2016 Mazda CX-9: What's It Like to Live With?

What do you want to know about?

• Introduction
• Monthly Update for December 2016
• Monthly Update for January 2017
• Monthly Update for February 2017
• Performance Tested
• Monthly Update for March 2017
• Monthly Update for April 2017
• Monthly Update for May 2017
• Monthly Update for June 2017
• Monthly Update for July 2017
• Monthly Update for August 2017
• Monthly Update for September 2017
• Monthly Update for October 2017
• Wrap-Up

Introduction

What Did We Get?
Nine years is a long time for a vehicle to soldier along virtually unchanged, but that's how long the first-generation Mazda CX-9 hung around. It was able to pull it off because the 2007 debut model came out of the gate strong as an attractive and functional crossover that was satisfying to drive, and its run was bolstered by timely face-lifts in 2010 and 2013.

The 2016 Mazda CX-9 adheres to the same successful formula, but every inch of this second-generation model has been modernized and redesigned. After all, the outgoing model was conceived when the auxiliary jack seemed like a neat idea. But this new one offers a sophisticated touchscreen navigation system, full smartphone integration and a wide array of driver assistance technologies.

The old CX-9's Ford-derived 3.7-liter V6 is out, replaced with an efficient 2.5-liter turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine. Its job is made easier by a newly optimized body structure that helps make the 2016 CX-9 about 250 pounds lighter. Little wonder that EPA fuel economy is 24 mpg combined (22 city/28 highway), a commendable increase of 5 mpg, or 25 percent.

What Options Does It Have?
The CX-9 used to be sold in three grades: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. But demand for the Grand Touring was strong, so this year they've added a new Signature grade at the top end. The difference between the Signature and Grand Touring comes down to a higher grade of leather and interior accent trim, but they're otherwise identically equipped.

We thought about ordering the midlevel Touring because it comes well equipped with 18-inch wheels, power-adjustable, heated leather seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, push-button start, a total of four USB jacks, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. But we stepped up to the Grand Touring because it comes standard with everything.

Everything means 20-inch wheels, a sunroof, a navigation system, a premium Bose audio system, a head-up display, adaptive headlights and automatic wipers. Our CX-9 also has advanced driver aids such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and automated emergency braking.

Unlike with the Signature, all-wheel drive is a choice on the Grand Touring. We decided we wanted it, so our AWD GT cost us $42,870, including destination. It'd have been $1,800 cheaper if we'd opted out. Our lone dealer-installed option was a $450 trailer hitch. We don't imagine we'll tow much, but we may just hang a bike rack off the back. Add another $300 for the Machine Gray metallic paint, and you arrive at our total price of $43,620.

Why We Got It
Mazda's original CX-9 debuted to rave reviews because its three-row sensibility came bundled with sleek, not-a-minivan styling and sure handling. We actually put a 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring in our long-term fleet at the time, and it was indeed a breath of fresh air among the mostly boxy SUVs, crossovers and minivans it competed against.

But has the CX-9 made the improvements necessary to stand out in a more crowded marketplace? Does the 2.5-liter turbo engine deliver the necessary power and the promised fuel economy? Have they figured out how to make the 20-inch tires ride as well as they look? Does the in-car technology package finally feel up-to-date? We have the next 12 months to find out the answers to these and other questions.

Follow our long-term road test as well as Edmunds Long Term Cars on Instagram for our latest thoughts and impressions of our new CX-9.

The manufacturer provided this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.

Monthly Update for December 2016

Where Did We Drive It?
Our new 2016 Mazda CX-9 only arrived in mid-December, but it finished the month with 2,931 miles on the clock. That's because it set out on a whirlwind road trip before anyone had time to do a proper photo shoot or write the customary introductory article.

I blame myself. I needed a good-size crossover to make this long, present-laden journey bearable, and the all-wheel-drive Mazda's arrival could not have been better-timed. It spent a few days locally settling in before I pointed it north the morning of Christmas Eve.

We used a different route out of Southern California because Interstate 5's Tejon Pass had been closed due to a heavy blanket of overnight snow. Our longer route on Highway 101 proved to be a wise move, and we made good time as we headed north along this more scenic coastal route.

Santa made his appearance in the Bay Area, then we loaded up once more and continued on to the southern Oregon coast for Christmas II, The Sequel, with my parents. A few days and at least one Dungeness crab feed later we reversed course and headed home, but this time we used our usual Tejon Pass route, beating another approaching snow-laden storm that closed the pass less than three hours after we summited. After that the Mazda sat idle in front of my home while football dominated the TV on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so the entire 1,754-mile round trip belongs to December and 2016.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The Edmunds family was at full strength this time, and my two daughters are now full-grown adults who stand taller than my wife. Add in the fact that the cargo hold was packed with four suitcases, winter coats and numerous gifts, and you've got one fairly well-loaded CX-9.

As for the driving, the route consisted of plenty of freeways and two-lane highways, with a smattering of suburban city traffic at our destinations. The going is mountainous in Northern California, and the road up to my parents' hilltop lair climbs from sea level to 1,600 feet in less than 4 miles. The CX-9 ran up and down that hill about four times.

The five tanks that made up those 1,754 miles came at an average of 23 mpg, which exactly matches the CX-9's 23 mpg EPA combined rating. As is usual for this route, the Mazda's best tank of 24.3 mpg was the last one of the trip, and that tank lasted for 414.7 miles.

I'm not complaining, but I'd have thought the CX-9 would have edged a bit closer to its 26 mpg EPA highway rating, especially after I got accustomed to how easily our Mazda MX-5 Miata equaled its own fuel economy ratings. But there were four of us, our cargo was not insignificant and I wasn't holding back. Still, I wonder if the CX-9's new small-displacement 2.5-liter turbo will be as sensitive to driving style and topography as others of that ilk seem to be. Time will tell. This is only its first two weeks with us; there are at least 50 more to come.

Average lifetime mpg: 22.4
EPA mpg rating: 23 mpg combined (20 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.3 mpg
Best range: 414.7 miles
Current odometer: 2,931 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None. The new car smell is still strong with this one.

Logbook Highlights

Performance

"The new 2.5-liter turbo engine does a decent job, and it makes a good amount of torque [310 pound-feet], but it doesn't feel as strong on the hills as other competitors. But it is worth noting that I was running it exclusively on 87 octane fuel. It is perfectly fine to run this new motor on 'the cheap stuff,' but it is rated at 227 horsepower on this grade of fuel. Mazda publishes a second rating for 93 octane, and that figure is 250 hp. The best we can do here in California is 91 octane, but the math suggests that'd be 242 hp. I think we should alternate after a couple of months and see how our opinion changes." — Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing

"This thing handles great. It feels light on its feet, and the steering is pretty spot-on in terms of feel and feedback. And the 20-inch rubber on our Grand Touring seems much more absorbent than the 20-inch tires that were fitted to the last generation. Not only is the ride better than I remember from the last generation, the cornering grip feels more secure on uneven surfaces." — Dan Edmunds

Comfort

"My wife kept saying how weak her seat heater felt, but mine felt pretty quick to warm up. I wonder if the front passenger one is weaker than the driver's side. Also, Tracy doesn't like how the seat heater stays on after the car is shut off, and she doesn't like thinking that it could run indefinitely even when unoccupied if the driver didn't notice the wee little lights. Hard to argue with that." — Dan Edmunds

