Mazda CX-9 - 4 Year Ownership Review 

and then you meet your friend head gasket lol

@@Rshafer984 just looking at a 2021 with 23k miles . Do they have a head gasket issue ? Is this the 3.3 turbo or the 2.5 turbo ?

Thanks man I have several albums on iTunes, Amazon, spotify as well if you like it! I'm about to push out quite a few videos on a project car Im picking up so stay tuned...

How has the car held up for you? Test drove this exact car today and sleeping on it for the rest of the weekend

@@JD022 I have a 2020 CX-9 GT with 60,000 miles. So far so good. No issues.

Hey - I’ve had 2 Mazda’s… first generation CX5 I bought in fall 2012… traded in on 2015 CX9 in December 2015 when I hit 212K miles (clearly I drive ALOT for my job). My CX9 now has 142K miles (thanks to no longer being on the road for work). I tell you this because I have had ZERO problems with either Mazda. Routine maintenance, tires, batteries- that is it!!! Yes - I highway drive primarily, but the last 2 years the CX9 has be short in-town trips. I’m keeping it until I hit 200K then will trade for a new CX9. I LOVE the way Mazda’s drive and the reliability is stellar.

I was also thinking about a 2014 traverse but instead i decided to get this

Yep Mazda added cooled (ventilated) seats in 2019. That wasn't an option in my 2016 Sig, but I have them in my Infiniti so it's all good. Living in FL I find them far more useful than the heated seats ☺️

What year CX5? Does it have the turbo?

@@JohnJohnson-kg4ek 2014 no turbo, now 171k miles.

Awesome. Our cx-9 has been great 7.5 years now so hope your experience is as well!

Nah man they're really nice, can't blame you there!

Is basically the same size and length of BMW x5, Mercedes GLE or even Lexus RX. The only difference is the third row which are only for emergency. So it doesn't look like big family car.

My wife drives her CX9 on The ladies Miata runs and she is the sweep and has no trouble keeping up on the twisty back country roads.

I am single with no kids - I am planning to buy this. I just like the versatility and possibilities. CX 9 still feels like a smaller car than it actually is.

Thanks Riah. All good choices and we looked at all of those. I like the Durango, but my folks have had 3 dodges and had transmission problems with all 3 so we steered away on that account. I thought I would love the mdx and I did, until I drove the cx-9 and ironically it felt more premium to me than the Acura, particularly in the Signature trim. Also it was a good bit cheaper which was a win win. I definitely suggest driving all 3 and see which one speaks to you!

Thanks Riah. All good choices and we looked at all of those. I like the Durango, but my folks have had 3 dodges and had transmission problems with all 3 so we steered away on that account. I thought I would love the mdx and I did, until I drove the cx-9 and ironically it felt more premium to me than the Acura, particularly in the Signature trim. Also it was a good bit cheaper which was a win win. I definitely suggest driving all 3 and see which one speaks to you!

@@GQ37official thanks for taking the time to explain! The reliability of the Durango is def something that keeps me from going all in. And yes! The signature looks so good, even 4 years later.

@@riahs.7578 We bought a black CX-9 last September and we love it! I powder coated the wheels black and I have been asked by countless people where I found my car. The black wheels take it to a different level.

if you get a durango, be ready to spend a lot of $$$ on gas, other than that, I LOVE DODGE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT, this is coming from a guy who has been driving Mercedes ML55, ML63 (AMGs). Durango has really kick ass power, and OMG it's so reliable car comparing to my MB AMGs.

thanks for watching. yea I've heard there have been some paint recalls on the paint flaking as well, especially the Soul Red Crystal Metallic, beautiful color though. I've been detailing cars for about 20 years and this is my 3rd Mazda, so far I'd say the paint is probably better on it than my Infiniti. 🤷‍♂ Who knows, like you said you just gotta be careful when detailing it and don't go crazy with compound / polish and steer clear of the edges when buffing. (good rules of thumb for any car though)

Thanks it's still been good so far. Had to take it in recently for a weird reving thing it was doing when put in park, took them a few weeks to figure out what that was, ended up being a fuel pump which was thankfully covered under the lifetime warranty. (I'll do a video about that soon) Got to drive the cx90 during that time and was glad to get back in our cx9. Here's a more up to date video I did comparing cx9 vs cx90 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6JRwrRP-k3A.htmlsi=dzoSQaPmaNkSz4Va

@@GQ37official Thanks !

glad the video was helpful, we've loved the vehicle every step of the way so far. Yes I've seen the apple car play update and a lot of owners have jumped on that. I don't have an iphone currently so I haven't done it. Though it's also good for android as well I believe, the only thing I use my phone with the vehicle for other than calls is occasionally pandora / bluetooth streaming which it already does without the update so I haven't messed with it, but I'm in the CX-9 facebook group and the owners that do have it seem happy with it and say it's worth the install. Hope that helps.

I did the update and it's well worthed!

