Mazda CX-9 2018 Problems

So many things affect road noise, which makes it difficult to fix. There’s the road surface itself, the tyres, and the noise insulation in the vehicle. The Honda CR-V might well be quieter, but could still be noisy on the roads you drive on. If the road noise is the thing that is making you switch vehicles, then it might be worth talking to a tyre dealer about a tyre that might be quieter than the ones on your Kluger. If you want to go down that road, you could try a Mazda CX-5 or CX-7, a Kia Sorento or Sportage, Toyota RAV4.

It sounds like there’s a bit of confusion here over what actually caused the glass to break. It’s not entirely unknown for sunroof glass to shatter in extremes of heat or vibration, and other times, a car that has been poorly repaired after a crash can put stresses on the glass it was never designed for. The glass could simply have been struck by a flying rock or piece of debris. How you interpret those things will determine whether you think the breakage is a valid warranty claim or not. The fact that the dealership that examined your car can’t say what those 'external factors' were, only deepens the mystery.

In the end, I approached Mazda Australia with your case, who agreed to take a second look at the circumstances. The good news is that Mazda has applied the benefit-of-the-doubt judgment and agreed to fix your car under warranty.

But it’s worth mentioning that any car owner unhappy with the service or consideration given by a dealership doesn’t have to let it rest there. All car brands have a customer service department, and this should be your next port of call. From there it’s on to the ACCC. In some cases it’s worth getting an independent inspection of any damage to try to come to a conclusion over what really happened. The State motoring clubs are a good starting point for this service.

You should be able to get an example of the current crop of large seven-seat SUVs for under $40k, and we recommend the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe, in that order. 

You'll also be able to get a new mid-size SUV for well under that price, with Mitsubishi offering the base Outlander with seven seats for $29,990 drive away at the moment. 

You can also get the Honda  CR-V VTi-L for just under $40k and the Nissan X-Trail. Our pick would be the Honda, but bear in mind it lacks a lot of active safety equipment fitted standard to the other brands.

The Acadia doesn’t boast a diesel engine, so economy could be an issue for your daughter; also it’s only a little longer than the Kia Sorento, so space could be another problem. A better choice would be the Mazda CX-9.

The Volvo XC90 is a terrific luxury SUV, one that offers plenty of high-end technology and luxury appointments, plus with enough room for seven adults if need be. It's an inescapable fact that the Volvo is on the expensive side - if you consider a petrol engine version with sporty styling - the T6 R-Design would be the go-to option - and at about $105,000 before on-road costs and options, you're likely to see a lot of value in a like-for-like comparison against the Mazda CX-9 Azami AWD (which is about $65,000 before on-road costs, and there are hardly any options to choose). 

The Volvo doesn't excite the senses as much as a Mazda CX-9, and if that's important to you, then we'd suggest the Japanese seven-seat SUV is the better option. But it is hard to argue against the Volvo's driveway cred, and if you can afford it without stretching the budget, then it's definitely worth a test drive.