Mazda CX-9 vs Volkswagen Touareg

What's the difference?

The CX-9 is still a great option for families looking for a large SUV, even if it is starting to show its age as new rivals continue to launch with newer technologies.

That said, the availability of a luxury-focused six-seat configuration (Azami LE AWD) for the first time might be enough to convince some buyers to give it further consideration.

But for others who need the versatility of seven seats, this is still the CX-9 we’ve all come to know and love – but just a little bit better – particularly in its best-selling Azami AWD form.

The facelifted Touareg is subtly improved across all metrics including price. That's a rare win for a mid-life facelift and should help VW shift more of this accomplished family SUV.

It's not all perfect, with no spare tyre included and the mis-match between braked towing capacity and towball down weight.

The diesel engine is torquey, refined and the 170TDI feels like an awful lot more than a base model with stacks of equipment.

As for the R, it's an expensive flagship with a unique powertrain. One that's very well integrated but the plug-in hybrid experience isn't for everyone. There's no doubting its performance credentials and everyday comfort, though.

No matter the spec, VW's revised Touareg is a family SUV that should definitely make it onto your short list.

Given its latest update is relatively minor, the CX-9’s exterior largely looks the same as before, which, depending on your point of view, is a very good thing. As far as we’re concerned, it certainly is.

That said, train-spotters will notice some differences, with the GT SP (new), Azami and Azami LE (new) grades getting a refreshed grille that’s slotted and available in two grade-specific finishes unlike the insert their carryover Sport, Touring and GT siblings still have. 

And aside from the GT SP, Azami and Azami LE’s new sets of 20-inch alloy wheels (again in grade-specific finishes), the only other exterior change is the Azami and Azami LE’s larger-diameter chrome exhaust tailpipe extensions. Sporty!

Inside, the CX-9 has more changes in store, headlined by the new ‘floating’ 10.25-inch central display all but the Sport and Touring get (they stick with 7.0- and 9.0-inch units respectively).

The new set-up is powered by Mazda’s latest multimedia system, which is certainly an improvement over its predecessor, and a much needed one at that.

Worth noting, touch is not an input method, with the rotary controller on the centre console the only option, which is actually great for safety, so we’re all for it.

The Azami and Azami LE also get new quilted Nappa leather upholstery, which looks and feels great, and adds to the overall high-quality theme.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much business as usual, which is great because the CX-9 has always had a well-designed interior. Yep, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Touareg is an elegant large SUV that has presence in its size, if not eye-catching design flair.

For the facelift, Volkswagen has smartened up the fascia and rear bumper. New 'click clack' front lighting signatures give extra menace while the rear light bar and glowing VW badge let you know this, indeed, is the new Touareg.

Fresh alloy wheels designs are interesting but the R-Line's are a little chunky for my tastes.

Inside, it's a similar story, though worth calling out is the open pore wood trims on 170TDI and Elegance that are so classy compared to the chintz of a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The R gets Lapiz Blue accents and stitching inside though is generally very similar to the other models, meaning you might not feel so justified spending the extra cash.

Fans of light-coloured leather will be glad to hear the 210TDI Elegance can be ordered with Mistral cream leather upholstery for no extra cost.

Being an SUV that’s 5075mm long, 1969mm wide and 1747mm tall, practicality is arguably the most important thing for the CX-9, and with the option of six seats for the first time with the new Azami LE, it’s even more versatile.

All seven-seat grades have a 60/40 split-fold second row that manually slides and reclines the same as before, with only the Sport missing out on one-touch tumble operation, which makes accessing the 50/50 split-fold third row even easier, even if it’s still not graceful.

But the six-seat Azami LE is configured differently, given its second row has two captain’s chairs instead of a bench. That said, it operates in a very similar manner, just with power adjustment.

I still had around eight centimetres of legroom and four of legroom behind my 184cm (6'0") driving position, while the large transmission tunnel that’s a foot-space issue in seven-seat versions... isn’t.

One key difference with the very roomy and comfortable Azami LE is it only has four top-tether child-seat anchorage points, while all other grades have five thanks to their extra seat. Either way, four ISOFIX child-set anchorage points are split across the second and third rows.

Alternatively, the third row can be used by adults on shorter journeys, although they won’t have a lot of space to enjoy. Again, I'm 184cm tall and it’s tight back there, with no headroom or legroom on offer, but children will, of course, fare much better.

The CX-9’s boot is still pretty usable with all three rows in action, with 230L of cargo capacity available, but you can stow the two rear seats to get 810L in total.

And if you want maximum cargo capacity, the middle seats can also be folded, but not in the Azami LE, annoyingly.

