Used 2023 Mazda CX-9 Consumer Reviews
List Price Range
$24,947 - $34,990
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 CX-9, so we've included reviews for other years of the CX-9 since its last redesign.
2023 CX9 Breaks
Doc, 02/08/2023
2023 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Car rides beautifully BUT, after only 1900 miles, the breaks became soft and would slowly go to floor when at a light. Dealer replaced the master cylinder and problem persists. It's been in the shop almost two weeks as they attempt to identify the problem.
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Great Vehicle
Tom, 03/14/2022
2022 Mazda CX-9 Touring Plus 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Interior was well thought out, but the real fun comes from the driving experience. Although some what large, the CX9 is very nimble and sometimes feels like a vehicle half it’s size. Highly recommend.
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2023 Mazda CX-9 for sale
Showing 3 of 958 listings
- Grand Touring 4dr SUVMSRP: $30,590
- Signature 4dr SUVMSRP: $27,999
- Touring Plus 4dr SUVMSRP: $27,590
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20 mpg
FireStation46 , 07/20/2022
2022 Mazda CX-9 Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Bigger than my Chevy Equinox that I sold off to get the CX-9. Did not realize it is the last year for the CX-9. I got the sport edition new, $33k off the lot with 12 miles on it. Better rear view camera, good cross track warning. More room than the equinox which helps when I haul my gear to my hunt club 6 hours away. Only 20 mpg and I am not a lead foot. Driver comfort is fair. Better pick up speed greeting on a highway vs my Honda CRV and Equinox both of which I got rid of. I did put nitrogen in the tyres as Florida heat can be tough on tire wear. This level does not come with XM radio :-(
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Driving enjoyment over utility, thats the CX9.
AJL, 02/07/2024
updated 09/19/2024
2023 Mazda CX-9 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
This is the second Mazda I've owned, the first being a 2008 Mazda 5 (minivan). Mazda's tagline at that time was "Zoom-zoom" and it's still fitting to their vehicles. Mazda puts a premium on the driver and driver enjoyment in their vehicles. Honestly, I've had a BMW 5 series and a 3 series as rental cars and when I got back into this giant Mazda crossover, I wasn't missing much driving enjoyment even though the CX9 is a large and heavy crossover compared to those sedans. That might say more about current BMW than Mazda but I digress. If you like to drive and outright space and utility are not needed, the CX9 is very good. The engine and transmission work very well together. I use premium fuel in mine which raises the power from 227 to 250. Could be all in my head, but it's much happier on premium fuel and it's a difference you can feel, though only slightly. Transmission could use another gear or two; this is only a 6 spd automatic and most others in this class are 8 speeds or more now. At 80 mph, this engine is turning 2500 rpm. This means mileage suffers because the engine is working fairly hard ( though it's very smooth at all times). All highway, steady with the cruise set at 80 means 22 mpg is the best you'll see. Around town with a lot of hills and traffic, 16-18mpg is common. It is a comfortable vehicle. It's quiet and smooth on the highway. Due to the way the engine makes power and the engine/transmission smoothness as well as the handling, it's also very easy to be going faster than you think you are when you're not using cruise control. 90mph when you want 80 is no problem for the CX9. The handling is very confident especially for this class of vehicle. It actually isn't a big deal to drive it fairly hard, it responds well and the brakes are pretty good too. The difference in driving dynamics between the CX9 and our 21 Honda Pilot are night and day. The Honda drives well, but very much like an appliance. The Mazda has a lot more character and capability to it. The CX9 does not have a touchscreen interface for its entertainment system. It uses a rotary controller (similar to a BMW if you're familiar). It's cumbersome at first, especially using CarPlay, but once you get used to it, it's actually better than a touchscreen. Mazda's claim is that it takes less attention away from driving and I can believe it. Sound from the audio system is pretty good, the higher trim packages with the Bose are likely even better. Ours is a basic Touring trim, but it still has leather, heated seats and remote start as well as other creature comforts like power seats. The fit and finish are very well done, this is a Mazda made in Japan after all. Really, the only downside is the lack of space in the vehicle. There is more style over substance here in terms of passenger comfort and storage space. The 3rd row is nearly unusable unless you're 8 years old or less or very small in stature and getting back there is not easy. Not compared to our 2021 Honda Pilot. It's still not great in the Honda, but infinitely better than the CX9. Also, due to the sloping rear roofline, the Mazdas cargo area isn't nearly as useful as the size of vehicle suggests.If you do plan on people in the 3rd row, they will also be resting their heads on the ceiling if they're over 5'7", so if you have tall kids or are planning on a car seat back there, the Mazda may not be for you. The CX9 also lacks a lot of cubby holes and other interior storage which is critical in this class of family cruisers. Now that vehicles