In the large SUV market, which generally focuses on off-road performance and neglects handling, the existence of the Mazda CX-9 is like a breath of fresh air, and its driving experience is more like a small car, so in the United States, the Mazda CX-9 has always been considered an SUV produced for "football mom".
 
From the point of view of parameters, the powertrain of Mazda CX-9 seems to be a bit backward, in today's eight-speed and nine-speed transmissions, Mazda CX-9 still uses a six-speed gearbox, but its driving experience is extremely relaxed, except for the steering wheel is too tight when making continuous sharp turns, it is very suitable for ladies to drive under normal circumstances, after all, most women have no intention of racing with others on the road. The 2.5T version of the CX-9 measured fuel consumption at 22 mpg (approx. 10.70 l/100km) in Consumer Reports, which makes the car have little fuel economy due to its high dead weight.
 
The ride of the Mazda CX-9 is comfortable, and even the 20-inch wide tires do not affect the shock absorption of the suspension. Tested by Consumer Reports, the Mazda CX-9's noise isolation is as good as the Toyota Highlander, and it won't wake up a baby sleeping in the back seat at all. The fly in the ointment is that the CX-9's steering wheel is too close to the driver, and the gap between the two pedals is too small, probably to take care of the petite female driver. The rear seats are well padded, but they can't be adjusted in height, and like many large SUVs, the Mazda CX-9 has a narrower view of the rear.
 
The Mazda CX-9 also has some issues in terms of quality, with Consumer Reports expecting its reliability to be only average. Suspension and braking failures were more common after three years, but fortunately, the powertrain performed consistently and did not let the Mazda CX-9 continue to lose points.
 
The Mazda CX-9 also doesn't look like a Japanese car in terms of safety. Since the CX-9 was introduced to IIHS testing, its frontal small-angle overlap collision has been poor, and the top impact, headrest, and seat have been average. Moderate overlapping frontal collisions and side collisions are preferred. Does not meet the highest safety standards. In addition, as an SUV produced for Bao Ma, its children's seat is not too easy to install.
Mazda CX-9 test report