Either way, the CX-9 doesn’t have a load lip but does have a flat floor, so loading bulkier items is a cinch, while two bag hooks and four tie-down points are on hand for securing loose items if they can’t fit in the double map pockets on the front seat backrests.

There are two cupholders in the third row, another two in the second row’s fold-down armrest (seven-seater versions) or large centre console (Azami LE), and another two in the first row’s larger centre console, while the front and rear door bins can also take bottles – and other knick-knacks.

All grades get USB ports in the first row, while the Touring and above also have them in the second row, and the GT and above also feature them in the third row. It’d be nice if there was no differentiation, though.

Volkswagen has been busy improving usability of the touchscreen. There is now a vertical row of shortcut buttons for front and rear demisters, air recirculate and other heavily-trafficked functions.

Another row of shortcuts at the top of the screen allow you to a easily jump from navigation to car settings, phone mirroring and back.

Excitingly, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto take full advantage of the massive screen, now running to all four corners.

In general, the user interface is excellent and very user-friendly though there is occasional lag symptomatic of an older-gen processor. Also, when adjusting the HVAC settings, phone mirroring disappears briefly. Annoying but not end-of-world stuff.

Continuing on the theme, VW's customisable digital driver's display is very crisp and can display a map. The new head-up display is bright enough to work with polarised sunglasses, too.

There is plenty of space to stash snacks and drink bottles in the door pockets. Two large cup holders can be found in the centre console, there are three USB-C ports in the front (now 45W instead of 15W) and storage under the supportive armrest.

The back seat is roomy with enough space for three adults across. There's a transmission tunnel but it's low enough not to be too troublesome.

The Touareg's rear doors open wide and are fitted with soft-touch materials as well as classy integrated sun blinds.

With a standard panoramic sunroof, and lots of space between the front seats, vision out is fantastic. The cabin feels light and airy but thanks to tinted glass and powerful four-zone climate control it never gets too hot.

There are also two more USB-C ports and a second 12V socket in a fold out section of the rear console.

As before, the Touareg is only offered with five seats, with no optional third row to match some rivals.

All variants feature a standard power tailgate with auto-close functionality.

The boot has a crucial flaw for Australian buyers, though: no Touareg is equipped with a full-size or space-saver spare tyre. It's an inflation kit or tow truck if you get a flat.

Other attributes, including an 810L maximum space with five seat up or 1800L with the second row folded, are rather stellar. So is the finishing, with quality carpet, a cargo net included, sturdy tie-down points and a classy bag for the PHEV's charging cables.

There are shopping bag hooks on either side, remote pull tabs to fold the 40/20/40 backrest flat and buttons to raise and lower the air suspension for easier loading.

Before we arrive at the driving, we've got to talk price – the reveal was a shock for all the right reasons.

When was the last time a new car arrived with a lower price than its predecessor? Well, the sweet starting price is the main reason behind the Touareg's tardy arrival.

The refreshed Touareg 170TDI entry grade lists at $86,790 before on-road costs, or $2450 less than the car it replaces.

New features include trick HD Matrix LED headlights with 38,000 individual diodes in the pair of front-facing lamps. Their beams can perform a sort of vehicular mating call with jazzy entry animations but their real trick is incredible functionality on dark country roads.

Additionally, the 15-inch 'Innovison' multimedia touchscreen (that finally boasts full-size wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) is now included, rather than being an $8700 option, effectively dropping the price by $10,970.

New ‘Coventry’ 19-inch alloy wheels, open pore wood trim, black 'Vienna' leather upholstery, power-adjust seats with three-stage heating, dual-zone climate control and wireless charging pad round out the spec.

The Touareg is never going to compete at the low end on price with a Kia Sorento, Nissan Pathfinder or Hyundai Palisade but they're not its true rivals.

With MLB underpinnings befitting luxury nameplates (including the Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga), the Touareg's a match for the Volvo XC90 and Lexus RX as well as BMW's X5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The $99,990 210TDI Elegance introduces 20-inch ‘Braga’ alloy wheels, air suspension with adaptive dampers, heated and ventilated seats with massage function and an extra 40kW/100Nm of grunt.

For $10,000 more again, the sporty R-Line gets 21-inch alloys, R-Line body kit, R-Line steering wheel with perforated leather upholstery, black headliner, alarm rear privacy glass, aluminium cabin inserts and upmarket ‘Puglia’ leather upholstery.

The Sound and Comfort pack brings rear seat heating, a Dynaudio premium sound system, quad-zone climate, memory front seats and power-adjust steering column, head-up display, tyre pressure monitoring, soft-close doors, head-up display, and alarm. The cost is $8500 for 170TDI and $8000 for the 210TDI. A panoramic sunroof is $3300 extra.