"The driver's seat felt fairly comfortable and supportive over the long haul. No complaints. But I don't think I'd buy the light-colored interior. I wear blue jeans often — especially on family trips like this — and the tan leather took on a blue tint by the time the trip was over." — Dan Edmunds

Technology-Audio

"The cruise control system is interesting. It's easy to switch between adaptive and normal cruise control at the flick of a button, and each type remembers the set speed you selected the last time you were in that mode. I found myself switching between modes as the traffic volume fluctuated, choosing the best type for the conditions. My biggest gripe: The adaptive system downshifts on downgrades to control descent speed, while the normal system overshoots the set speed like any 1990s-era cruise control. They should be the same. The ability to downshift to control speed on a downgrade has nothing to do with adaptive cruise control or its nose-mounted sensor. This level of performance should be the norm on all cruise control systems, period." — Dan Edmunds

"A really great navigation and audio interface. Mazda continues to out-iDrive BMW with a simple and effective system. But where is the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support? This is an all-new car." — Dan Edmunds

Cargo Space

"We loaded four suitcases and two of those flip-top storage boxes behind the second row, and then piled in our coats and a couple of backpacks. And there are numerous other gifts hidden in an underfloor compartment. The numbers suggest there is less cargo space than the last generation, but it doesn't feel like it." — Dan Edmunds

Monthly Update for January 2017

Where Did We Drive It?

We took delivery of our beautiful Titanium Flash Mica 2016 Mazda CX-9 in December, as Dan Edmunds noted in the CX-9's Long-Term Introduction. Dan also added some break-in miles over the holidays with a trip up to Oregon, during which he voluntarily tested the fold-flat "sleeping configuration" of the rear seats. But that's a story for another time.

In terms of equipment, our Grand Touring model isn't far off the top-of-the-line Signature model that we had in for a previous short-term test, though the Signature's gorgeous Rosewood interior accents would persuade me to shell out the extra greenbacks if I were buying. The optional all-wheel-drive system on our CX-9 makes it an attractive choice for upcoming trips through the winter and spring, especially with local mountain resorts reporting as much as 28 feet of snowfall this season.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
With a couple of highway-heavy tanks in the bank, our 2016 Mazda CX-9's average fuel economy is off to a decent start. Our two-month lifetime average is 1 mpg shy of the EPA combined estimate of 23 mpg, with our most efficient tank coming in at 24.5 mpg.

Average lifetime mpg: 22.1
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.5
Best range: 414.7 miles
Current odometer: 4,246 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
Our CX-9's maintenance interval mirrors that of our recently departed MX-5 Miata at a leisurely 7,500 miles, so we don't expect to see a service bay anytime soon.

Logbook Highlights

Technology-Audio
"I'm a fan of our new Mazda CX-9 overall, but they've simply failed on the adaptive cruise control system. One of the main advantages of having adaptive cruise in the city is to ease the pain of the rush-hour slog, yet the CX-9's system will not work below 20 mph. I can't think of a reason why this is a good idea." — Jonathan Elfalan, Senior Road Test Editor

Interior
"The design looks great but certainly seems to put style ahead of functionality. Not that it isn't functional — there's a good-size center console and I like the small bin in front of the shifter — but compared to the Toyota Highlander and its storage shelf that spans nearly the entire width of the dashboard, the CX-9 is less accommodating." — Ed Hellwig, Executive Editor

"Picking up a full load of kids for carpooling means two unlucky riders get to climb into the third-row seat. Knowing this, I purposely left the maneuvering of the second-row seats to the others to see if they could figure it out on the first try. It didn't really work out that well. Lifting the lever on the outside of the second-row seat merely tilts it forward, at least when there's a kid already sitting in the middle. I'm guessing it slides, too, but no one wants to wait around to see. When it came time to get out, the third-row kids used the latches on the backs of the middle seats to tilt and slide them forward, though not enough for a graceful exit. So far it's not an easy-enough system to learn on the fly." — Ed Hellwig

Monthly Update for February 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
What do you do when more than 42 feet of snow has accumulated on a mountain just 355 miles from your front doorstep? You drive toward it as quickly as possible, with snow gear in tow. And this month we did just that in our 2016 Mazda CX-9.

When California takes on a load of snow, it can be a harrowing experience, because we don't often deal with loads of snow. But with the Mazda CX-9 and its i-Activ all-wheel drive, we really didn't have any concerns about the drive, short of a road closure.

Mazda's AWD is clever because it's predictive. Under normal driving conditions, the CX-9's system is primarily front-driven to save fuel. But it can also send up to 50 percent of its power to the rear when needed. There are 27 sensors relaying information — steering angle, weather, engine factors, yaw, etc. — 200 times a second to the central control module, which determines how power should be distributed. Rather than merely reacting to a slipping wheel, i-Activ tries to anticipate the slippage and avoid it altogether.

Even with California's tire-chain requirements in effect — which in certain conditions requires cars without all-wheel drive and decent cold-weather tires to don steel cables or chains around their wheels for traction — the Mazda CX-9 needed nothing to motor through the entire snow-capped weekend without issue.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Our 2016 Mazda CX-9's monthly fuel economy slipped to an average of 21.2 mpg in February, down nearly a full mpg from January despite a couple of long weekend road trips. We were hampered by a mysteriously bad 16.6-mpg tank — a new low for the test.

Lifetime mpg: 21.7
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 24.5
Best range: 414.7 miles
Current odometer: 6,429 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"The Mazda CX-9's gas pedal reminds me somewhat of our BMW 340i's. There's some resistance to the pedal, but a fair amount of power becomes available as soon as you deliberately dig into it. The response isn't as pronounced as with the BMW's more powerful turbocharged inline-six, of course, but the CX-9's turbo-four proves muscular when you open it up." — Cameron Rogers, Associate Editor

"After putting in some time behind the wheel of our CX-9 on L.A.'s choppy 405 freeway, I'm impressed by the ride quality. It's well-controlled yet still able to soak up potholes without jarring the passengers. Compared to our Honda Pilot, the Mazda has a sharper feel and delivers more feedback through the steering wheel. These may not seem like important factors for a family hauler like this, but they give you confidence that the CX-9 will go where you point it."
— Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor

Miscellaneous
"Condensation sometimes covers the windows and mirrors of the CX-9 when I get into it in the morning. In most cars I can lower and raise the windows to wipe the excess water and clear the view, but not in this CX-9. I have to remember to wipe them with a towel first. Otherwise I am beset by blind spots until the wind at speed eventually dries them off." — Mike Schmidt, Senior Manager, Vehicle Testing

"I love that the seat heaters remain on when you restart the car, but this won't help much unless you have a way of turning the car on remotely. Mazda offers a remote start/lock app as a dealer-installed option for the CX-9 at $550, and it comes with a year of complimentary service ($65 thereafter)." — Jonathan Elfalan, Senior Road Test Editor

Performance Tested

After a full redesign for 2016, we were curious how the new Mazda CX-9 would handle itself at the test track. It's certainly not its natural environment, but seeing how the CX-9 deals with extreme situations is a window into its ability to save your bacon when something goes wrong on the road.

Check out the numbers and the comments of our test driver to see how it fared.

