2013 MAZDA CX-9

Bad transmission / torq. conv. & NHTSA: Bad brakes

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 1 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 3

We have a 2013 CX-9. Since we've owned it the torque converter and new transmission were completely faulty and replaced, the brake booster, lower control arms (and now front ball joint). The brake booster problem has existed on other Mazda vehicles dating back to 2003 (over 10 years). in 2012 Government investigated problems of leaking master brake cynlinders of 2008 Mazda CX-9. NHTSA already investigated the 2010-2011 CX-9's and Mazda "extended the warranty" on those vehicles. What about the 2013 CX-9's? Why was the problem not yet remedied on the 2013? I have COMPLETELY lost confidence in the Mazda brand: brakes, transmission and steering. It's a great vehicle, but what good is a vehicle if you cannot stop or steer or have power to the transmission? Safety should be FIRST priority and MAZDA has failed miserably with these issues (especially brakes). The brake booster was supposedly "fixed" under warranty, The next day the orange wrench mechanic light illuminated on the dashboard and cruise control broke. It turns out the brake booster was still faulty. We took it back and they have supposedly "fixed it this time". This is the 3rd major repair of this vehicle and it is now less than 3 years old! I do not think I would buy another Mazda again.

Awesome Ride

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 4

Disappointing Investment

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 2

I leased a 2008 CX9 Grand Touring for two years then purchased it. At first I was pleased with the vehicle then the issues start. At approximately 50,000 miles I lost my brakes, seems it was a power bust unit. I had clients in my car when it happened. I contacted Mazda and was told there was nothing they could or would do about a potential safety issue. In fact the representative bordered on rude. Since I then the bluetooth unit stopped working, I was quoted around $1,300 to repair. For no apparent reason periodically when I turn off the car the a/c fans start. Also when the wipers are set on auto on a dry sunny day the wipers start. Mazda had no answer for these issues My mechanic tells me it sounds like a wheel bearing is wearing - never had that issue with any other car. The key fobs are held together with tape so the keys don't fall out. The majority of these issues started when the car had roughly between 50,000 and 60,000 miles. I did contact Mazda and was told I was on my own. The issues continue, the rubber button on the door lock as fallen out this no longer works. Can't even imagine what this would cost to repair. Over mechanically it's not bad but I would say poor in the area of fit and finish. I have owned two Toyotas both went well over 200,000 miles without any real issues except general maintenance and an Acura that I traded in at 200,000 miles (unfortunately on the Mazda). I hold no hope the Mazda will come close to this type of reliability.

Buy a Pilot or Highlander

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 3

This is an update to my earlier review. Do not buy this car. Yes it handles and accelerates well and is roomy and fairly fun to drive. Downsides are manifold. Compared to the 2009 CX9 I owned: The 2013 continues with poor gas mileage in a range of 12 mpg to 20 mpg. The sheet metal is thinner hence the car easily picks up dings. The NAV system is useless so I don't use it. The transmission has a mind of its own. It is rough and clunks and bangs when shifting to drive at times. It downshifts randomly when tapping the brakes. The front brake rotors have warped so the brakes pulsate dramatically. One on the key fobs has already died. The central locking system is unintuitive and frustrating. I am generally a Mazda fan but they decided to cheapen this car. There are a lot of good cars on the market today and these named flaws are unacceptable.

I cannot wait for my lease to end

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 1 Value Rating: 3

I now had my 2013 CX-9 for 27 months and have logged 14k miles. To date both key fobs do not work (one is used by my wife and one by me on weekends). The navigation freezes at the exact moment you need it. The exterior sheet metal easily bends. Gas mileage is weak (but I knew this going int the lease). Other then the above the car will meet expectations.

Good car minus the navigation

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 5

I have owned this car for two years now. I got it when I had two kids I now have 3. Overall we have run out of room. My 6'5 husband puts either the driver or passenger seat all the way back causing cramping in the 2nd and third row. It creates constant fights with my kids as they then both adjust their seats trying to get more room. You can't fit 3 car seats across the 2nd row. I can barely do a Costco run with 1/2 a third row up. The navigation is horrific and always freezes leaving me to pull over and enter my destination in my cell. My husband hates my navigation and refuses to use it. When it does work, the directions are not great.