are so good, it's the small things that make or break most ownership experiences. The remote start is controlled from a subpar phone app. Also, the remote start turns off the car when you open a door or the hatch, which is stupid to me. On the Touring trim at least, the vehicle does not turn on the seat heaters when cold. One big complaint is that the climate control system is fairly weak ( common among Mazda's apparently, our 5 was no different) but also the fans are very noisy. You have to unlock the doors to open the hatch from the drivers seat. If you like to drive and plan on no more than 4 people in the car, leaving the third row folded down, this is a good choice. It is a comfortable and capable vehicle for a family of 4 or less, though it still lacks some cargo space compared to other options. Fuel mileage is mediocre and it does prefer premium fuel, adding to the cost but also the enjoyment. It has some quirks, all cars do. But if you need room for family or gear (or both) the Mazda lacks the space of others in this class. We leased this CX9 (replacing a 2020 Honda Odyssey minivan) and my wife didn't particularly like, nor could she get comfortable in the CX9. So when my lease expired a few months later, I took over the CX9 and we purchased the used 21 Honda Pilot Touring I've mentioned. The Honda is not nearly as fun to drive, but it is much more useful and that's why you get this class of vehicle ( if you don't want a minivan.) Update: 6 months to go in the Mazdas lease and it's everything I said in my original review. It's the "drivers choice" for three row crossovers ( I would imagine the all new CX90 is as well) but you do give up a lot of utility compared to a similar Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander or Kia Telluride. If space isn't that important but driving feel and response are part of your requirements, the CX9 is a good choice. Fuel mileage is still only so-so (25 mpg is the best I've seen, but mostly 22mpg all highway and 16 around town). I've had no issues with it and it doesn't use any oil. I still find the climate control weak and noisy and some quirks have become more irritating ( the app is slow and buggy, you can't open the rear hatch with the engine running unless you use the release on the hatch) but it's been a solid vehicle. Its much more athletic and enjoyable to drive than it should be for a giant 3 row crossover that doesn't have a European badge on it.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Eddie, 11/18/2022
2022 Mazda CX-9 Signature 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
20 of 28 people found this review helpful
I have a 2022 Signature, and am currently 7 months into ownership. The short comings of this car are plentiful, so I’ll start with the positives. Upon first entering, you’ll be impressed by the seating material, the large screen, and the soft touches over the panels. That first drive, you’ll notice a surprisingly smooth ride, a quiet interior and a torque kick that might make you smirk. The shiny black panels sell into that luxury environment. On paper, the offerings are similar to driving a luxury car, but Mazda has done such a poor job at execution that you could find yourself often frustrated. The quiet ride doesn't last. Rattles have already developed. Gas mileage is horrible. Range anxiety is going to be top of mind given their decision to use 3 of the 6 meters in the dash to measure fuel range. The Bose system is pretty good, and you'll never forget you have a Bose because their decision to place a reflective trim around the tweeter on the dash will ALWAYS reflect - day and night. The heated steering wheel heats strictly at the 3 and 9 positions, with some warmth spilling over to 2, 4, 8 and 10. That would be acceptable, except that 3 and 9 are taken up by the steering wheel pillars. No previous car I've own with heated steering warmed up so little of the steering. The rear hatch opens way too low at its highest setting. At 6ft tall - I'm often hitting my head on it. This is my first large SUV, previously own mid to compact - and none opened so low. The adaptive cruise control lacks the ability to check beyond the set range - making it so that you can't trust it to slow down in time when catching up to traffic. The adaptive headlights jiggle in their housing. When going to a Mazda Service Center - I was told the bouncing around is "by design". So is the nausea that it could induce I suppose? The nice black panels around the interior scuff easily. Very easily. I owned 2 cars previous to this that also had that - and those scuffed up easily too, but what is going on in this CX-9 is on a different level of delicacy. When shopping, the CX-9 wasn't in my top 5. But after researching it, and finding out it was among the highest in reliability, as well as all the offerings it had - on paper, I had to take a look. I was impressed after my first drive. What I didn't know is that it's reliability has less to do with it not being problematic, but that service centers won't fix things or will attribute problems to being "normal behavior". Worse is that the features that put it on par with the luxury brands are not executed as well as, you know - luxury brands. It's all thrown in there almost to appear competitive, and get you to walk out with it. Months into it, after putting some miles and time into it - you'll witness the real personality of the CX-9 - its list of shortcomings would be 3x as long as a list of it's features. My opinion - move on to the next car on your list.
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