Decent fuel economy and a comfortable interior are just icing on the cake.
The major downside to the CX-9 is its price: even among seven-seat SUVs, it’s a little high. Of course, the CX-9 isn’t the only game in town. Other seven-seat crossovers stand out by offering features the CX-9 can’t match.
The added Navigation package adds ... well ... an in-dash navigation system. Clever naming! All-wheel-drive is standard on the CX-9 GT and handles power to the front wheels under normal driving conditions and under less than optimal conditions, can distribute the power to a 50/50 front/rear setup.
With the 2011 Mazda CX-9, the answer is resoundingly affirmative. Despite its larger dimensions, the CX-9 drives more like a midsize crossover. The Mazda CX-9 provides adult-size seating in all three rows, solid build quality and a respectable 101 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity. Overall, though, the 2011 Mazda CX-9 certainly presents more positives than negatives.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Mazda CX-9 is a large seven-passenger crossover SUV that's available in three trim levels: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring.
Stepping up to the Touring version adds automatic headlights, heated mirrors, leather upholstery (for front- and second-row seats) and heated power front seats. The Grand Touring adds 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, foglights, automatic wipers, keyless ignition/entry, driver-seat memory presets, a second-row armrest, interior accents of wood and metal, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a blind-spot warning system.
Properly equipped, the CX-9 can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
In Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive CX-9 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, while an AWD model required 8.5 seconds. With some slight gains this year, fuel economy is on par with other large crossovers at an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg in combined driving for front-wheel-drive models. The all-wheel-drive CX-9 drops to 16/22/19 mpg.
Safety
Standard safety equipment for every 2011 Mazda CX-9 includes antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability control with a rollover sensor, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active head restraints. An optional rearview camera is available on Touring and Grand Touring models, while a blind-spot warning system is standard on the Grand Touring.
The Mazda CX-9 has not been rated using the government's new, more demanding 2011 crash testing procedures.
Interior Design and Special Features
The second-row seat reclines and slides fore and aft to deliver optimal comfort. With the second and third rows folded flat, the CX-9 offers up 101 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
Driving Impressions
Like many large crossovers, the 2011 Mazda CX-9 provides a comfortable ride for long road trips. Surprisingly, the CX-9 also performs admirably around corners.