Not as good as my 2009 CX 9

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3

I came from a 2009 Mazda CX 9 Sport AWD which I absolutely loved. Not a single problem with the 09. I knew that the '13 was almost identical to the previous model year 9's but with more technological safety features. I had to have a rear view back up camera. The Blind Side Monitoring system is wonderful. Although the New Grand Touring (GT) came with 20 inch wheels, I didn't really feel a big difference in ride quality. The wheels are stylish but not chrome. As another reviewer stated, the sheetmetal is not as it was in previous years and easily prone to dings. The newer model's glove box has no locking mechanism and the coin storage drawer is gone.

My 2nd CX-9

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

I previously had a 2009 model I put 92,000 miles on and was happy. This new model (2013) not so much. The sheet metal seems thinner as the car easily picks up dings and dents. The front brakes are pulsating and I do not drive the car hard. The transmission constantly downshifts as soon as I tap the brakes and this is irritating. The car sometimes clunks into gear when shifting from park to drive. Finally, the central locking system is not intuitive. I park in the garage and leave the keys in the vehicle. On several occasions the car has mysteriously locked itself. Thankfully I have a spare key in the house. Still a decent car but would not buy again.

Excellent 7 seat SUV

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

After a lot of research we decided to get the 2014 CX-9 Touring AWD with the Tech Package to replace our aging minivan. Some of the other vehicles we test drove were the Dodge Durango and Honda Pilot. The CX-9 had the best combination of interior space, looks, features, car-like driving experience and value for money. After a month of driving around we have been really satisfied with the vehicle. The vehicle is easy to drive and park which is unusual considering its large size. The Touring w/tech package offers a lot of near luxury features(Navigation, Moonroof, heated seats, leather, Bose speaker) but still keeps the sticker price reasonable for a large SUV.

Good but could be much better

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 4

This car is fun to ride and very comfortable. Fuel consumption a little high. Worst by far are the Navigation System, voice recognition and the electronic interfaces, such as the Sirius radio and Bluetooth. Those do not seem to have even been Beta Tested, such a poor design that makes you wonder about the rest of the car. Sad part is that it it is just poor software, which needs an urgent upgrade.

Almost 3 years old and still love this car

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

I have had this car for 3 years now and am still so glad I made the decision to go with CX-9 rather than Toyota Highlander. The care still looks and rides like new. I have been diligent about scheduled maintenance but that is all that has been done as far as repairs. The care has been extremely reliable with only 2 very minor recall notices that the dealer took care of immediately and gave me a loaner to use while they had the car for a few hours. I still love the ride and feel of this crossover compared to others I test drove and friend's cars I have ridden in. It accelerates and handles more like a sports car than an SUV. It corners well and I love the blind spot monitoring for changing lanes and the mirror tilt when in reverse for parallel parking. The technology is great and enhances safety and driving enjoyment with the ability to pair my phone, tablet, etc for calls, texts and music. The new model year looks even better, with a more luxurious and upgraded interior and better MPG, but the way this car is holding up I will be keeping it for many more years.

Initial review: Great!

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: Value Rating:

It has been almost 3 years since before deciding on the CX-9 Grand Touring Tech to replace my '04 Highlander. I still really like the vehicle. Great vehicle for the price. The ride is very nice and although the 20's do make the ride a tad rougher (as reviewers have said), overall the ride is more than acceptable. Vehicle has acceptable power, which is helpful as I live in a hilly area. Gas mileage is right around 18. I do much more city driving than highway and I'd love it if the mileage was better, but it's acceptable. I do a lot of listening to streaming audio and podcasts so the tech is important to me, and my only gripe. System talks to Android for text interface, but doesn't "see" android for music. Music player has more functionality for ios platforms than Android. If car is parked for a couple of days--like at an airport--you have to reconnect phone as the system loses connectivity. Gracenote feature has never worked for me, even after attempting to update. I hope that the updated version of the car cures these problems. I'm definitely considering another CX-9 when this lease is up.

Excellent Vehicle to drive

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

The Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring that I recently bought is awesome. Nice feeling when you drive it, superior technology package, comfort and have 7 seats!!! . Thanks to George Dupuy who took the time to show this excellent vehicle to my wife with all the details. The test drive was a great experience to make the final decision to buy this car.

