2023 Mazda CX-9

CX-9 Sport highlights:

• 7.0-inch MZD Connect touchscreen
• Satellite navigation
• Apple CarPlay + Android Auto (wired)
• 18-inch alloy wheels with 255/60 tyres
• Automatic LED headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Head-up display
• Three-zone climate control
• Six-speaker sound system
• DAB+ digital radio
• Push-button start
• Automatic high-beam
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Reversing camera with rear parking sensors
• Tilt-and-telescoping steering column
• Off-road traction assist (AWD models only)

CX-9 Touring adds:

• 9.0-inch MZD Connect touchscreen
• Paddle shifters
• LED fog lights
• Leather upholstery (black)
• Keyless entry
• Front parking sensors
• Heated front seats
• Eight-way power driver’s seat
• Six-way power passenger’s seat
• Rear centre armrest with storage and USB ports
• One-touch tilt and slide switch for second row

CX-9 GT adds:

• 10.25-inch Mazda Connect infotainment
• Qi wireless smartphone charger
• 20-inch alloy wheels with 255/55 tyres
• Hands-free power tailgate
• Power tilt-and-slide sunroof
• Leather seats (black, natural stone or beige)
• 12-speaker 294W Bose sound system
• 10-way power driver’s seat with memory
• Heated second row seats (outboard only)
• Third-row USB ports

CX-9 GT SP adds:

• Leather seats (burgundy)
• Red interior highlights
• Dark gunmetal grille
• Black mirror caps
• Black 20-inch alloy wheels

CX-9 Azami adds:

• Adaptive LED headlights
• Windscreen de-icer
• 7.0-inch driver's supervision display
• Heated steering wheel
• Frameless rear-view mirror
• Ventilated front seats
• Surround-view camera
• Real wood trim
• LED centre console ambient lighting
• Quilted Nappa leather upholstery (brown or white)

CX-9 Azami LE adds:

• 2+2+2 seat configuration
• Power-adjustable, heated/ventilated second-row captain’s chairs
• Second-row centre console

The seven-seater SUV is best suited to families with five or more passengers. The third-row seats may not be ideal for large adults but they will certainly do the job for small children.

Although Mazda may not be a luxury brand, the interior fit and finish of the higher spec variants certainly competes with the likes of Audi and BMW for interior quality and refinement.

For the 2022 model year, the CX-9 is available in the following finishes:

• Machine Grey metallic*
• Polymetal Grey metallic*
• Soul Red Crystal metallic*
• Snowflake White Pearl mica
• Sonic Silver metallic
• Titanium Flash mica
• Deep Crystal Blue mica
• Jet Black mica

*Premium finishes cost $495

The Mazda CX-9 requires servicing every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

The first five services are cost the following:

• 12 months or 10,000km: $378
• 24 months or 20,000km: $424
• 36 months or 30,000km: $378
• 48 months or 40,000km: $424
• 60 months or 50,000km: $378

In short, the CX-9 drives wonderfully. With its polished powertrain and accomplished ride, the big Mazda hits it out of the ballpark in what are arguably the two most important areas.

No perceivable turbo lag, impressive response, ample torque on board to rarely demand raising its pulse above 2000-2500rpm during urban driving, the 2.5L unit is a gem of an engine, proof positive that Mazda should invest more in spread turbocharging further throughout its range.

It’s an excellent six-speed automatic, too, that might appear slim in its ratio count compared with some competition offering up to eight speeds, but doesn’t really suffer because of it mostly because the engine it’s paired with is gutsy enough down low and, being petrol, has a high rpm ceiling if you ever feel the need to use it – and you rarely do.

It’s a quiet powertrain, too, but lean into it and there’s pleasingly raspy note and it’s even a touch sporty. There’s a choice of drive modes but, realistically, there’s enough pep in the reserves that there’s not much cause to go fiddling with the mode selector.

Premium, as in genuinely premium? You bet. Some big dollar Euro SUVs could benefit with the sort of classy refinement the Mazda offers at a mainstream budget.

