat mat to maybe lessen the effect. I don't know if it will be permanent, but probably so. Also, the knobs/switches have to be some of the best weighted/feeling I've ever experienced in a non-luxury car. I never use the touchscreen.
- If I set the adaptive cruise control to the closest distance, how far will the vehicle in front of me be?
** one generous car length (I would guess like a parallel parking space about the size of a CX-9)
- Does the lane keep assist keep the vehicle in the center of the lane or must the vehicle swerve close to the edge of the lane for the LKA to intervene?
** It only reacts when you drift to the edges of a lane. You can program it OFF, ALERT (beep and dash gauge alert), or ALERT + vibrate/steering wheel will actually nudging back.
Good luck!