Mazda CX-9 Azami LE 2019 review

It’s definitely a larger car than the CX-8, you can feel that it’s more solid, markedly heavier to drive and also heavier on the steering wheel. It’s a big car and you know it when you drive it. 

However, Mazda has certainly made driving such a big car as easy as possible. The handling is beautiful, the drive is smooth, the gears change quickly and everything is really quite a breeze to do. 

I was able to get this CX-9 into parks I was surprised to even fit in. You do get a reverse parking camera, front camera and 360-degree view camera to help you out. The turning circle is large, you'll get used to doing three-point turns in this car. 

There’s a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, and some might think that’s not enough for such a large car but when driving it, there’s enough power to get up hills quickly, it cruises along the open road and it uses less fuel than some of its competitors in this category because of it. The Azami LE is only available as AWD which means you’ll get good traction on the road.

Under the hood is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. (image credit: Dean McCartney)

This is the same shape as the 2018 model which is a good thing because Mazda's really nailed the exterior for a large SUV. The CX-9 is sleek rather than boxy, with a cool grille and a tapered back end which gives it a sportier feel. 

Mazda's really nailed the exterior for a large SUV. (image credit: Dean McCartney)

Inside is swish in the top of the range Azami LE. You’ll find nappa leather seats which look and feel great, box stitching on the leather steering wheel which feels great under the hands, a faux leather dash that looks good, and a head-up display in the windscreen so you can see your speed and the speed limit without looking down. 

The centre console is stylishly designed with high gloss black around the gear stick and everything works well and is clearly set out, so it’s all functional, too. It certainly feels premium in here. 

The boot opens when you hold down a button on the key; super useful because I always seem to be overloaded with bags that are too heavy for my children to help with! 

The third row pulls up and down easily, the seats are not heavy and I find a manual pull actually easier than a power operated seat because they’re so slow. The second row is light enough to push forward and the children could easily climb into the back row. My youngest did need some help getting in and out because the car is high off the ground. 

Storage-wise, there are six cupholders in total - two in each row - and a bottle holder in each door. The centre storage bin is fairly average in size, and you’ll get a small spot to throw your phone and keys in the front of the centre console. 

The middle row gets its own climate control and air vents but the third row is missing air vents. They do get speakers back there, though. 

The CX-9 is the first of the Mazda fleet to score Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, something that will be available on other models shortly, Mazda assures us. 

It just means you’ll be able to plug your phone in and be instantly connected to the 7.0-inch multimedia screen - which could be bigger, for such a large car. You can use voice control to make calls, dictate text messages and use the maps feature which is very handy while driving and makes everything hands-free. The audio is also great on this model, turn the music up and appreciate it. 

The 7.0-inch multimedia screen now comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (image credit: Dean McCartney)

The Mazda CX-9 Azami LE comes in at $66,490 which is around $22K more than the bottom level Sport. This AWD model uses 8.8L of fuel per 100km, and you can use standard unleaded petrol. 

It’s covered by Mazda’s five year/unlimited km warranty and servicing is recommended every 12 months/10,000km.