All Mazda CX-9 models come equipped with the badly named (a personal worst in the auto industry?), but good performing SKYACTIV-G 2.5T.
The global crossover phenom continues with the second-generation Mazda CX-9 mid-size three-row crossover ($33000 to +$46,000), available in both front-drive and all-wheel-drive formats.
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Mild tweaks to the four-cylinder-only successor to the minivan see the addition of factory-equipped Apple CarPlay and Android Auto infotainment technologies as standard equipment in Mazda CX-9 Touring trim level and above.
Also, are “a refined, retuned suspension” that offers a smoother, quieter and more natural ride and greater sound suppression by way of a thicker headliner and thicker floor mats.
The entry 2019 Mazda CX-9 considered by Mazda as a good value at +$33,000 comes with standard 18-inch alloy wheels, a 7-inch infotainment screen, cloth seats, LED headlights and taillights, one-touch front and rear power windows, rear privacy glass, three-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio pairing, keyless entry and push-button start, Smart City Brake Support automatic emergency braking, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. In short, a thoroughly mainstream entry.
Available for CX-9 Sport is the Sport Package ($1,290) that includes a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, heated door mirrors, automatic headlights, High Beam Control, Lane-Keep Assist, Lane-Departure Warning, full-speed Radar Cruise Control, rain-sensing wipers and Smart Brake Support automatic emergency braking.
Upgrading from Mazda CX-9 Sport to the CX-9 Touring model (+$36,000) adds standard automatic headlights, heated front side mirrors, power liftgate with adjustable height, rain-sensing windshield wipers, leather-trimmed seating surfaces, Advanced Keyless Entry, a power driver’s seat, 8-inch infotainment screen, two second-row USB ports (each 2.1 amps), HomeLink, High Beam Control, Lane-Keep Assist, Lane-Departure Warning, full-speed Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support and Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection.
New-for-2019 Mazda CX-9 Touring (+$36,000) include factory-installed Android Auto and Apple CarPlay infotainment technologies and a frameless auto-dimming rearview mirror.
Optionally available, CX-9 Touring’s Premium Package ($2,390) adds to the three-row crossover SUV with a power moonroof, BOSE Premium 12-speaker audio system, SiriusXM with a three-month trial subscription, LED fog lamps, Mazda Navigation, front parking sensors and a second-row retractable sunshades. New for 2019, SiriusXM also comes with SiriusXM Travel Link Services, which enables live traffic updates, weather, sports scores, fuel prices and nearby parking information.
The loaded Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring builds upon the above and adds a new 7-inch TFT reconfigurable gauge cluster display first seen in the 2018 Mazda6 midsize sedan, ventilated front seats, new power-folding door mirrors and a new 360° View Monitor.
These add to Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring’s standard Adaptive Front-lighting System, chrome exterior accents, roof rails, windshield wiper deicer, 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels, Active Driving Display with Traffic Sign Recognition, heated steering wheel, LED door-pocket and overhead illumination and front and rear parking sensors.
Mazda CX-9 Signature (+$46,000) represents the flagship of the range with – ho-hum – new rear exterior badging, LED grille accent lighting, leather seating surfaces, a hand-stitched, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rosewood interior trim and supplemental interior lighting around the transmission shifter.
All Mazda CX-9 models come equipped with the badly named (a personal worst in the auto industry?), but good performing SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder rated up to 250 horsepower on 93-octane gas (227 horsepower with 87-octane gasoline) and 310 lb.-ft. of torque irrespective of fuel octane.
All CX-9 models route power through a six-speed SKYACTIV-DRIVE automatic transmission. Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel drive (where do they get these cursed names?) is standard in CX-9 Signature and optional (~$2,000) with all other trim levels. Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel drive uses 27 sensors throughout the vehicle to paint a picture of road conditions and is designed to route power from the front to rear wheels and vice versa so the driver and passengers do not feel wheel slip. It can adjust more than 200 times per second.
The 2019 Mazda CX-9 will begin to arrive in some dealerships in the U.S. this month and will be in dealerships nationwide in September.