Car or brand...

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

Bought spanking new CX9 AWD and was super excited. The drive is nice though the voice interface can be improved. Alas this was short lived and not to mention super frustating. So much so that I have decided to let go of the vehicle at a lose. Why... because Mazda sold me a car for which they do not have spare parts. My car is in workshop for more than a month for simple parts like bumber and grill. They do not even have eta on the back orders. The Customer service is no help and would not even consider a loner car. I am spending from my pocket. Even after the car is fixed I have lost complete faith in the brand. Please do share this critical info with friends.

Go zoom zoom mommy

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Just got our new CX-9 in May. We have already put nearly 6000 miles on it, and have loved every mile. My daughter likes to say go zoom zoom mommy, so I do. It is so much fun to drive and comfortable for the whole family on our long road trips. We love it. And the staff at Freeway Mazda in Ogden were all great to deal with.

Excellent family car

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

Recently turned in our Lexus RX 350, looking to spend a little less this time around. The car is great (it's my second Madza; I also have a Mazda3). The only two things I can think of to complain about are the navigation screen is a bit small, and the interior material just feel a little cheap. But I guess they have to cut corners somewhere if I'm going to save this much $$$!! Otherwise the car is great!

Large SUV that Drives Like a Car!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I have had my Cx-9 Grand Touring since January and love everything about it. I even like driving to work! I test drove the 4 Runner and Explorer but didn't like either one. The 4 Runner felt rough like I was driving a truck and you definitely heard and felt the engine working. I also didn't like being on a truck axel. I loved the Exterior of the Explorer, but felt the steering was too loose. I looked at the CX-9 once we read all of the great reviews. When we test drove, it was my favorite by far and it was the best value- a winning combination. Usually my favorite is the most expensive one! The steering responds extremely well and the V6 is the perfect amount of pick up.

Sooooo not the minivan

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I just purchased my CX9 and let me tell you, I am loving it. I did not want to get out of it after my first drive to work. The interior is very comfortable and the small touches that Mazda has added are really nice. For instance, there is a little well in the center console for your USB or charger cord to rest in, so that you can fully close the console. The all weather mats were standard on my model and I love them too! I drove others, such as Ford, GMC, Chevy, and never felt like I was LOVING driving them. Once I saw the CX9 reviews, I thought I would try it, and am so glad I did. This car is VERY fun to drive. I am so ready for my first road trip in about 3 weeks!

From 7 to 1

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

Test drove 7 SUVs and all were nice and capable but the CX-9 was the only one that really excited me after the test drive. Pilot, Traverse, and Pathfinder were too cavernous. Explorer had too many bad reviews (here, CR) and I rented one for a weekend and it was falling apart at 1700 miles. Acadia was overpriced. Durango was a really nice ride and came in a very close second but was probably more SUV than I needed (I don't tow). The CX-9 website does not do justice to the looks of this SUV. It is very sharp looking and people have given me nice compliments. Got it last week and drove 2 hours to Boston this weekend. So comfortable. Didn't want the drive to end. Fit kids and luggage no prob

Great Car so far

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

I have about 500 miles on my 2013 CX9 AWD Grand Touring SUV. I wanted reliability, a good array of technical options, comfort, quite ride and seven seats. I looked over a variety of options - the GM suite of products (Enclave, Acadia, Traverse), Toyota Highlander, BMW X5 and Acura MDX. I added the CX9 to the list after seeing its consumer rated reliability index was a 92, higher than the Highlander. My decision came down to the Highlander and CX9. Did not trust the GM products, Acura MDX is too expensive, same with the X5. Compared to the Highlander Ltd, the CX9 GT has a better middle seat, better technical options, a better ride, and is a much better value. Paid $37k out the door for min

don't buy from Byers Mazda- Columbus Ohio

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

CX-9 is a great car. Very good quality, great Value. Compare it to all 7 seaters- CX 9 is the best value. I got my for $34,000 - Grand Touring - best value on the market I was very disappointed with Byers Mazda - Columbus Ohio - actually with their service department. The outside mirror is shaking a lot, so I went there to ask the to fix it. It's bean almost a 6 months and I have been given all kind of excuses not to fix it - very disappointed.