New CX-9, All Good...Except the seats

Regular Guy

Member
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2019 Maxda CX-9
This is my first post after sifting through the site, so I hope this post finds its way into the right area.

A little background, my wife and I previously owned a 2015 CX-5 that we were looking to trade for something with more room (have a kid and another on the way). Looked at just about every SUV that was larger than the CX-5 which has a very small backseat IMO. Came down to Volvo XC60, Acura RDX and the CX-9. Shopped the CX-9 since we had no issues with our 5 after 50k miles so appreciated Mazda reliability.

Our local Mazda dealer had a hell of a deal on a 2019 Touring with Premium Package. It had been on the lot for a long time and they wanted to move it. Ended up being ~ 5,500 less than the Volvo or Acura and I couldn't justify the extra money. All I had to go on though was a few test drives in each vehicle, living with one for about a month now is a different story.

While the car does handle well in corners it is best on the highway. This car cruises well above its price range. I think part of it is the wider tires and Mazda did an unbelievable job with the soundproofing. However, the seats have been a huge letdown for me. Making me wish I would have shelled out the cash for the Volvo. They are objectively too small. I have seen a few posts where people mention the seats are extremely uncomfortable and I have to agree. Others will reply to their posts with "these are the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in" and I guess comfort is different from person to person, but there is no question these seats are objectively smaller than anything else in its class. I get it, Mazda wants you to feel like you are in a sports car, but it is not a sports car. Its a 4,300 pound 3 row SUV. Most driving will be hauling kids or going on long highway trips. Why put such tight seats in a vehicle that will occasionally be pushed hard? Makes no sense to me and now I have a car that is just downright annoying. The seats dig into my shoulders. I have been in heavily bolstered cars and the bolsters should curve around your shoulders, not push into them. Sure, some people claim to love the seats, but I think that has more to do with liking the car so much they can see past the seats shortcomings. My wife who is 5' 8" and 135 pounds even said these seats are narrow after we went on a 30 minute ride. On short trips I don't think its that noticeable since the seat cushion is wide and the hip bolstering is good. Its the taper at the shoulders that makes no sense. I think Mazda bought a little too deeply into the "drivers car" reputation that they are trying to build. Look at the demographic buying this car and put in seats that match, not something you should see in a Miata.

Sorry for the rant, its just disappointing. Saving grace is I got a good deal so after a year or 2 maybe I can get out with minimal damage.

If anyone else is experiencing this or has a fix I am all ears. (gossip)
 
Seat complaints have mostly been from CX-5 owners I think. You might be the first I've heard of who has issues with the CX-9 seat.

I have a Signature with the nappa leather seats, but I also drove a base model as a loaner, and aside from the leather, the seats didn't feel any different. I'm 5'8" 210 lbs, with a back of decent width for my height (43-44 shoulder to shoulder). I find that the seat bolstering is perfectly fine. I drove the base model loaner on 2 separate 1 hour trips and experienced no issues with the seat, and I've logged 6-8 hour trips (with breaks every 3-4 hours) with no issues in my Signature. IMO, for a car that handles as well as it does, the seat bolstering is welcomed as it helps to keep me from sliding around in the seat.

Have you looked into some foam backing for the center portion of the seat to make the narrow portion less pronounced? I'm thinking upholstery foam like this, cut to fit the seat back highlighted in red below.

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Keep in mind that you'll want to keep the side bolsters uncovered to make sure the airbags in the seat deploy properly in the event of an accident.
 

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Seat complaints have mostly been from CX-5 owners I think. You might be the first I've heard of who has issues with the CX-9 seat.

Thanks for your response and input. I hope this link works, its a thread complaining about seats in a CX-9.
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123860218-2016-CX-9-driver-seat-comfort

I believe you actually commented, either to OP or someone else who was having an issue. OP talks about issue in a 2016 CX-9 and I believe the seat has remained unchanged from 2016 to 2019. Multiple commenters state the bolstering is tight and causes back pain. Wish I would have found that post earlier. Only started searching for comments on seats after owning for a bit. Been about 3 weeks now and have logged 400 miles.

My Touring has leather seats and I believe the dimensions are the same as the nappa leather in the Signature. I am 6 foot even and 190-195 pounds. Wouldn't consider myself a big guy.

I see the response from people that the bolstering makes sense due to the handling. And while I agree if you are driving hard bolstering is nice, Mazda just doesn't seem to understand bolstering. It should go around shoulders and not into them. My shoulders are actually a 42 so I am a little more narrow than you. Maybe you are shorter so upper bolstering doesn't affect you as much? Its good in hips, just tapers too much into lats/shoulders.