@@JaywunMendoza what vehicle model/year did you do the update on? I was looking at purchasing a 2016 CX-9 GT and if its eligible I’ll definitely purchase

@@CJandAna 2017 but starts at 2016.

That's really great from Mazda, When I checked for 2018 Audi Q5 they told me to go for after market...

Yep they added the ventilated seats in 2019. That's the only thing I wish my 2016 Signature had, but it'll be in my CX-90 or whatever replaces this. Not in a hurry though, still love this one!

@@GQ37officialif you have lifetime warranty on engine, why not keep it many years?

@@djkenny1202 I am, that's why I'm not in a hurry to replace. I've owned this one since 2016 and I still like the way it looks better than the cx-90 🤷‍♂️ About to hit 90k miles.....

@@GQ37official oh, man.. its a baby! Ill keep my 15 Scion XB manual at least another 10-15 years. Japanese cars are great long term.

@@GQ37official the new inline 6 is said to be really cramped. Services could be much more expensive as repairs rear their head.

No, thankfully haven't had any issues and my dealer offers a lifetime power train warranty which made me feel better about buying a first year production turbo. The Infotainment screen has a recall from Mazda for the screens even if it's out of warranty. Unfortunately a lot of owners haven't gotten them fixed so if you see one at a dealer that has the defect have them fix it first, it's free since it a recall, but I would have them do it before you buy it since its a manufacturer recall

Haven't experienced that one, but good to know. Thanks 👍

On some of the early vehicles Mazda didn’t tighten down the strut top and strut brace tight enough. As for the brake pad noise, the link below is the tsb to fix that issue static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10173099-0001.pdf

My husband's 17 CX-9 is having this issue. We've tried so many things including tightening the bolts and it's still doing the noise. Hopefully we figure out what it is soon. We also had the issue with the cylinder head cracking where the turbo heat caused fractures where it meets. Extended warranty covered the engine replacement since they don't recommend just replacing the head as they redesigned the part to endure more pressure and heat. There is also an issue where the front bumper on the passenger side will crack for no reason. Just because of the way it sits there's a lot of extra stress on it. Unfortunately none of these very well known issues aren't recalls and Mazda offers no assistance with repair. My 16 Mazda 6 is absolutely amazing though and I've never had a single issue out of it. It's also really fun to drive and it broke my heart when they discontinued them.

@@MirandaTess your noise issue might be the strut mounts. I currently have this issue. It's worst when it's cold. As for the cylinder head cracking, it's not a common issue as when I worked for Mazda as a tech I only seen this happen twice but the cx9 didn't sell in large numbers. The bumper cracking on the corner where it meets the fender is another known issue which I currently have on my cx9 which I'll be fixing with fiberglass resin. These are known issues some more than others but overall it's a great vehicle. Currently my 2018 has 150k miles and all I did was basic maintenance and transmission service every 60k and sparkplugs every 40k

You're very welcome glad you found this helpful. it's been the perfect amount for us we never use the third row so I keep the third row always folded down I forget that it's even there. We drove the Honda pilot as well but my wife and I both liked the Mazdas looks and it's driving characteristics more so, also we felt the interior seemed more upscale. My Mazda is currently in the body shop as I hit a deer on the way home from a gig recently. I have a Toyota 4Runner as a rental in the meantime, on paper it's slightly bigger at about 46 cubic feet with the third row folded down, however, it doesn't seem any bigger in the cargo space (definitely a taller vehicle and much more bumpy) I'm hauling the same things that I do in my Mazda with the same amount of space left over so I don't really notice any difference other than the shape... The cargo opening is a little taller as the vehicle is taller so it seems that the extra cargo space is vertical and not width or depth, so it would probably be a pretty similar situation with the Honda pilot. 🤷‍♂️ As always I suggest driving both back to back on the same day if possible and seeing where your heart leads you. Good luck !!

@@GQ37official awesome thank you so much! Yeah that was my hope that the cargo area is perhaps lost in terms of height. Definitely going to see both in person but was just curious. Think I’ll be getting a cx9 unless something really wows me with the Pilot. Thanks again for your video and response!

yep, they added that in 2019. I love them in my Infiniti, unfortunately it wasn't an option on the Mazda in 2016 when I bought my CX-9.

Hey, that's a great question. I've owned 9 Nissan/ Infiniti products including 2 G37s (sedan and coupe), G35 coupe, 2 FX35's, currently a QX70 Limited and I'm on my 3rd 350z now lol....all that to say, I'm a Nissan / Infiniti fan, but for the most part their newer vehicles just aren't doing it for me, namely due to CVT transmissions and no true replacement for the FX37/QX70 in a RWD CUV kind of segment. The new QX60 doesn't have the CVT though so I'm eager to drive one at some point, as it does look nice. I didn't care for the previous generation QX60 which I tested before buying my wife's Mazda CX9 back in 2016, I liked the Mazda better than the FWD QX60 and the Acura MDX for whatever reason. The new, QX60 certainly looks nice and like Infiniti is trying to real things back in. I have yet to drive one or see one in person so I don't really have an opinion yet. In a few years when it's time to replace our Mazda for main family hauler duty I may look into driving one and compare it to the new Mazda CX-90 offerings and others such as the Genesis GV80. Last year I sold the FX35 I fixed up here on the channel and my beloved G37 coupe in favor of a 2017 QX70 for my music hauling needs (no regrets) I hope Infiniti brings back the soul of the FX in the future

Thankfully none so far. Just basic maintenance.