Vehicle: 2016 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD
Odometer: 3,927
Date: January 17, 2017
Driver: Kurt Niebuhr
Price: $43,320

Specifications:
Drive type: all-wheel drive
Transmission type: automatic
Engine type: turbocharged conventional gasoline inline four-cylinder
Displacement: 2,500 cc/152.56 cu-in
Redline: 6,000 rpm
Horsepower: 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm
Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Brake type (front): one-piece ventilated discs with two-piston sliding calipers
Brake type (rear): one-piece solid discs with single-piston sliding calipers
Suspension type (front): MacPherson struts with stabilizer bar
Suspension type (rear): multilink with stabilizer bar
Tire size (front): P255/50R20 104V
Tire size (rear): P255/50R20 104V
Tire brand: Falken
Tire model: Ziex CT50 A/S
Tire type: regular

Test Results:

Acceleration:
0-30 mph: 2.6 seconds (with TC on: 3.1 seconds)
0-45 mph: 4.5 seconds (with TC on: 5.1 seconds)
0-60 mph: 7.2 seconds (with TC on: 7.8 seconds)
0-60 mph with 1-ft rollout: 6.9 seconds (with TC on: 7.3 seconds)
0-75 mph: 10.9 seconds (with TC on: 11.4 seconds)
1/4-mile: 15.37 seconds @ 89.30 mph (with TC on: 15.63 seconds @ 89.54 mph)

Braking:
30-0 mph: 29 feet
60-0 mph: 118 feet

Handling:
Skidpad lateral acceleration: 0.83 g (0.82 g w/ ESC on)
RPM @ 70 mph: 2,250

Acceleration comments:
Good midrange power, especially for a 2.5-liter engine, turbo or not. Even toward the end of the quarter-mile, the CX-9 is still pulling quite well. When all the boost comes in, it is noticeable, but not because it's dead off boost — it's just a wallop of power. Building up power on the brakes before the launch is the way to go, but unless you paddle through the gears yourself, it will short-shift 1-2 nearly 2,000 rpm shy of redline. Flipping gears yourself needs to be done sooner than you think as the paddles aren't exactly instantaneous.        

Braking comments:
The CX-9 feels like it's using all four of its tires really well. Braking is extremely stable and consistent. It is drama-free, with a nice, firm pedal and minimal dive. These brakes are well sorted. Definitely a benchmark in terms of feel and confidence.

Handling comments:
How refreshing it is to find an SUV with stability control that wants to help you get through the corner instead of panicking and wanting you to straighten the wheel and stop. The steering is well-weighted and accurate, but the visibility could be better. You do sit a little lower and the front roof pillar is a bit fat. Still, the chassis is fantastic. Stability control is always lurking and never lets you get too out of shape.

Monthly Update for March 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
My parents are moving from one house to another along the rugged Oregon coast. They'd always figured they'd move closer to town eventually, but unforeseen circumstances made it necessary to rapidly accelerate the timetable. My help was needed to get them settled in and move some of the more sensitive items, and with heavy rain in the forecast I preferred to use a biggish three-row SUV. So I chose our 2016 Mazda CX-9, even though I'd just used it to make the same drive this past December.

This trip amounts to little more than a week of this month's driving time, but it represents over 75 percent of the accumulated distance. The remaining 25 percent was amassed by other staffers who drove it back and forth to work and ran errands closer to home — the usual stuff, in other words.

Time was of the essence on this trip, so my wife and I kept our heads down and stayed on interstates and major highways. We made it all the way to the Oregon border with just a single fuel stop near the halfway point in Modesto, California. Once we reached Oregon, we opted to fill up again on the California side of the border because Oregon doesn't let drivers pump their own gas, something I prefer to do myself to keep each fill consistent for record-keeping purposes.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
This déjà vu road trip set a couple of new high-water marks for the CX-9. I drove it 461.4 miles on a single tank, up from the previous best of 408.9 miles. The best calculated fuel economy I saw was 26.7 mpg, which beat the EPA highway rating and destroyed the previous best of 24.5 mpg set in December. In fact, the entirety of this 1,956-mile trip went down at an average of 25 mpg and beat that previous best tank.

You'd think a performance like that would do wonders for the CX-9's lifetime average. In reality, the needle barely moved, rising from 21.7 mpg to just 21.9 mpg. Why didn't this road trip give the overall number a bigger boost?

It's because of the 732 miles of city driving racked up by my colleagues before my trip. Their worst single fill-up was just 15 mpg, and the trio of tanks that made up that distance averaged a paltry 15.9 mpg — a shockingly poor performance next to an EPA city rating of 21 mpg.

Mazda products usually do better with respect to window sticker ratings, so what gives? I think it has to do with the new CX-9's switch to a small-displacement turbo engine. Such motors are favored by engineers for their ability to sip fuel when driven in the grandmotherly fashion that matches the way EPA test cycles are run. But that can mean they'll guzzle gasoline in the real world, where even regular folks are more liberal with the throttle.

And the EPA tests don't accurately account for hills, headwinds and the throttle work associated with bends and corners. On this trip I was able to match and even beat the CX-9's rated fuel economy on the vast flat interstate expanses south of San Francisco. However, it fell short in the northern part of the state on Highway 101, which is generally run at a lower average speed but has more corners and hills. Here the small turbo motor spends more time in the boost zone, which increases fuel consumption.

Average lifetime mpg: 21.9
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 9,444 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
We took it in for its first tire rotation and oil and filter change at 6,999 miles. That was a bit early compared to the maintenance schedule, but we wanted to get it handled before an upcoming road trip. Total cost: $99.

Logbook Highlights

Performance

"I like the way the CX-9 rides and handles most of the time. It's an effortless cruiser that has a highly developed sense of straight ahead on open freeways, and it feels utterly composed as it scythes through bends and the twisty mountainous sections of our route." — Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing

"Brakes are powerful and sure, and the pedal feels firm underfoot." — Dan Edmunds

Comfort

"The ride is generally steady and serene. But there is a downside, and it usually crops up when the road drops off in an abrupt or stepwise fashion where the asphalt has slumped or slid due to land movement, a scenario that is extremely common here in the damp coastal mountains of Northern California and southern Oregon. In these instances the CX-9 tends to drop sharply at the rear, as if the suspension is too bound up to exhale and react smoothly. The relative lack of give in the ultra-short sidewalls of the 20-inch tires probably don't help much here, either." — Dan Edmunds

"The decisions the automatic climate control makes are sort of maddening. I always wanted it to be moving more air around, except for the times it decided to turn the A/C on full blast when it seemed utterly unnecessary. I wound up just switching to manual climate control and was much happier for it." — Will Kaufman, Associate Automotive Editor

Technology-Audio

"I'm becoming a big fan of head-up displays, and the CX-9 has a good one. I still don't see the point of the 'rotation' adjustment. Why not make it square with the horizon and leave it fixed? I suppose some people drive on highly crowned roads or want to make it parallel with the bodywork. If it were fixed, someone would complain it was crooked." — Dan Edmunds

"The Mazda's navigation system displays the posted speed limit on the lower corner of the screen, which is nice. Thing is, the carmaker has chosen to have the miniature speed-limit sign turn red on a yellow background if you exceed the speed limit, a mild scolding that seems unnecessary. But it's far more irksome than that, because on this trip I discovered it turns red if your speed merely matches the speed limit. You must drive under the posted limit if you want to keep the red indicator at bay. Since when did the Zoom-Zoom company get the vapors and become my carsickness-prone grandmother?" — Dan Edmunds

Interior

"For $40K, I want the ability to tilt the seat cushion. I could also do with a few more inches of telescoping on the wheel. The car is comfortable, but a few more ergonomic tweaks for a taller driver would have been welcome. I always felt like I was just one adjustment away from being really comfortable." — Will Kaufman

Monthly Update for April 2017

Where Did We Drive It?