It’s the very same story with the ride quality. Sure, it sits on large 20-inch wheels with a lot of mass those passive dampers need to contend with across bumps and lumps, but thanks to the deft tuning – aided no doubt by the thick 50-series tyres – the ride compliance is, as we’ve noted in reviews past, beautiful.

The suspension filters out the small road imperfections with ease, absorbs big hits gently, settling nicely and quickly in the wash-up. This is the sort of deft execution you expect from more thoroughbred adaptive damping and, on balance, the Mazda rides better than the fancier air-sprung designs common in much more upmarket offerings, many of which lack the natural and assertive body control the Mazda enjoys. Yes, it’s that good.

The CX-9 backs up its powertrain and suspension finery with excellent resistance to extraneous noise, with very little rumble from those broad 255mm tyres and a proper sense of bank vault surety between the cabin, the road and the environment. It can dial up a level of serenity that’s seriously impressive, the sort of ambience comfort you’d expect from bona-fide luxury motoring.

Between its manners on the move and the welcoming cabin space, the CX-9 makes for a superb open-road tourer and long hauler, the sort of machine that really has your back across the tyranny of distance. Thus tasked, the adaptive cruise works well and the active assistance systems aren’t too intrusive and bothersome.

It really does very little, if anything, poorly in the driving or passenger-ing experience, certifying itself as Mazda’s flagship in dignified execution moreso than anywhere else.

Like its CX-8 sibling, the larger CX-9 is a little tough to judge when parking, not for lack of visibility but just because it’s quite a large unit.

Otherwise gripes are very minor – the aforementioned A-pillar thickness that robs a bit of forward vision, a reversing camera with static rather than adaptive guidelines, and the lack of digital speed in the instrument cluster, though this last bit is countered logically with the speed readout in the head-up display.

It’s a class act. And a certifiably premium one at that.

The second-generation Mazda CX-9 was first presented at the 2015 Los Angeles motor show, before launching across various markets including Australia in 2016.

As is typical of Mazda, the CX-9 has been subject to yearly running changes to keep it fresh throughout its life.

Mazda has gone on record saying the current CX-8 and CX-9 will stay on sale while it introduces newer high-end models including the already-revealed CX-60 – as well as the upcoming CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 – though it's believed the CX-8 and CX-9 will blend into the CX-80 and CX-90 as their lifecycles come to an end.

Other than exterior colour and interior upholstery choices (depending on variant), Mazda doesn't offer any cost options on the CX-9.

CX-9 GT models get the choice of Black or Natural Stone leather, while Azami and Azami LE variants can be had with Walnut Brown or Pure White quilted Nappa leather.

The Mazda CX-9 has a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Unlike a slew of other manufacturers, Mazda Australia has gone on record stating our region's high sales volume relative to the rest of the world means our market gets priority production, shortening wait times and minimising specification adjustments.

In February 2022, Mazda's local managing director, Vinesh Bhindi, told CarExpert customers are experiencing average wait times of 3-4 weeks for new vehicles if they weren't already in stock.

The CX-9 has been a popular seller for some time, and in 2021 it returned 6630 registrations – down 1.7 per cent on the year prior.

It was ahead of the Hyundai Palisade (3720) and Santa Fe (5048), as well as the Kia Sorento (5126), but behind the top-selling Toyota Kluger (9320).

Even several years on from launch, the Mazda CX-9 remains one of our top picks in the Large SUV segment.

While it's a little more old-school in terms of its design, the Mazda offers one of the nicest cabins this side of the premium marques, as well as more than enough space and practicality for a growing family.

The GT and GT SP are arguably the best value in terms of price and spec, and we'd recommend going for an AWD model given the 2.5L turbo petrol engine makes a diesel-like 420Nm.

The word 'Azami', used for flagship version of the CX-9, is Japanese for 'greatest' or thistle flower, and is a common girl's name in the country.