The R gets everything above paired with 22-inch 'Estoril' alloy wheels, night vision, blue brake calipers, an exterior black pack and R-exclusive steering wheel.

Any colour other than Pure White is gonna set you back a chunk of cash. Four Metallics, Chili red and three monochrome shades each cost $2200 while the blues (Meloe on non-R and Lapiz for R) are $2700 extras.

Rear-wheel steer and active roll stabilisation are exclusive to the R-Line diesel due to the R's battery-related packaging constraints.

All CX-9 grades are powered by a carryover 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, which produces 170kW of power at 5000rpm and 420Nm of torque at 2000rpm.

A six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission is standard, and again, you get the option of front- or all-wheel drive for all grades but one, the AWD-only Azami LE.

If you’re after a diesel-powered seven-seater, Mazda also has the similarly sized CX-8 in its line-up, but it still doesn’t offer a hybrid option in any of its SUVs, even though many rivals are moving in that direction, including the aforementioned Kluger, Santa Fe and Sorento.

The Touareg's core 3.0-litre common rail direct-injection turbo-diesel V6s carry over unchanged developing 170kW (at 4000 rpm) and 500Nm (from 1750-3000 rpm) in 170TDI tune and 210kW/600Nm in the 210TDI.

It's the plug-in hybrid that's interesting. A 3.0-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol V6 teams up with gearbox-mounted 100kW and 400Nm electric motor. An eight-speed transmission means it feels conventional when in petrol (or hybrid) mode with no slurry CVTs.

It means that the Touareg R has the same '4Motion' full-time four-wheel-drive system with mechanical transfer case. Volkswagen uses braking systems to simulate a locking diff for off-roading, known as Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) and Extended Differential Lock (XDL).

According to the official combined fuel consumption figures (ADR 81/02), FWD variants of the CX-9 sip 8.4 litres per 100km, which isn’t too bad for a petrol-powered large SUV that weighs just shy of 1900kg. Claimed carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are 197 grams per km.

And given they weigh a whisker more than two tonnes, AWD versions of the CX-9s drink a slightly higher 9.0L/100km and emit 211g/km.

We covered 188km in the Azami AWD and Azami LE AWD at the CX-9’s launch and recorded 11.5L/100km after primarily driving on country roads and highways.

While that figure is nearly 30 per cent higher than Mazda's claim, it’s not outlandish considering the type of vehicle the CX-9 is. Either way, results will vary.

For reference, AWD variants have a slightly large fuel tank (74L) than their FWD counterparts (72L), but they all take more affordable 91RON petrol at minimum.

Focusing firstly on the R, its fuel consumption is either stellar or proportional for a large SUV, depending on the battery charge and conditions.

The lab-certified 3.3L/100km, though, is fanciful given how most will use this vehicle.

Charged up to 100 per cent, we got 46km from the Touareg's 14.3kWh battery in E-Mode – pretty close to the 51km rating – in a typical suburban commute.

It will take around 2.5 hours to charge the Tourage from 20 per cent-full at a 7.4kW wallbox, or eight hours using a three-pin socket.

Alternatively, you can recuperate charge on the move in Hybrid mode. Using regenerative braking and excess engine power, the hybrid battery can be returned to 100 per cent on a long drive.

On our extended, twisty country drive we saw 11L/100km in the R using hybrid mode, with a target of 50 per cent charge to carry us through small towns. A combined range of 750-800km from the 75L fuel tank is realistic.

Planning your route, regular charging and paying close attention to what works best for economy will prove beneficial in the long run – a plug-in hybrid is not for the disengaged motorist.

The diesel engine's consumption was a more straightforward affair. Compared to the 7.3L/100km rating, we saw 8.0L/100km over hilly terrain with some dirt roads.

It is perfectly efficient in the country and the 90L tank means 1000km driving range from a fill-up is perfectly normal.

As far as large SUVs go, the CX-9 is one of the better ones to drive. It’s certainly not confused; it knows what it needs to do and does it well.

The engine is properly punchy down low, serving up plenty of initial torque, so much so that you rarely need to chase its top-end power. In that way, it’s very diesel-like, despite being petrol. Needless to say, acceleration is surprisingly brisk. Not bad, then!

And the transmission it’s matched to also does its job well. Gear changes are pleasingly smooth, if not quick, while it's receptive to heavy applications of the accelerator, kicking down a ratio or two with little hesitation. Yep, don’t bother with its Sport mode.

The CX-9 also rides pretty well thanks to its independent suspension set-up, which consists of MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear axles with passive dampers. Indeed, the kids aren’t going to be upset when they’re onboard.

Again, we mainly drove on country roads and highways, but it proved to be comfortable, particularly at high speed. And even during those rare, in-town, low-speed moments, it still impressed, on lower-quality roads or not.