Due to some logistical requirements here at Edmunds, I was the sole driver of our long-term 2016 Mazda CX-9 for all of April. From the standpoint of getting to learn how the CX-9 performs common crossover SUV duties, it was ideal. I took my kids to school every morning, went grocery shopping, hauled booty home from Costco and Home Depot, and even took my family of five on a 700-mile road trip.

Granted, it's not the most exciting stuff to do with a car. (And yeah, by extension, my life probably isn't very exciting.) But I came away knowing the CX-9 is more than just a workhorse. It looks cool, has a premium interior and drives with verve for a three-row crossover.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
My month of driving totaled almost 1,900 miles, and a lot of that came on the highway. My average for the month was 23 mpg, which is what the EPA says to expect in combined driving. We're now at 22 mpg lifetime. That's respectable for an Edmunds long-term car, but I wonder whether it will stay like that since a high percentage of our CX-9's mileage so far has come from highway driving.

Average lifetime mpg: 22.0
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 11,285 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
The warning light for the CX-9's tire-pressure monitoring system illuminated at one point during the month of April. The system does not provide you with specific tire pressure info or an indicator for which tire is low. At the time, I was on my way home and driving along a major city street. Since there didn't seem to be any obvious signals of tire failure or a complete flat, I kept driving the 5 or so more miles until I got home. Once there, I used a tire pressure gauge to check the tires. The right front tire was low (about 28 psi versus 34 for the other tires). I also found the culprit: a nail in the tire's tread. I pumped up the tire back to spec and drove over to a local tire shop. They patched it for me in about an hour. Total cost: $20.

Logbook Highlights
Note: Since I was the primary CX-9 driver in April, all of the following entries, unless specifically attributed, are from me.

Performance
"A four-cylinder engine in a big three-row crossover? For a lot of people, that might sound like a recipe for pokey acceleration. But the CX-9's turbocharged mill has enough power to satisfy. There's no lag or softness at low rpm when you first accelerate from a stop. Mash the gas for a highway entrance ramp and the CX-9 gets up to 60 or 70 mph respectably well. True, our acceleration testing shows that the CX-9 is ultimately a bit slower than the Honda Pilot and some other big crossovers with V6s. And maybe that slowness would be more pronounced if you're towing a trailer. But for normal driving, the CX-9's turbo-four is powerful enough for my needs."

"I like Mazda's design feel for the CX-9's steering, gearshifter, and gas and brake pedals. They are responsive and provide a consistent level of effort. Mazda markets the CX-9 as 'meticulously crafted for drivers' and there's substance to that. This isn't a performance SUV, but it is an SUV you'll enjoy driving."

Technology-Audio
"I've noticed that our CX-9's infotainment system will randomly restart while I'm driving. It's happened a few times in the past three weeks of driving. I'll be driving along and all of the sudden the whole thing reboots. If I'm listening to digital music, that shuts off as well until the system's back online. It's annoying. One would hope Mazda has a software fix/update for this."

"Our CX-9 Grand Touring has the upgraded Bose sound system with 12 speakers. It's fine, but I'd expect to feel more immersed in my music with a premium system. As it is, it sounds like everything comes from the specific front speaker locations, and playing around with the balance and fade doesn't help. Audio quality seems closer to what I'd expect from a nice regular system, not something branded and with 12 speakers."

Interior
"Our CX-9 has a feature for the second-row seat that I think parents of young children will appreciate. The right side of the Mazda's 60/40-split seat (the smaller 40) has a special function that allows you to move the seat forward to provide access to the third-row seat even if you have a child safety seat installed. Normal operation is that the seatback tilts forward and then the seat slides. An installed safety seat can hinder this. In the CX-9, though, the special operation allows the whole seat to tilt up a bit and then slide forward. The 'walk-through' space isn't quite as big compared to the normal operation because the seatback isn't tilted forward as much, but it's a lot better than not being able to move the seat at all."

"I was spending time with my in-laws for the Easter holiday and the whole gang was heading out to eat out for dinner. My mother-in-law thought we were going to need two cars to get there until I pointed out that the long-term CX-9 I was driving seats seven. You might not need the extra seating every day but it's convenient to have when the occasions do come up. My two young children sat in the third row, my wife and mother-in-law took the second row (along with the teenage foreign exchange student living with us), and my father-in-law sat up front. It worked out great."

Comfort
"I'm 6-foot-2 and I often adopt a wide-set stance with my legs while I'm driving. This typically involves resting one knee against the center console and one against the door. In the Mazda CX-9, there's a nice empty space to the left of the brake pedal, so I can shove my foot in there and relax it without bracing my knee against the door. On the other hand, my right knee hits the hard plastic trim that surrounds the shifter. My knee constantly raps against it on bumpy roads, of which there are many in the L.A. metro area. There's a softer piece of plastic underneath the hard trim, and maybe it'd be helpful for a shorter driver. But for me, not so much." — Cameron Rogers, Associate Editor

"I've driven our CX-9 more than 1,000 miles in the last two weeks and it has impressed me with its easygoing demeanor. The CX-9 rides smoothly (even with our Grand Touring's big 20-inch wheels), is impressively quiet at highway speeds and has front seats that are comfortable for hours at a time. Between Dan Edmunds' two previous trips to Oregon in our CX-9 and my recent stint, I think we've validated the CX-9's long-haul credentials."

"There's enough room in our CX-9's third-row seat for a typical adult. Like most three-row crossovers, it's not a place you'd want to spend hours at a time. But with the driver seat positioned for me (I'm 5-foot-10) and the sliding second row set in what I'd consider a typical position, there is enough legroom and headroom for me to sit in the third row without being cramped."

Cargo Space
"The CX-9's cargo area behind the second-row seats is unremarkable by three-row crossover SUV standards. On the spec sheet, Mazda lists 38.2 cubic feet. For comparison, GMC claims 41.7 cubic feet for the Acadia and Honda says 46.8 cubic feet for the Pilot. Some of the Mazda's deficiency might stem from its more steeply raked rear window."

Miscellaneous
"I like the look of the new-generation Mazda CX-9. Particularly in front, the sharp styling lines and pronounced grille help Mazda's three-row crossover stand out, particularly in comparison to the conservatively styled Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. While you're ultimately buying a big crossover for its utility and versatility, the CX-9 has some desirable flair to go along with it."

Monthly Update for May 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
The long-term 2016 Mazda CX-9 continued to win plaudits in May for its punchy performance and — predictably, perhaps — its practicality. Senior Writer Carlos Lago rolled up many of this month's miles on a road trip to Lake Tahoe, while other staffers chipped in per usual with various commuting and errand-running ventures.