I thought about foam insert, may look into them if I can't deal with seats, not sure how I would secure the insert and if more material in the seats might actually exasperate the issue. Before my CX-5 I owned a WRX which is heavily bolstered, but the seats didn't taper to the top so it held you in without pushing you out.

Have a 2 hour trip coming up so that will be tell tale. I guess I just feel like I made a mistake and not much recourse. Once again, appreciate your response and I am happy you like your CX-9. I love the car otherwise, just don't understand who they designed these seats for. I have never heard someone say "seats are too big" .

Anybody else out there that thought the seats were too tight? Did they break in over time or did you get used to it? I think that is my only recourse. Either they break in and/or I get used to them, or I ditch the car once I break even on value.
 
Lol, I stand corrected! Completely forgot about that thread. Funnily enough I actually made the same suggestion to someone else in that thread regarding padding the seat back. For securing the insert, I would try poking some holes in the padding and threading the headrest through those holes. You could also use a cargo bungee strap as a temporary solution (running vertically from the seat bottom to the headrest area).

None of these are very elegant solutions, but maybe they'll make the seat bearable until you can get into a different vehicle. You could also look into having the seat reupholstered, but that really only makes sense if you plan to keep the car for a long time.
 
Not that it is going to help solve your problem, but for the record I find the seats just fine except for their width. I am large: 6-1, 250 lbs, but it is the width of my hips that causes the issue. I can feel the side bolsters (on the base of the seat) much more than I should. However, I have made several 500+ km trips in the car without any particular discomfort. My previous cars for the past 30 years have all been BMWs and Mercedes; the only reason their seats were better is the additional adjustments that they have. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with Mazda's seat design, I think it is more that the company is working down to a price rather than up to a specification. Sadly, one size doesn't fit all.
 
I think it is more that the company is working down to a price rather than up to a specification. Sadly, one size doesn't fit all.

Thanks Roadrutz. I believe your point about working down to price than up to spec makes sense, BMW can charge extra to put in bolster adjustment, Mazda would price themselves out with an increase. Reason we bought the car was mostly cost based so I knew there would be scarifies. Did you feel the seats where tight from the start or did you only notice on long trips? Did they seem to get better with use? I can't say I felt they were bad on the 2 test drives I went on. It was only a few days later when I drove for ~ 30 minutes that they started to bother me.

Plenty of people seem to like the seats and the material itself feels good. Leather is better quality than our other car which is a 2013 Camry XLE , but the Camry has wider seats with less bolstering that feel more natural to sit in. I wish Mazda put seats that were an inch or 2 larger and I don't think this would be an issue. 2 hour trip coming in a few weeks. Hopefully I can make it the full length without stopping due to pain. These seats just don't feel natural in an SUV. Stuff you learn only after you live with a car. Hopefully someone else in the market sees this post and does a longer test prior to purchase.
 
The driver seat is definitely uncomfortable. The seat cushion is too hard and has no cushion. My butt hurts after about an hour. My past cars had better seats like the Mazda 3, Cx-3, sonata. My GLK right now has better seats and I think my previous CLA45 AMG has slightly more cushion on the seats despite the AMG racing seats. Maybe I have to break in the seats so it softens up. Im about 140 pounds.
 
I personally find the seat very comfortable. I agree they are on the narrow side, so I can see that they may not fit everyone well. I am 6 foot, 190 pound but can see how for bigger people it may feel too tight.
My previous car was a ford edge, and to me the seat where too large and I kept having the sensation of sliding left and right on the seat, and the headrests where leaning too far forward so I find the extra support of the CX-9 welcome .I did multiple 5 hours road trip with my wife with no discomfort.

That being said, it is all up to personal preferences, size and fit so can't say that anyone disliking the seat are wrong, just sharing my experience with them. I do think that the side bolsters are hard of the lot and soften up after a little while, so maybe a little bit of time or "working them in" will help you out in the long run.
 
A specialty upholstery shop can disassemble the seat, re-shape the foam, and reinstall the cover, perhaps modifying it as needed to fit. Phone around. One local shop that can do that mainly makes custom motorcycle seats...similar process, reshape the foam and reinstall or make a new cover.

Yep, the bottom is too hard. I like an inflatable cushion.
 
I'm 6"1" 225Lb and initially I found the seats very uncomfortable, however after a few months of break-in I now find them much more comfortable, IMHO.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke
 
A few posters have commented that the bolsters soften up over time and the seats became more comfortable. I am hoping this holds true and the seats eventually blend into the background of an otherwise solid vehicle. For the time being my wife is driving and I am going back to our Camry. I am not going to have an upholstery shop take apart the seats, seems like safety concerns might be warranted if I went this route.

