2017 Mazda CX-9 Review

Attractive inside and out, the 2017 Mazda CX-9 is more than just a pretty face. Its three rows of seating and loaded feature list will satisfy a growing family's needs, but it's also a genuine pleasure to drive. It's one of the best three-row crossover SUVs out there.

The CX-9 delivers what most SUV owners really want: a high level of comfort and refinement, a lot of room and modern connected conveniences. In its top Signature trim level, the CX-9 even flirts with a look and feel that you'd expect of an Audi or Volvo. It's the most luxurious example in its class. That the CX-9 actually drives pretty well, that it's quick and alert when you bend it into a turn, is icing on the cake.

Taste being subjective, the CX-9 strikes one of the best poses among family SUVs. No safe, middle-of-the-road body design here. This is clean and windswept, with sharp edges and just-right proportions. It won't suit every buyer, but it's a standout look. Inside and around that striking shape is plenty of safety and connected tech (dial-controlled navigation/entertainment system, rearview camera, automatic emergency braking) and an interior highlighted by leather, aluminum and rosewood accents, depending on trim level.

The CX-9 also returns impressive fuel economy for its size, at 25 mpg combined for front-wheel-drive models, 23 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. We actually achieved a little better — 24.4 mpg — in our mixed-driving evaluation loop.

The CX-9 makes some compromises, however. At around 72 cubic feet with second- and third-row seats folded, cargo capacity isn't as cavernous as others in the class and its third row isn't especially accommodating either, at least not compared to a competitor like the Honda Pilot. These are the trade-offs for the impeccable style we lauded earlier. But overall, the CX-9 delivers an all-around package that makes it one of the best three-row SUVs around.

Notably, we picked the Mazda CX-9 as one of Edmunds' Best Used SUVs for 2017.

What's it like to live with?

To learn more about the Mazda CX-9 of this generation, read about our editors' experiences from a full year and 20,000 miles of driving a 2016 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring. We cover everything from seat comfort to real-world fuel economy. We found the CX-9 to be one of the most fun and best-looking SUVs around, but its cargo space might not be enough for some shoppers.