On the fuel economy front, we're inching closer to the EPA's estimate of 23 mpg in mixed driving, which is something of a welcome surprise in this era of highly rated turbocharged vehicles that struggle to deliver in the real world. Overall, it's hard to find anyone with a bad word to say about the CX-9 so far.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
It was a busy month for the CX-9. Conveniently, we filled it up on the first and last day of May, making it easy to calculate the 2,547 miles we covered — a pace that would get us to our 20,000-mile target well before the end of the yearlong test.

The best tank for the month checked in at 26.1 mpg, which is right on the EPA's highway estimate, while the worst was a still-respectable 19.5 mpg. Not bad for a large three-row crossover that has impressed just about all of us with its eager and effortless acceleration (more on that below).

Average lifetime mpg: 22.2
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 13,832 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Cargo Space
"I used the CX-9 to pick up a rolling toolbox I'd abandoned at my mom's house around a decade ago. The two-part box stands roughly 4 or 5 feet tall when assembled, so I was a little concerned about fitting it inside, but I didn't need to be. It fit perfectly. The top part went on the folded second row, and the bottom part just squeezed between the second row and rear hatch. The only problem was the rattling I endured over the eight-hour drive back home." — Carlos Lago, senior writer

Performance
"The 2016 Mazda CX-9 has a great engine. The 2.5-liter turbo-four is very responsive and is easily up to the task of moving this midsize SUV." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

"I love the low-end power from this engine. Feels more powerful than any SUV in this segment with almost turbodiesel-like grunt. It accelerates powerfully from stoplight to stoplight in the city, and has excellent freeway passing power, too." — Carlos Lago

"I want to like the CX-9's engine, and I generally do. It feels responsive in most situations, with a boatload of low-end torque that belies its modest power rating. But when you're really on it, foot to the floor, some unbecoming vibrations make their way past the firewall and into your bones. Yes, four-cylinder engines are more prone to this sort of thing, but that doesn't stop certain manufacturers (Volkswagen comes to mind in this price range) from making four-bangers that, well, don't bang. No big deal, you might be thinking, but not so fast. Mazda has upscale aspirations with this rig; the carmaker wants you to consider it alongside premium-brand family haulers. In many ways the CX-9 is indeed a legit lower-cost alternative to such vehicles, but I'll wait to give my full endorsement until I can plant my right foot without feeling that budget-class buzz." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager of content strategy

Technology-Audio
"My girlfriend tells me the Bluetooth quality is the best she's heard me use yet. Considering how frequently I bounce between cars, that means a lot. According to her, the Bluetooth sounds like I was on the headset. Good going, Mazda." — Carlos Lago

Interior
"The driver's seat is turning blue. I don't know if it's the fault of my admittedly cheap blue jeans, but it's a bummer to see. White interiors always look neat, but here's another reason to avoid them." — Carlos Lago

Monthly Update for June 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
Our 2016 Mazda CX-9 not only shuttled some of the women in our department to a work lunch, but it also took some of them to work and back. It also paid a couple visits to San Diego, California. Along the way, I was impressed with the CX-9's head-up display, Dan liked driving it in Sport mode, and Matt was digging the sound system.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We drove the Mazda CX-9 about 1,445 miles in June and averaged about 20 mpg over six fill-ups. The lifetime average of 22 mpg remained unchanged, so we've been consistent drivers this month. Despite us going on a few long drives, it's hard to reach the EPA's highway number with Southern California's notorious traffic.

Average lifetime mpg: 22
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 15,280 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None

Logbook Highlights

Comfort
"Our department has seven women, which worked out nicely when taking the CX-9 to a work lunch. We piled in and all fit nicely. Community Manager Sarah Johnston had to sit in the third row with someone else. 'I would definitely say it is not going to be as comfortable for anyone who is 5-foot-5 or taller. Minimal legroom, and could use better air-conditioner reach back there. But the ride was smooth!' Content Operations Manager Bryn MacKinnon was relegated to the middle seat in the second row and was perfectly comfortable. She wasn't too keen on access to the third row, however. 'The machinations to get the second row to move up so that someone can get to the third row seemed more trouble than I'd want to have to deal with on a daily basis.'" — Caroline Pardilla, senior copy editor

Performance
"Managing Editor Kelly Hellwig was tasked with driving our ladies who lunch to lunch and noticed how much a packed car affected the CX-9's stopping ability. 'Totally different driving experience fully loaded. I was especially cognizant about increasing my stopping distance approaching red lights.'" — Caroline Pardilla

"This CX-9 has power almost everywhere in the powerband. It's one of the few cars, and definitely one of the only three-row SUVs I can think of, where there's not a hugely discernible difference between standard and Sport modes. That's to say that standard mode is responsive enough that you'd almost never need Sport. You can just stomp on it in regular mode and it moves. Switching to Sport mode gives it that little extra, and it's a Sport mode you can actually drive around town. It's not something you need to reserve for the curves or open back roads. It hangs onto revs a little more than regular mode, but it's not so high-strung that you can't enjoy it around town, from stoplight to stoplight. It just amps up everything a tad bit more. I find I switch it into Sport instinctively now, just because it's that much more fun and doesn't feel so intense when just ambling around." — Dan Frio, automotive editor

Interior
"'Wow,' my passenger said, unprompted. 'Mazda went luxury with this thing, eh?' Why yes, it did, or at least that was the idea. But you never know until the real-world reactions come in. In this case, I think my passenger's right: Mazda has imbued the CX-9 with a genuinely upscale feel. Is it as nice as an Acura MDX? My advice to crossover shoppers would be to drive both and see what you think." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

"The rear passenger headrests are really tall and really intrusive to rear visibility. I suppose it's a moot point if you have riders and their heads bobbing around back there anyway. But if someone had used the third row and you later got behind the wheel as a solo driver, you'd have to suffer through those tall headrests in your sight line for the duration of your drive.

"As it is, the only way to drop those headrests is to manually drop the seats. You'll need to live with the headrests anytime you want the third row up, or just drive around with it folded most of the time. Thus, we beseech Mazda to install a power-folding headrest or power-folding third-row seat mechanism and button to the driver's instrument panel." — Dan Frio

Technology-Audio
"Drove to San Diego County for a wedding this past weekend and the Mazda CX-9 was a great road trip companion. It was quiet, comfortable and had plenty of power for passing on the highway. I liked the head-up display we have in our Grand Touring model. It keeps your eyes trained on the road as all the pertinent information is displayed on the windshield. It was also a hot weekend and the tri-zone climate control cooled the cabin nicely." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

"If I were deciding between three-row family haulers, it would be a hard choice because everything on the market now is just so good. When just about everything is solid, sometimes a small thing like a butt-kicking stereo can be the tiebreaker. I'm a sucker for a hearty audio system and this thing delivers." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor

Monthly Update for July 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
In the month of July, our 2016 Mazda CX-9 went on two different road trips that rolled up the odometer to the tune of over 2,500 miles. The first trip was to Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border west of Las Vegas, and the second trip involved a drive to Fremont, California, for the unveiling of the Tesla Model 3.

Between those trips, the CX-9 handled the usual commuter duty and weekend errand running, two types of driving that our editors find the CX-9 well suited to thanks to its comfortable and spacious cabin.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We drove the Mazda CX-9 about 2,500 miles in July and averaged 22.7 mpg over nine fill-ups. The lifetime average of 22.1 mpg rose slightly thanks to the number of highway miles on the two road trips.