Yea that's a safety thing. It's touch screen as well, but the screen is kind of far away to access when driving so the wheel is much more intuitive while driving for the design flow position from the driver. I'm sure it's about to change with the soon to be released CX-90

It's been great so far. Had it 6 years now and just routine maintenance

Yea the paint isn't good on these. Mine the clear coat on the wheels was peeling after about 2-3 years. Mazda wouldn't honor it so I sanded them and painted them black

@@GQ37official how many miles do you have on your CX-9 ?

@@Matys1975 86k mine is a 2016

@@GQ37official ok not too bad for a 2016. I have 60k on a 2020. I have had no issues with pealing clear coat on the wheels, just rock chip damage from a lot of highway driving

Haha probably. Most of our driving is highway, where we average 24-25 most of the time and 21 city

Weather tec

They changed the body style to this version in 2016 which is what I have. Normally I don't recommend the first year model run of a new body style as they haven't had time to work out the kinks yet, but we needed a 3rd row vehicle asap when we were getting this and out of everything I drove the Mazda stood out. I got the extended warranty just to be safe and we've been blessed with ours and haven't had to use the warranty. Though it does have a lifetime warranty on engine and drive train. That said I would recommend a 2019 or newer if it's in the budget as 2019 they made several renovations such as the ventilated (cooled) seats , bucket seats are also an option on these later model years for the 2nd row and apple car play / android auto standard on Touring, Grand Touring and Signature models. I believe they also remedied some issues with the engine block / manifolds that some people were having cracking issues. This is the third Mazda I've owned and never had any serious issues with any of them thankfully. Like any brand there's a few bad apples here and there that are squeaky wheels on the reviews and forums, but they are not the norm nor the majority. I'm a big advocate for Mazda as well as Nissan / Infiniti (as long as they don't have a cvt transmission haha). hope that helps

@GQ37official thanks very helpful!!

yep, they added that in 2019. Wasn't an option in 2016 unfortunately.

I've got 86k miles on it now (2016) it's been a great vehicle so far.

@@GQ37official thanks for that I’ll be picking one up tomorrow she has about 95miles on it I’m really hoping it’s as reliable as they are beautiful

Yep just did this comparison video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6JRwrRP-k3A.htmlsi=W_bMbIG2eaVVUW7B

Nope, it's been great so far. No regrets

I'm not a fan of them either, but it's my wife's car and she wanted it on there so 🤷‍♂️

You just have to get a steering wheel cover that have a trim in a red like that matches the Napa red interior. I got one from Amazon that looks really nice and most importantly feels like it’s part of the car.

@@alexduong4207 why even bother with one though? What's wrong with the steering wheel on its own?

Mazda has the cheapest steering wheels though. All the used Mazdas I looked at had them peeling. None of my other cars had that issue.

lol. Thanks for watching, but you're behind a bit. I did a whole series on building my music vehicle, which i then sold and got my current music vehicle. You should watch some of my newer videos 😂

I guess that's personal preference and perhaps dependent on trim level. I can't say I've had any gripes with the seats, the nappa leather in my signature feels well bolstered, perhaps not as much as my Infiniti, but definitely not uncomfortable to me. It absorbs bumps in the road quite a bit better and smoother than my Infiniti QX70 and I'd say it handles well for a vehicle if it's size the way my wife has no problem taking corners on 2 wheels in it 😂 🤷‍♂️

That's a Mazda recall that's covered. Everytime I take it to my dealership they ask if mine has done it and check it to see if it needs replacement. 🤷‍♂️

Sorry to hear that. In the past few years a lot of 2016s and 2017s have been affected by that. Was yours in that year range? Apparently we were fortunate with ours and never experienced that. We did just experience a 1 of 1 problem though that they had never seen and were unable to fix after 4 attempts so they bought it back from us. Will do a video on that soon and the replacement…

The new cx90 has an inline six turbo. Here’s my comparison on that. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6JRwrRP-k3A.htmlsi=oENk0cdOw0RmbG2P

That's another good choice too; especially for performance minded it's definitely a faster vehicle... the interior quality just didn't do it for me.

Ford Explorer I have heard are also not as reliable

@@naumanshah5019 Ford is simple junk

Don't do it! I turned it in due to a blown head gasket at 100k miles. Great interior and features, not a keeper though. I had friends with starter issues and one that would literally slow down and go powerless.

👍

It’s like old school western vibe. I like it.