And while the CX-9’s electric power steering is well-weighted, some buyers might be left wishing it was a tad lighter, especially when parking, but that’s more about personal preference than anything else.

What is more universal, though, is the system’s lack of feel. Obviously, we’re not dealing with a sports car here, but a little communication through the wheel wouldn’t go astray, particularly on a twisty road.

Speaking of which, the CX-9 handles its mass pretty confidently around a corner. That said, while it is relatively tied down, it still regularly exhibits a fair degree of body roll to remind you that you’re dealing with a large SUV.

The Volkswagen Touareg is a deeply accomplished large SUV no matter whether you go for the base model or flagship R.

It benefits from a rigorous development that shines through in a car that is quiet, well-built and confidence inspiring, despite its generous size.

Starting with the Touareg 170TDI, passengers are insulated from the 3.0-litre V6 diesel with few vibrations reaching the cabin. There's enough sound to tell how hard you're working the V6 but no excess.

It is the only variant to ride on steel springs with passive dampers, though all Touaregs ride on five-link struts up front with multi-link rear suspension. The 19-inch alloy wheels shod in 255/55 R19 Bridgestone Alenza tyres have a lot of sidewall but sharp edges like expansion joints and speed humps can still be felt in town.

Put some energy through the Touareg's chassis – on the freeway or higher speed country roads, for example – and it settles beautifully. You could jump into the driver's seat and knock over a Sydney-Melbourne drive without breaking a sweat (or needing to stop for fuel).

Despite being 100Nm down on the 210TDI, the base car is also best for towing. All variants carry a 3500kg braked tow rating but the devil is in the detail – tow ball down weight is limited to 280kg on the base car but a restrictive 215kg for the 210TDI Elegance and R-Line.

While it's not an overt sportsperson, the 170TDI's connected 2.5-turn lock-to-lock steering provides confidence in the Touareg's ability on country roads. A revised ESC tune is now smoother in its interventions.

And what of the R? It impresses across an even broader spectrum. You'd expect that for $43K more, though.

The air suspension's Comfort mode effortlessly smooths over sharp bumps in town despite 22-inch alloy wheels, yet firms up to give the R huge reserves of grip on twisty roads.

That electric motor has enough punch to move the Touareg R at reasonable speed in town and the whisper-quiet operation feels extra luxurious.

With the R's trick suspension, Volkswagen offers a greater selection of drive modes. Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual are joined by Comfort and you can control the height of its suspension with the left rotary selector.

The 285/35 R22 Bridgestone Turanza T005s defy expectations for how a tall 2423kg SUV should grip. Volkswagen's not been able to escape physics quite as far as Hyundai did with the similarly-heavy Ioniq 5 N but the Touareg is a totally different style of vehicle.

Some of the controls, such as the soft brake pedal (that blends strong regenerative braking with front six-piston calipers clamping 400mm discs), long-travel throttle and light steering approaching the limit remind you of the Touareg's mass. Every weight shift is natural and predictable, though, so it's an easy car to trust.

A synthesised engine sound is the only other miss, it's not natural and we'd like to be able to hear more of the V6's growl. 

Power is prodigious yet the different sources blend almost seamlessly. The delivery is smooth when you go for an overtake – full throttle is a swelling shove rather than whiplash acceleration – as the electric motor fills the short torque gap while the V6's turbo spools. The 5.1-second 0-100km/h sprint claim sounds on the money.

We were unable to sample the 210TDI R-Line with its active roll stabilisation and four-wheel steer. With the plug-in hybrid powertrain's city-friendly attributes, though, the R-Line may be the pick for rural buyers. 

The Touareg was awarded five stars in 2018 ANCAP testing in pre facelift-guise. Its rating will expire in December.

All Touaregs are equipped with AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree surround-view camera.

The facelift builds on these features with a night vision system, driver-attention monitoring and road sign detection.

All Touaregs are equipped with eight airbags: dual frontal airbags, side chest airbags in first and second rows, and full-length curtain airbags.

As with all Mazda models, the CX-9 comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance, both of which are average when compared to Kia’s market-leading seven-year terms with ‘no strings attached’.

Service intervals are 12 months or 10,000km, with the distance on the shorter side, although capped-price servicing is available for the first five visits, costing $2022 in total at the time of the writing, which is very reasonable.

Volkswagen covers the Touareg with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

The R's high-voltage battery is covered for eight years and 160,000km.

Volkswagen's pre-paid Care Plans offer the best deal for servicing. All models are due for maintenance every 12 months/15,000kms with the diesel costing $1900/$3500 for three/five years and the plug-in hybrid $2050/$3400 for the same intervals.