Average lifetime mpg: 22.1
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 18,076 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Comfort
"The CX-9 was an excellent choice for our road trip. We had plenty of space for our luggage and cooler, and the reclining rear seats were a bonus for my passengers. We were especially impressed with how fast the A/C kicked in to cool down the car, which was really important when you're traveling through Death Valley in July. The cabin temperature went from insufferable to manageable within 20 to 30 seconds after starting the car.

"One nitpick on comfort: I found that my left knee would always gravitate toward and grind up against the hard side panel on the driver-side door during long stretches of driving. It would create moments of discomfort that I think could have been prevented with some padding or softer materials." — Aaron Lewis, senior producer

Technology-Audio
"I like head-up displays in general. They make sense when it comes to reducing driver distraction, something that is sorely needed these days. Our CX-9 has just such a system and it works well in general. It delivers tons of information right in your line of sight, which minimizes the need to glance elsewhere.

"If I had to make one change it would be in the overall size of the display and the way in which you adjust it. The speedometer numbers are on the small side, and moving your head one way or the other by even a small amount is enough to obscure the readout. It's also on the dim side, and there are no physical buttons to adjust it on the fly. You have to dig into the main console menu to brighten it up or move it up or down. Took me a while to figure that one out, but once it's dialed in, the system is well worth the trouble." — Ed Hellwig, senior editor

Performance
"Every time I drive our CX-9 I'm impressed by the performance of the four-cylinder engine and the shift quality of the automatic transmission. It's such a refined combination that I don't miss the fact that there's no V6 offered. It delivers strong acceleration at low speeds, and the transmission is quick to grab another gear when you lay into the gas at highway speeds. I have yet to drive it with a full load of passengers and cargo, so I wouldn't say the V6's days are numbered just yet, but in day-to-day driving the CX-9 is plenty capable." — Ed Hellwig

Monthly Update for August 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
We made an attempt to go to Kings Canyon National Park in central California. Staff Writer Dan Frio pointed our 2016 Mazda CX-9 north from his home in Orange County for a three-day camping trip with his friend and their three young daughters. They didn't quite make it, however. Packed to the brim, the CX-9 proved too small for the trip, and Dan ended up meeting me in nearby Fresno, California, (where I live) to trade the CX-9 for the long-term Honda Ridgeline I was driving. We'll have a detailed writeup on Dan's experience in an upcoming stand-alone post but excerpts can be found in this monthly update.

Otherwise, our team used the CX-9 in August for typical commuting and the like, adding a total of about 1,600 miles. Overall, the CX-9 continues to be a staff favorite as we approach 20,000 miles on the odometer.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We averaged 20.6 mpg in August, which knocked our lifetime average down a bit. Still, I'm satisfied seeing mileage in the low 20s. It's better than the fuel economy we got from our 2016 Honda Pilot (20.0 mpg) and 2014 Toyota Highlander (19.8 mpg) long-term test vehicles.

Average lifetime mpg: 21.3
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 19,621 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"I took a drive up into the Sierra Nevadas. Our CX-9's turbocharged engine still pulls strong at 9,600 feet. Try that with the old one's normally aspirated (read: non-turbocharged) V6." — Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing

Comfort
"I'm enjoying our CX-9's ride quality. It's decidedly smooth and composed over the typical ruts and bumps one encounters around town. And this is with our Grand Touring's big 20-inch wheels. Other CX-9s with smaller wheels (and therefore greater tire sidewall) might be even cushier. Factor in the CX-9's tidy handling and you've got an SUV with impressive balance of comfort and control." — Brent Romans, senior editor

Technology-Audio
"Listening to music on our CX-9's 12-speaker Bose sound system is quite enjoyable. I generally favor hard rock, and this system is up to the task with its impressive bass output. In fact, it can get a little boomy even with the bass output slider set to zero. So, 100 percent accuracy might not be the system's forte. But nonetheless it's got a suitably rich sound and enjoyable staging that you can further adjust with the Bose Centerpoint music processing feature. On the 2017 CX-9, the Bose sound system is optional on the Touring trim level and standard with the Grand Touring and Signature." — Brent Romans

"Mazda's infotainment interface hasn't changed much the past few years, but it continues to be one of the more likable systems around. The console-mounted knob and button array helps reduce driver distraction compared to pure touchscreen-only interfaces." — Brent Romans

Interior
"I agree with some comments that my co-worker Josh Sadlier wrote for our June update regarding the CX-9's near-luxury design. Our long-term CX-9 is a loaded-up $43,620 Grand Touring model, so it's understandably nicer than, say, a base CX-9 Sport. But overall I think the CX-9 looks, feels and drives a step above the main competition (Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander)." — Brent Romans

"Check out the CX-9's full-length gas pedal. It feels good against the bottom of my boot and it makes the Mazda feel just a bit more substantial. It also has a good bit of resistance. Because of that, I can almost use it as a dead pedal in stop-and-go traffic." — Kurt Niebuhr, photo editor

Cargo Space
"I thought the CX-9 would be big enough for two dads and three daughters on a two-day camping trip. Man, was I wrong. I severely underestimated the CX-9's cargo capacity, having never put it to the test before. I just assumed: 'Three-row crossover — of course it'll work!' I should've known better. The CX-9 offers 38 cubic feet behind the second row. Even on paper, that sounds small for a five-person campout. By comparison, the Honda Pilot offers 46.8 cubic feet; the Toyota Highlander, 42.3 cubic feet; and the new Chevy Traverse, 58.1 cubic feet.

"My friend and I packed up the CX-9 with all of our stuff, though a few things needed to stay behind. The girls had no footroom, as sleeping bags, pillows and blankets took over the floor space. We managed to stash some flat objects in the CX-9's shallow underfloor cargo hold. A folding chair had to ride draped over the front passenger headrest. It was shaping up to be a miserable six-hour drive to camp.

"Enter Editor Brent Romans to the rescue. He met me at a Wal-Mart and we unloaded the CX-9 and put everything into the Ridgeline. In retrospect, there wasn't much else we could've done to manage the load in the CX-9. I just think the CX-9, excellent as it is for shuttling around town, is undergunned to handle camping excursions for a family of five." — Dan Frio, staff writer

Monthly Update for September 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
In spite of adding only about 550 miles in September, our 2016 Mazda CX-9 passed the 20,000-mile mark and we find we're mostly still smitten with the cheerful gray whale. Some quibbles aside, after road trips, commutes, inclement weather, light off-roading, and 63 tanks of gas, we still think the CX-9 is a great SUV.

To celebrate this milestone, I've gone through the record of our first 20,000 miles with the CX-9 and cherry-picked a few of this SUV's greatest hits. It's clear our Mazda impressed from the very beginning. Don't worry: I've left out all the mentions of our blue jeans rubbing off on the light upholstery. This is a celebration, so we won't revisit all 6,000 words of that.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The CX-9 traveled just 550 miles in September and managed to hit an all-time monthly low for fuel economy, averaging just 16 mpg over that distance. We did avoid hitting a new single-tank low, though. Our worst fill of the long-term test (potentially attributable to yours truly) still stands at 15.2 mpg from a tank recorded back in March.

