The revised CX-9 follows on company’s hot streak of stylish new models like the Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedan. New LED lights and a slinky Kodo grille revamp the face of Mazda->ke53’s largest and most expensive model.

The seven-seater CX-9 carries over its previous 3.7-liter V-6 in front or AWD configurations. Paired to the crossover's singing engine is a premium Aisin six-speed automatic with sport and manual modes. A 60 mph sprint time in the mid 7 second range shows off the CX-9’s impressive chassis design – even without the SkyActiv banner that helps build buzz around the smaller CX-5.

Refined but sporty damping helps this full-size Mazda->ke53 crossover to be quite competitive in the $35,000 large crossover segment, and the new gearstick design is a classy touch.

Mazda->ke53 is firmly in touch with premium buyer needs by the looks of the interior, and the CX-9’s revised cabin maintains the stylish vertical accent bars up the sides of the center stack. Touchscreen technology and rear-seat movies are offered in the plush Mazda CX-9, but what are its key advantages over the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander?

Click past the jump for the full review of the 2013 Mazda CX-9, including the features and pricing by trim level and a large photo gallery of the new styling.

2013 Mazda CX-9

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Mazda CX-9
  • Engine/Motor: V6
  • Horsepower: 273 @ 6250
  • Torque: 270 @ 4250
  • Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The CX-9’s new nose is a beautiful showcase of Mazda’s new design language, with a full-frame dark grille that meets the hood on its top edge. Along the bottom edge and into the headlight LED, the CX-9 has a 3D piece of brightwork to accent this bold design. As the chrome trim accent extends outward into the lamp graphic, it traces a line in white LEDs to the main projector ball. Bi-xenons are optional and also bring a circular LED halo around the main bulb. The effect of the grille and lighting synergy is best observed with the lights on, but noticeable with them off as well thanks to classy internal light graphics.

The facelift effectively relaunches the CX-9’s premium lines without many changes to the profile. Out back, a new raised LED taillight design mirrors the front lights. There is a ball of brake light and an arcing line toward the “flying M” Mazda wing badge. The CX-9 looks best with the 20-inch wheels that come on the top Grand Touring trim, which also bring halogen fog lights up front.

The CX-9’s new face is perhaps even more noticeable in the base Sport trim, where the lack of a front fog light actually highlights the shapely new bumper air vent.

The CX-9 is still quite handsome and wears a new generation of quality metallic paints. Some Mazda owners have complained about long-term Mazda paint quality, but the brilliant new finishes seem well above what the firm could deliver until the mid-2000s.

2013 Mazda CX-9 – Exterior Dimensions:

Wheelbase (in.)

113.2

Length (in.)

200.6

Width (in.)

76.2

Height (in.)

68

Track - Front (in.)

65.1

Track - Rear (in.)

64.7

Weight (Pounds)

4317 FWD, 4552 AWD

Drag Coefficient

.34, Est


2013 Mazda CX-9 – Exterior Features By Trim Level:

CX-9 Trim Level

Sport

Touring

Grand Touring

Halogen headlights

Standard

Standard

NA

Bi-Xenon High-Intensity-Discharge (HID) headlights with auto on/off feature

NA

NA

Standard

Auto-off headlights

NA

Standard

NA

LED daytime running lights

NA

NA

Standard

Halogen fog lights

NA

Package Option

Standard

Variable-intermittent windshield wipers

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rain-sensing windshield wipers

NA

NA

Standard

Intermittent rear wiper/washer

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power sliding-glass moonroof with one-touch-open feature and interior sunshade

NA

Package Option

Package Option

Dual power side mirrors

Standard

Standard

NA

Dual power side mirrors with side marker turn-signal lights

NA

NA

Standard

Mirror memory function and "tilt-in-reverse" option

NA

NA

Standard

Heated side mirrors

Package Option

Standard

Standard

Body-color door handles

Standard

Standard

NA

Chrome door handles

NA

NA

Standard

Power open/close rear liftgate

NA

Package Option

Standard

In-glass antenna

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rear privacy glass

Standard

Standard

Standard

Black roof molding

Standard

Standard

Standard

Roof-mounted spoiler

Standard

Standard

Standard

Dual exhaust outlets

Standard

Standard

Standard

Wheels & Tires

18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

Standard

Standard

NA

20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

NA

NA

Standard

P245/60 R18 all-season radial tires

Standard

Standard

NA

P245/50 R20 all-season radial tires

NA

NA

Standard

Temporary spare tire

Standard

Standard

Standard


2013 Mazda CX-9 – Optional Exterior Features:

- Clear Film, Front - Paint Protection ($595)

