The CX-9 is a nice vehicle, but it's hardly a Mazda. The entire package feels like it could be another one of the General Motors Acadia/Enclave/Traverse crossover trio from the size, to the driving dynamics, to the styling. That's not really a slam; the GM crossovers are fine vehicles-it's just that I expect more character from a Mazda.
From the front seat, the ride is very composed, but as you move back in the CX-9, the twenty-inch wheels really begin to deliver punishment. Combined with the poor outward visibility, the rough ride in the third row can quickly become nauseating. I crammed my 6'3" frame into the third row for a brief twenty-minute ride, and it was barely tolerable. The high floor positions your feet just a few inches from your butt, while the cramped legroom forces you to splay your legs apart. Sure the third row is really a kid-only, occasional-use ordeal, but it only reiterates how nonfunctional these crossovers are when compared with minivans, which provide more room for people, a taller cargo hold behind the rear seats, greater outward visibility, and easier access to the third row.
Compared with competitors in this class, though, the Mazda is spot-on. Our top-trim Grand Touring has a beautiful black-and-cream interior with great leather seats. The layout of navigation, audio, and climate controls is excellent, with intuitive, easy-to-find controls. My only real complaints from behind the wheel are seat heaters that never get seriously hot and excessive wind noise at highway speeds.
Eric Tingwall, Associate Editor
Next Page »