September's poor returns pushed our lifetime economy down to 21.1 mpg, down 0.2 from the month before. Considering the majority of our long-term vehicle's miles are spent in L.A. traffic, a three-row SUV maintaining an average better than 21 mpg is pretty impressive.

Average lifetime mpg: 21.1 mpg
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 20,171

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights

Performance
"This thing handles great. It feels light on its feet, and the steering is pretty spot-on in terms of feel and feedback. The 20-inch rubber on our Grand Touring seems much more absorbent than the 20-inch tires that were fitted to the last generation. Not only is the ride better than I remember from the last generation, the cornering grip feels more secure on uneven surfaces." (December 2016) — Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing

Comfort
"I've driven our CX-9 more than 1,000 miles in the last two weeks and it has impressed me with its easygoing demeanor. The CX-9 rides smoothly (even with our Grand Touring's big 20-inch wheels), is impressively quiet at highway speeds, and has front seats that are comfortable for hours at a time. Between Dan Edmunds' two previous trips to Oregon in our CX-9 and my recent stint, I think we've validated the CX-9's long-haul credentials." (April 2017) — Brent Romans, senior editor

Interior
"It's worth noting that as many times as we have mentioned the blue from our jeans rubbing off on the light upholstery, the seats don't seem to stay distinctly blue very long, although they definitely look dirty. We'll try cleaning them with a Popular Brand product and report back." — Will Kaufman, associate staff writer

"'Wow,' my passenger said, unprompted. 'Mazda went luxury with this thing, eh?' Why, yes, it did, or at least that was the idea. But you never know until the real-world reactions come in. In this case, I think my passenger's right: Mazda has imbued the CX-9 with a genuinely upscale feel. Is it as nice as an Acura MDX? My advice to crossover shoppers would be to drive both and see what you think." (June 2017) — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Technology-Audio
"From the very beginning, we've praised the CX-9's infotainment system for its ease of use but bemoaned the lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Mazda promised back in March that one day it would add smartphone integration in a system update, but we're still waiting. Of course, having recently used Android Auto in an Acura with a rotary knob interface, I'm not sure how happy we'll be when we eventually get it." — Will Kaufman

"If I were deciding between three-row family haulers, it would be a hard choice because everything on the market now is just so good. When just about everything is solid, sometimes a small thing like a butt-kicking stereo can be the tiebreaker. I'm a sucker for a hearty audio system and this thing delivers." (June 2017) — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor

Cargo Space
"We loaded four suitcases and two of those flip-top storage boxes behind the second row and then piled in our coats and a couple of backpacks. And there are numerous other gifts hidden in an underfloor compartment. The numbers suggest there is less cargo space than the last generation, but it doesn't feel like it." (December 2016) — Dan Edmunds

Miscellaneous
"My earliest impressions of the CX-9 were that it was very Audi-esque, as if it delivered Audi quality at a Mazda price. In one sense, that was a bit worrying. Mazda has been eyeballing a more premium middle ground in its respective segments, upgrading the luxury feel of its cars with an attendant price increase to match, much like Volkswagen's earlier strategies. But I don't want a more expensive Mazda!

"That said, with more time in this car, you can see where the materials quality isn't quite up to Audi scratch. You've got this chrome trim inlay in the front, and you run your finger over it and it's plastic. But it's nice and it looks good, and there's a similar ring around the vents. If this were an Audi, that surround might be a nice brushed metal. Same goes for the CX-9's door panels and door pulls. And our light-colored seats are showing some wear already at less than 20,000 miles, although it's probably redeemable if we spend a little time conditioning the material.

"You can see and feel where the Audi stuff is snazzier, but that's not a knock on the CX-9. It's just a matter of degree. I still say this is the most affordable Audi Q7 you can buy." — Dan Frio, staff writer

Monthly Update for October 2017

Where Did We Drive It?
News flash: Summer is over, which means road-trip season is nothing but a wistful memory. This reality also spells bad news for our 2016 Mazda CX-9, not only because it doesn't get to stretch its legs and see new places but also because it's never been thirstier.

But the staff's overall sentiment of the CX-9 hasn't soured one bit — we're still convinced it's one of the better options in the class, especially if you value an engaging driving experience. And when your days transition back to a routine commute as ours have, every ounce of driving bliss helps.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?

With only 500 miles added to the CX-9's odometer this month, composed mainly of short commutes in traffic, we've continued to deflate our efficiency record to a lifetime average of 20.9 mpg (down from 21.1 last month).

Our monthly average was an insignificant improvement over last month's 16 mpg, despite recording a new single-tank low of 14.8 mpg. We've decided to withhold the identity of the lead-footed offender for the time being.

Average lifetime mpg: 20.9 mpg
EPA mpg rating: 23 combined (21 city/26 highway)
Best-fill mpg: 26.7
Best range: 461.4 miles
Current odometer: 20,672 miles

Maintenance and Upkeep
None.

Logbook Highlights
Performance
"I hadn't driven the CX-9 for a while and I was reminded how good this SUV is. I've never driven a three-row SUV that feels this light and nimble. If you want to haul the family around without feeling like you're driving a tank, the CX-9 is the way to go." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

Technology-Audio
"Perhaps I have the latest iOS to blame, but pairing through Bluetooth with my iPhone took an inordinate length of time. It actually timed out a couple times before successfully connecting. Could this become the new dial-up internet of our generation?" — Jonathan Elfalan, road test manager

Cargo Space
"The CX-9's cozier cabin and light-footed nature truly belie its size. In fact, it's longer than most other offerings in the segment, but it doesn't feel all that big when you're behind the wheel, or in any other seat for that matter. I love it for my solo morning surf sessions, but would probably need roof racks if taking people and gear along for a weekend beach trip." — Jonathan Elfalan

Wrap-Up

What We Got
The Mazda CX-9's evolution was a long time coming. It had just two refreshes in the nine years before the 2016 model year came along, which made us eager to get behind the wheel. For one, the V6 engine was gone, replaced by a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine whose fuel efficiency made it an instant segment leader. More driver assist technologies and an advanced touchscreen navigation system rounded out the major updates.

The 2016 CX-9 came in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring variations, similarly equipped to the previous year's trims. And a top-tier Signature trim was added in 2016, using nicer leather and accents but otherwise identical to the Grand Touring.

We decided on a CX-9 Grand Touring, well-equipped with standard features including push-button start, four USB jacks, heated and power-adjustable seats, an 8-inch touchscreen, 20-inch wheels, a sunroof, a navigation system, a premium sound system, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The new turbo engine was rated at 24 mpg combined, 5 mpg better than the outgoing model. We had the option of adding all-wheel drive to the car for $1,800, which we did but which knocked 1 mpg off the combined rating. We also went for a $450 trailer hitch. Machine Gray paint tacked on another $300, bringing the total for our 2016 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD to $43,620.