- Rear Bumper Guard, Stainless Steel ($150)

- Roof Rails ($250)

- Remote Engine Start ($350)

- Splash Guard Front / Rear ($150)

- Towing Receiver Hitch for non-towing prep vehicles - FWD without 2TP ($425): Offers 2,000-pound towing capacity

- Towing Receiver Hitch 3,500-pound towing capacity and Class II w/wiring harness - AWD, FWD with 2TP ($425)

- Wheel Locks ($55)

Interior

The CX-9’s cabin is still arguably the best offered by Mazda, with visibly excellent build quality and materials that are a notch above VW. The layout is thoroughly ergonomic, with logical placements for the controls and a very reachable vertical dash stack. The twin pillars arc forward and toward the windshield, a design merit that helps hide the CX-9’s raked glass and people-mover layout. A wide center console and huge amounts of shoulder room mean the CX-9 is up there with the X5 for commanding front cabin feel. The CX-9’s front seats get a lot nicer as the trim level rises, which is something worth considering to get additional movement for the front passenger seat.

In back, huge doors and a large handle on the second row makes getting in the third possible in a snap. The third row is par for the class above, with roominess and quality seats like the Acura MDX. The second row offers great legroom and a good view forward, but the sporty ride in more noticeable back there than up front.

Equipment levels are phenomenal but each trim level comes with its own unique options packages, making the perfect configuration a little tricky for buyers to price in advance.

2013 Mazda CX-9 – Interior Dimensions:

Front Seating Capacity

2

Middle Seating Capacity

3

Rear Seating Capacity

2

Headroom - Front (in.)

39.6

Headroom - Middle (in.)

39

Headroom - Rear (in.)

35.4

Legroom - Front (in.)

40.9

Legroom - Middle (in.)

39.8

Legroom - Rear (in.)

32.4

Shoulder Room - Front (in.)

59.4

Shoulder Room - Middle (in.)

58.7

Shoulder Room - Rear (in.)

56.9

Hip Room - Front (in.)

56.5

Hip Room - Middle (in.)

56

Hip Room - Rear (in.)

43.7

EPA Cargo Volume - All Seats Up (cubic-feet)

17.2

EPA Cargo Volume - 3rd-Row Seat Folded (cubic-feet)

48.3

EPA Cargo Volume - 2nd And 3rd Row Folded Down (cubic-feet)

100.7


2013 Mazda CX-9 – Interior Features By Trim Level:

CX-9 Trim Level

Sport

Touring

Grand Touring

Three-Zone Automatic Climate Control

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power windows with front one-touch down/up feature

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power door locks with 2-stage unlocking feature

Standard

Standard

Standard

Speed-sensing auto door locks

Standard

Standard

Standard

Cruise control with steering-wheel-mounted controls

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rearview camera

NA

Standard

Standard

Rear backup sensors

NA

Standard

Standard

Remote keyless entry with retractable key

Standard

Standard

NA

Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start System

NA

Package Option

Standard

Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink

NA

NA

Standard

Illuminated entry

Standard

Standard

Standard

Illuminated visor vanity mirrors

Standard

Standard

Standard

Tilt & telescopic steering wheel

Standard

Standard

Standard

Interior illumination - front map lights (2), dome light (1), cargo area (1), ignition switch (except GT models), glove compartment, steering wheel switches and driver's side power window switches

Standard

Standard

Standard

Delayed off interior lights (map and dome)

NA

Standard

Standard

Height-adjustable front shoulder-belt anchors

Standard

Standard

Standard

12-volt power outlets (3)

