Upscale Underdog
There was once a time when everyday features like climate control, cruise control, heated seats and a sunroof were reserved only for top-of-the-line luxury marques. But these days, you can find those features and more on almost any modern vehicle on the road now – regardless of price point. This trickling down of luxuries has almost blurred that hard division between economy and premium in automobiles – and Mazda is right on that edge with a fine balancing act. North Americans are still largely loyal to brand names rather than features when it comes to that luxurious image – but the CX-9 can go toe to toe with established luxury kings, and save you some cash while doing so.
(Note: Infotainment system shown in 2020 Mazda3. It's the same system)
But first – what exactly is a 2021.5? It’s not quite a mid-cycle cosmetic facelift like many cars get. More of a mid-year refresh. But it’s a good one. Our biggest gripe with the CX-9 and CX-5 was that it still used Mazda’s old infotainment interface. It’s not awful by any means, but it’s notably slower, less crisp and less intuitive than the new setup featured on the Mazda3 and CX-30. But this year, Mazda has done everyone a solid and brought the new widescreen setup over, making the CX-9 feel refreshingly modern all over again. You’ll also get some new features later this year like the ability to start your Mazda or lock its doors via a smartphone app.
The CX-9 is quite a looker – and if you slapped a Lexus badge on it, no one would bat an eye. They might even find it prettier than a Lexus. We feel Mazda’s design approach will age far better than many other manufacturers. Not only is the design worthy of praise though – but the value for money. Our top-of-the-line tester in the Signature trim came loaded with standard features like a Bose 12-speaker setup, heated rear seats and a Nappa leather interior. But even if you want less frills, the CX-9 still delivers. Lower trim levels like the GS-L now get wireless charging, while the base GS can still enjoy standard Apple Carplay and Android Auto, radar cruise control, blind spot monitoring automatic brake applications. Our signature trim adds some luxurious goodies like second-row captain’s chairs, an illuminated front grille, 20-inch alloys and the all-important ‘Signature’ badge on the back.
Like CX-9’s we’ve reviewed in the past, the driving dynamics of this refresh are perfectly adequate for everyday life. Despite being a 3-row SUV, the 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder pulls nicely and is managed just fine by the six-speed automatic transmission. Standard AWD keeps things feeling secure and planted. There’s no drama to the drive, and for an everyday commute in a family car, that’s what you want. Things can get a little zippier by flicking a toggle switch by the gear selector into sport mode, but we never found much use for it. If you want a sporty Mazda, try the MX-5. If you want a sporty Mazda that you can drive every day, try the Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo, or even the Mazda6 sedan. That’s not to say this is a dull driving experience. But it’s a big, heavy, 3-row SUV. Temper your expectations. This is all about comfort, luxury and a surprising amount of economy.
Mazda say the CX-9 Signature can get readings as good as 9.1L/100km. It’s not exactly what we saw, with an end-of-week average of about 11.8 L/100km, but we made zero effort to drive in a manner that maximizes efficiency, and even then, that’s not too bad for its size. And speaking of size, you’re not really going to be wanting for more on the inside – unless you get stuck in the third row. But even back there, it’s a lot more comfortable than the second row of other vehicles.
The interior of the CX-9 is pretty beautiful in Signature trim. The Nappa leather is soft, supple and any other cliché you can think of to describe a nice leather. You will see some plastic surfaces, piano black trim and cheaper materials in a few places, but they are not at all a deterrent to what is otherwise a lovely place to be. We would have loved if the sunroof was panoramic, but keeping costs down while delivering a premium experience seems to be the name of the game here.
Mazda’s CX-9 starts off at just over $42,000 for its base trim. Our signature pushed that price to $52,300, plus an extra $300 for the Machine Grey Metallic paint. Compared to other vehicles, that’s not a bad difference between top and bottom of the range. The Mazda CX-9 has been on the market for six years now and with the new infotainment system, it still feels fresh and competitive. You don’t have to spring for the signature trim to enjoy the vehicle to its fullest either. Although this is already a good value for money, you can save even more by looking a little lower on the list of trim levels.
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