Performance

"A four-cylinder engine in a big three-row crossover? For a lot of people, that might sound like a recipe for pokey acceleration. But the CX-9's turbocharged mill has enough power to satisfy. There's no lag or softness at low rpm when you first accelerate from a stop. Mash the gas for a highway entrance ramp, and the CX-9 gets up to 60 or 70 mph respectably well. True, our acceleration testing shows that the CX-9 is ultimately a bit slower than the Honda Pilot and some other big crossovers with V6s. And maybe that slowness would be more pronounced if you're towing a trailer. But for normal driving, the CX-9's turbo-four is powerful enough for my needs." — Brent Romans, senior editor

"This thing handles great. It feels light on its feet, and the steering is pretty spot-on in terms of feel and feedback. And the 20-inch rubber on our Grand Touring seems much more absorbent than the 20-inch tires that were fitted to the last generation. Not only is the ride better than I remember from the last generation, the cornering grip feels more secure on uneven surfaces." — Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing

MPG

"This déjà vu road trip set a couple of new high-water marks for the CX-9. I drove it 461.4 miles on a single tank, up from the previous best of 408.9 miles. The best calculated fuel economy I saw was 26.7 mpg, which beat the EPA highway rating and destroyed the previous best of 24.5 mpg set in December. In fact, the entirety of this 1,956-mile trip went down at an average of 25 mpg and beat that previous best tank." — Dan Edmunds

"We averaged 20.6 mpg in August, which knocked our lifetime average down a bit. Still, I'm satisfied seeing mileage in the low 20s. It's better than the fuel economy we got from our 2016 Honda Pilot (20 mpg) and 2014 Toyota Highlander (19.8 mpg) long-term test vehicles." — Brent Romans

Comfort

"The decisions the automatic climate control makes are sort of maddening. I always wanted it to be moving more air around, except for the times it decided to turn the A/C on full blast when it seemed utterly unnecessary. I wound up just switching to manual climate control and was much happier for it." — Will Kaufman, staff writer

"The driver's seat felt fairly comfortable and supportive over the long haul. No complaints. But I don't think I'd buy the light-colored interior. I wear blue jeans often — especially on family trips like this — and the tan leather took on a blue tint by the time the trip was over." — Dan Edmunds

Cargo Space

"I used the CX-9 to pick up a rolling toolbox I'd abandoned at my mom's house around a decade ago. The two-part box stands roughly 4 or 5 feet tall when assembled, so I was a little concerned about fitting it inside, but I didn't need to be. It fit perfectly. The top part went on the folded second row, and the bottom part just squeezed between the second row and rear hatch. The only problem was the rattling I endured over the eight-hour drive back home." — Carlos Lago, senior writer

"We loaded four suitcases and two of those flip-top storage boxes behind the second row, and then piled in our coats and a couple of backpacks. And there are numerous other gifts hidden in an underfloor compartment. The numbers suggest there is less cargo space than the last generation, but it doesn't feel like it." — Dan Edmunds

Interior

"Our CX-9 has a feature for the second-row seat that I think parents of young children will appreciate. The right side of the Mazda's 60/40-split seat (the smaller 40) has a special function that allows you to move the seat forward to provide access to the third-row seat even if you have a child safety seat installed. Normal operation is that the seatback tilts forward and then the seat slides. An installed safety seat can hinder this. In the CX-9, though, the special operation allows the whole seat to tilt up a bit and then slide forward. The 'walk-through' space isn't quite as big compared to the normal operation because the seatback isn't tilted forward as much, but it's a lot better than not being able to move the seat at all." — Brent Romans

"The design looks great but certainly seems to put style ahead of functionality. Not that it isn't functional — there's a good-size center console and I like the small bin in front of the shifter — but compared to the Toyota Highlander and its storage shelf that spans nearly the entire width of the dashboard, the CX-9 is less accommodating." — Ed Hellwig, senior editor

Audio and Technology

"I'm a fan of our new Mazda CX-9 overall, but they've simply failed on the adaptive cruise control system. One of the main advantages of having adaptive cruise in the city is to ease the pain of the rush-hour slog, yet the CX-9's system will not work below 20 mph. I can't think of a reason why this is a good idea." — Jonathan Elfalan, road test manager

"If I were deciding between three-row family haulers, it would be a hard choice because everything on the market now is just so good. When just about everything is solid, sometimes a small thing like a butt-kicking stereo can be the tiebreaker. I'm a sucker for a hearty audio system and this thing delivers." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor

Maintenance

"The right front tire was low ... I also found the culprit: a nail in the tire's tread. I pumped up the tire back to spec and drove over to a local tire shop. They patched it for me in about an hour. Total cost: $20." — Brent Romans

Miscellaneous

"Drove to San Diego County for a wedding this past weekend and the Mazda CX-9 was a great road trip companion. It was quiet, comfortable and had plenty of power for passing on the highway. I liked the head-up display we have in our Grand Touring model. It keeps your eyes trained on the road as all the pertinent information is displayed on the windshield. It was also a hot weekend and the tri-zone climate control cooled the cabin nicely." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor

"'Wow,' my passenger said, unprompted. 'Mazda went luxury with this thing, eh?' Why, yes, it did, or at least that was the idea. But you never know until the real-world reactions come in. In this case, I think my passenger's right: Mazda has imbued the CX-9 with a genuinely upscale feel. Is it as nice as an Acura MDX? My advice to crossover shoppers would be to drive both and see what you think." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy

Maintenance & Repairs

Regular Maintenance:
Mazda recommended routine service on the CX-9 every 7,500 miles. There were three such visits, averaging out to $100 each during our test, consisting of oil changes and tire rotations. Those were our only dealer stops because the car otherwise kept its nose clean. Three hundred dollars is just a little better than what we spent on our last Honda Pilot ($343) and Acura MDX ($384), though it can't touch the Toyota Highlander ($0, free maintenance plan).

Service Campaigns:
There was just one recall in the past year. It was an issue the service center handled without us asking. Apparently, there was a service bulletin (MSP48) out for loosening bolts on the liftgate. Those were inspected and torqued to spec under warranty, all while our car was in for an oil change.

Fuel Economy and Resale Value

Observed Fuel Economy:
Our CX-9 Grand Touring AWD was EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined (21 city/26 highway). We averaged 20.9 mpg after 22,000 miles. We broke the 26 mpg barrier on a half-dozen occasions. One such time, we set a range record of 461 miles. But the highway miles were neutralized by a slew of fill-ups in the high teens.

Resale and Depreciation:
The MSRP on our 2016 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD was $43,620. In one year we rolled the odometer up to 22,326 miles. In this condition, the Edmunds TMV Calculator valued the CX-9 at $31,096 based on a private-party sale. Depreciation was rather high, at nearly 29 percent of the original MSRP based on a private-party sale.

Our 2016 Honda Pilot depreciated 17 percent, and our 2014 Toyota Highlander 14 percent, under similar conditions. Coincidentally, our last long-term CX-9 also depreciated 28 percent back in 2008.

Summing Up

Pros:
Capable of over 400 miles between fuel fill-ups and higher mpg than most rivals. A driver's seat supportive enough to remain comfortable over those long drives. Thoughtful family touches, namely for those in the child car-seat years.

Cons:
Despite a combined rating of 23 mpg, we averaged just 21 mpg in 22,000 miles. Its four-cylinder engine is not as fast as some six-cylinder competitors. Interior space is not as functional as others.

Bottom Line:
The Mazda CX-9 is worth consideration for its differences. Our as-tested mpg is among the best in the three-row SUV class, even if the EPA says it should be better. The Mazda also feels more nimble than many of its peers. It's arguably the most stylish. But don't buy it for the resale value since it doesn't historically hold up well.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.