Standard

Standard

Standard

Remote fuel-door release

Standard

Standard

Standard

Rear window defogger with timer

Standard

Standard

Standard

Storage

Front center console storage with dual cup holders

Standard

Standard

Standard

Overhead sunglasses holder

Standard

Standard

Standard

Front door storage pockets with bottle holders

Standard

Standard

Standard

Front seatback pocket

Standard

Standard

Standard

2nd-row center armrest with cup holders

Standard

Standard

NA

2nd-row center armrest with storage and cup holders

NA

NA

Standard

Rear door bottle holders

Standard

Standard

Standard

Cargo area under-floor storage

Standard

Standard

Standard

Seating & Trim

7-passenger seating

Standard

Standard

Standard

6-way manual driver's seat

Standard

NA

NA

8-way power driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support

Package Option

Standard

Standard

4-way manual front passenger seat

Standard

NA

NA

4-way power front passenger seat

NA

Standard

Standard

60/40 split fold-down 2nd-row seatback with tilt and slide feature

Standard

Standard

Standard

50/50 split fold-down 3rd-row seatback

Standard

Standard

Standard

Driver's seat memory

NA

NA

Standard

Heated front seats

Package Option

Standard

Standard

Cloth-trimmed seats

Standard

NA

NA

Leather-trimmed seats (1st- and 2nd-row outboard seating positions)

NA

Standard

Standard

Leather-wrapped steering wheel

Standard

Standard

Standard

Leather-wrapped shift knob

Standard

Standard

Standard

Power window switch panel - Black

Standard

Standard

Standard

Full carpeting - Black

Standard

Standard

Standard

Piano Black interior accent trim

Standard

Standard

NA

Bordeaux interior accent trim

NA

NA

Standard

Carpet floor mats

Standard

Standard

Standard

Audio & Navigation

AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible stereo with 6 speakers

Standard

Standard

Standard

5.8" color touchscreen display

Standard

Standard

Standard

HD Radio

Standard

Standard

Standard

Pandora internet radio connectivity

Standard

Standard

Standard

SMS text message audio delivery and reply

Standard

Standard

Standard

Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System with AudioPilot, AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible stereo and 10 speakers

NA

Package Option

Package Option

Bose Centerpoint, Surround Sound System with AudioPilot AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible stereo with 11 speakers, 9-inch rear seat entertainment system with DVD player, 115V power outlet and game port

NA

NA

Package Option

Auxiliary-audio input jack (NA with Rear Entertainment System)

Standard

Standard

Standard

USB audio input port

Standard

Standard

Standard

SiriusXM Satellite Radio-compatible audio system

Standard

Standard

Standard

SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 4-month trial subscription

Port Installed Option/ Accessory/ Package Option

Port Installed Option/ Accessory/ Package Option

Port Installed Option/ Accessory/ Package Option

Steering-wheel-mounted audio controls

Standard

Standard

Standard

Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming capability

Standard

Standard

Standard

Navigation system

NA

Package Option

Package Option

Rearview back-up camera

NA

Standard

Standard


2013 Mazda CX-9 – Optional Interior Packages By Trim Level:

- CX-9 Sport - Power Driver's Seat with Heated Front Seats & Mirrors ($690): 8-way power driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support, Heated cloth seats, Heated side mirrors

CX-9 Touring - Technology Package ($3,000)

- Power sliding-glass moonroof with one-touch-open feature and interior sunshade

- Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System with AudioPilot, AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible stereo with 10 speakers

- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 4-month trial subscription

- Halogen fog lamps

- Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System

- Navigation System

- Power open/close rear liftgate

CX-9 Grand Touring - Technology Package ($2,435)

- Power sliding glass moonroof with interior sunshade

- Navigation System

- Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System with AudioPilot, AM/FM/CD/MP3-compatible stereo with 10 speakers

- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 4-month trial subscription

Rear-Seat Entertainment System with Bose Audio and Sirius Package - not available with Grand Touring Technology Package ($3,245)

- DVD player with 9-inch screen

- Navigation System

- Bose Centerpoint with AudioPilot and 11 speakers

- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 4-month trial subscription

- 115-volt power plug and game port

- Towing Prep Package - FWD only as is standard on AWD models ($100): Heavy-duty transmission oil cooler and radiator fan, Revised engine control module

2013 Mazda CX-9 – Optional Interior Accessories:

- Cargo Mat ($85)

- Cargo Net50

- Cargo Tray 125

- All-Weather Floor Mats 125

- Compass, Homelink, Auto Dimming Mirror for Sport, Touring ($295)

- SIRIUS Satellite Radio with 4-Month Subscription ($525)

Drivetrain, Suspension and Brakes

The CX-9 is a front or all-wheel-drive crossover powered by a 3.7-liter V-6 making 273 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. All that power and a six-speed automatic trans is enough to hustle the large crossover to 60 mph in just 7.4 seconds. While admirable, the CX-9’s performance is not at the same level as the Ford Explorer Sport, whose similar engine runs twin turbochargers (but is 400 pounds heavier).