Once again, I am 6' even and 190-195 pounds, so similar to a few of the other posters that said the seats are comfortable. I just can't get my shoulders inside the bolsters if I sit all the way back. Tried tilting back and forward but that doesn't change the chest/shoulder width if I sit back in the seat. I do workout so I guess my back is a bit larger, but I am not enormous, just a fairly athletic build.

I really do hope this gets better with time as I like driving the car. Worst case is I am even up in 2 years and can trade. Thanks again for everyone's input. If someone out there sees this and has had a similar experience with the seats when they first bought I would love to hear their comments and how things turned out.

Cheers.
 
My seat complaint has to do with the seat bottoms. In my 2010 the front would elevate enough to provide, for me, thigh support. I*m 6*2** 185 and in my 2019 I get the feeling that I*m about to slid off the front of the seat. I have managed to find a position that I can live with. I knew this after the test drive and figured (hoped) that I could adapt. This is one respect that the older design was, at least for me, better. I do understand that seats are a compromise and no one design will fit everyone.

Note, both were/are GT models.
 
Note said:
Mine is just a touring but I believe the GT and Touring share the same seats, only thing missing is memory settings as far as I am aware, but I could be wrong.

I want to thank everyone for their responses. I haven't commented on forums for previous cars I owned and want to say that everyone here seems helpful and nice.

We are going to keep the car for at least 2.5 years. By my estimate we will be close to break even and if the seats haven't gotten better we can trade.

One piece to add, for those that say this is a drivers car and the seats are designed as such to keep you planted during spirited driving. I was able to ride in a co-workers Tesla Model 3 yesterday. He has the long range version with the performance package. Its 100% a drivers car. The torque vectoring and immediate power are on a different level. I am not trying to compare the CX-9 to a Model 3 which was roughly 25k dollars more in price and half the 0-60 time. What I do want to compare is ideology on seats. The Tesla has wider seats with bolstering but I wouldn't call it aggressive. The bolsters aren't narrow and they don't jut out, they tpaer. The seats are non polarizing and appeal to a wider range of customers IMO. Are they the best possible if all you are doing is driving like its formula 1? No they are not. But they are comfortable when you are cruising and good enough in corners. They work for what 95% of driving is, going from A to B and are sufficient under hard acceleration. And the Model 3 acceleration is like being shot out of a cannon. To reiterate, I understand the cars are in different classes and couldn't be more different (sedan vs SUV, gas vs electric, 35k vs 60k), but the comparison of seats as a function of what the car can do and will be used for is relevant.

I doubt anyone has bought a vehicle just because of the seats, but on the other hand I believe someone would NOT purchase a vehicle for the same reason. I think Mazda is shooting themselves in the foot with the seating design. The car is freakishly good and simple (which I thank them for) in all other aspects for the price, a shame the seats fall short for myself and others. Just wanted to add the above in case anyone from Mazda ever reads these forums. Understand their annual sales are small relative to other makers so R&D budget is limited, but more comfortable seats and driving position would go a long way in improving this vehicle.

Thanks again for all the comments and advice. I hope to report back in a year or so on how the seats have turned out in case there is anyone else out there in my position after initial purchase.

Cheers and safe travels.
 
Just a quick thought about the seats, Mazda's are designed by the Japanese, which by nature/culture, have smaller human body frames. I wonder if that has anything to do with the seat design. Just a thought to ponder.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke
 
I love this thread, because it shows how different seating preferences are for everyone, and even in a similar range of size weight range. Regular guy and I are both 6' 185 pound, yet have completely different opinion on the comfort level of the seat. ohmboy is only 2'' taller but feels like he is sliding off the front of the seat. Azeke is also 6'1'' and now finds the seats comfortable.

Unfortunately, there aren't any good design solution for one-size fits all scenarios, I believe and hope for those that find the seats uncomfortable that they do soften up with time, because it would be a shame to have the seats ruin an otherwise great vehicle. Like Regular Guy said, I know people who removed some car models from their shopping list based on the seats, so it is definitely a thing,

(Side note: I sat back in my Edge today and almost fell off the side of the seat when sitting down because it was so soft and almost collapsed under me. I am not used to it anymore and would now probably find it very annoying.)
 
My seats were never uncomfortable for me or my wife but have broken in and become more comfortable over time. We just returned from a 1 month, 7,000 mile road trip and both of us commented along the way about how comfortable the seats were. The car now has about 18,000 miles on it.
 