The AWD option is an unobtrusive and mileage-focused automatic system, but does include a good level of default torque split presets.

The CX-9 is respectable in terms of mileage, as the front-drive model turns in a 17/24 EPA rating and the AWD variant drops to just 16/22.

2013 Mazda CX-9 – Mechanical Details:

Engine Size and Type

3.7-liter 24-valve V-6 With Chain-Driven DOHC And VVT

Peak power (Horsepower)

273 @ 6250

Peak torque (Pound-feet)

270 @ 4250

Transmission

6-Speed Auto

0-to-60 mph

7.4 seconds

Top Speed (mph)

130, Est

EPA Fuel Economy MPG (City/Combined/Highway)

17/NA/24 FWD, 16/NA/22 AWD


Safety

The CX-9 is a sure-footed and responsive crossover with a comprehensive safety program and a Good rating from IIHS. The CX-9 earned four stars from the NHTSA but lacks active safety technology beyond its backup camera, parking alerts and blind-spot alerts.

2013 Mazda CX-9 – Standard Safety Features:

- Advanced front air bags with seat belt-use, passenger-weight and driver's seat-position sensors

- Front side-impact air bags and side-impact air curtains‡ with rollover protection

- 3-point seat belts for all seating positions

- Front seat-belt pre-tensioners with force limiters

- Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) w/ Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

- Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS)

- Roll Stability Control (RSC)

- Triple H body construction

- Side-impact door beams

- Collapsible steering column

- Foldaway brake pedal assembly

- Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) System

- E911 automatic emergency notification

- Rear backup sensors

- Engine-immobilizer anti-theft system, Alarm system, Keyless remote panic button (on key fob)

- Tire-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

- LATCH child-safety-seat anchors

Pricing

Mazda CX-9

2013 MSRP

CX-9 FWD Sport

$29,785

CX-9 FWD Touring

$32,230

CX-9 FWD Grand Touring

$34,785

CX-9 AWD Sport

$31,375

CX-9 AWD Touring

$33,820

CX-9 AWD Grand Touring

$36,375


Competition

Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is a big challenge for the CX-9, because its boxy looks promise a more butch drive and a larger rear cabin. In reality, the Pilot's dated engine and transmission mean it struggles to keep pace with the Mazda. There is some truth to the perception that the Honda is bigger in the back, but not enough to sway a purchase one way or the other.

Toyota Highlander

The Highlander is new for 2013 with a bold new nose that will hopefully make this seven-seat Toyota crossover less forgettable. The firm's smooth V-6 powers the front wheels with similar stats to the CX-9, but lacks the Mazda's lithe chassis balance and good handling feel.

Conclusion

The CX-9 makes its mark with great pricing, a sporty driving enthusiasm and interior build quality that rivals many luxury brands. Despite the Mazda needing a generous helping of options to get past $36,000, at that level it is still one of the more affordable large seven-seaters out there.

You would not know that by the slinky and stylish new grille and front lights. The LED blade and LED ring add some real beauty to this practical segment's dull shapes.

For family drivers who want a crossover with seven seats, a luxury cabin and handling confidence, the stylish Mazda CX-9 is a top choice for less than $36,000.

Category

Rating

Details

Driving

B+

Sporty Driving Shows Off Best Of CX-9's BMW-like Ride/Handling

Performance

B

Still A Fantastic Engine And Smart Automatic Combo

Look

B+

New Grille And LEDs Look Great Next To Honda Pilot's Lights

Value

A

Excellent Value In Lower Trims, Which Keep Same Mechanical Package

Overall

B+

A Family Crossover That Dad Won't Mind Driving