My seats were never uncomfortable for me or my wife but have broken in and become more comfortable over time. We just returned from a 1 month, 7,000 mile road trip and both of us commented along the way about how comfortable the seats were. The car now has about 18,000 miles on it.

Damn are you me? My 2019 CX-9 also just rolled over 18k miles. I bought it February this year lol.
 
Snug fit is certainly that sports car feel, wider seat that doesn*t touch your sides more of a general fit for everyone.
Used to always go with everyone size until I had a car I thought the seats were too snug. Ended up the snug seats were the best support I*ve ever experienced, found less muscle fatigue on long drives. Now I*m older in age so anything that helps prevent muscle aches is a big plus. I had read all the mixed reviews on these seats so expected to not like them, 2 minutes driving and I was a fan. Next test drive even better. All I can comment on is you just need to try out as many cars as you can to find what*s right for you.
 
Snug fit is certainly that sports car feel, wider seat that doesn*t touch your sides more of a general fit for everyone;

Agree that snug seats will help with muscle fatigue, I think the problem here is the seats aren't proportioned properly for a large range of people. The bottom and hip bolsters are great. Its the top of the seat that doesn't seem to make sense. If you have any type of shoulder mass or a wider frame you will never be able to get your upper back to fully rest against the back. Maybe if you drive sitting forward and off the seat its fine, but if you want to sit back it doesn't work. I have commented on this post that my wife who is 5' 8" 135-140 pounds fits fine. She has an average female frame. The seat is objectively smaller than all of the competitor seats that I sat in. Competitors who outsell the CX-9 on a regular basis. Not saying the seats are the main reason for the gap in sales (dealer network, brand recognition, marketing budget to name a few), but they certainly aren't helping.

I imagine most people bought this car for how it handles. And yes, it handles better most segment competitors, although you won't fool anyone into thinking this is a M5. All I am saying is Mazda should either add adjustability to the bolsters, or try and figure out a less polarizing seat design. I don't think Mazda had support during long range trips in mind when they designed the seats. All signs point to them trying to make the interior feel more sedan like to be the drivers alternative for a 3 row SUV, and I believe the smaller seats are an extension of this.
 
Agree that snug seats will help with muscle fatigue, I think the problem here is the seats aren't proportioned properly for a large range of people. The bottom and hip bolsters are great. Its the top of the seat that doesn't seem to make sense. If you have any type of shoulder mass or a wider frame you will never be able to get your upper back to fully rest against the back. Maybe if you drive sitting forward and off the seat its fine, but if you want to sit back it doesn't work. I have commented on this post that my wife who is 5' 8" 135-140 pounds fits fine. She has an average female frame. The seat is objectively smaller than all of the competitor seats that I sat in. Competitors who outsell the CX-9 on a regular basis. Not saying the seats are the main reason for the gap in sales (dealer network, brand recognition, marketing budget to name a few), but they certainly aren't helping.

I imagine most people bought this car for how it handles. And yes, it handles better most segment competitors, although you won't fool anyone into thinking this is a M5. All I am saying is Mazda should either add adjustability to the bolsters, or try and figure out a less polarizing seat design. I don't think Mazda had support during long range trips in mind when they designed the seats. All signs point to them trying to make the interior feel more sedan like to be the drivers alternative for a 3 row SUV, and I believe the smaller seats are an extension of this.

Guys, I hate to keep beating this dead horse, but I will. I went and drove the '18 I'm looking again today. I really paid attention to the seats. The driver's side upper bolsters, for me, are exactly as Regular Guy describes. I could feel my upper back not being able to rest comfortably BETWEEN the bolsters. It was as though my shoulder blades were hitting the bolsters and this kept my upper back from completely resting on the seat back. Though not a complete deal killer for me getting this car, it is annoying. But, being a consummate DIY person, I think there may be a solution. sm1ke posted a solution for actually putting foam on the entire seat back. I wonder if something like this might help: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) These are for office chairs and meant to support the upper back. What are your thoughts? I really think that all that is needed is a small piece of sculpted foam that would bring the back out just a bit to disallow from the bolsters putting pressure on the shoulder blades. (Not sure if this would make it really difficult for the rest of the back to sit comfortably in the seat but it's worth a discussion. Another note: I also drove a 2017 MDX today and the seats are very comfortable, with wide upper bolsters, but it drives nowhere near as well as the CX-9 (not as quiet in the cabin nor does it handle as well)). Not sure what I'm going to do yet. I really wish the seats were better in the CX-9 for my back but everything else in the car is great.
 

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