2019 Mazda CX-9 vs Toyota RAV4

What's the difference?

The CX-9 is Mazda's big, SUV flagship and it has been updated with more cool tech, better safety features, better handling and real wood. Yup, you read that right: real wood. There's also been a price rise on this seven-seater.

You did know it was a seven-seater, right?  And not all seven-seat SUVs are the same. There are off-road capable ones which can be as uncomfortable as a tank on city streets. Then there are those that feel like giant, cushy lounge rooms that handle like a ship really and are just big cars so you better not take them off road. There are others which say they're seven-seaters but in reality those extra two seats in the third row are just for kids – and even then you'd only put your least favourite ones back there. So, what's the Mazda CX-9 then?

That's what this review is all about and by the end of it you'll know if this new Mazda CX-9 the right seven-seater for you.

Five generations in, it's hard to believe the RAV4 has something to prove. I don't think my opinion has kept Toyota awake at night, but I have not once warmed to a RAV4.

I've recommended them to people as low-fuss transport, especially those who wanted a car with big, easy to use buttons and a drama-free ownership experience.

Thing is, most cars deliver all of that stuff (okay, maybe not the big buttons) these days. The idea that the shell is designed to last longer than your average dictatorship doesn't excite buyers anymore. They want looks, tech, performance and the suggestion of a rugged lifestyle.

But the new RAV4 is different - it's not a reheat of the previous model with some new panels and a slightly different touchscreen. The fifth-generation RAV4 is on Toyota's new global platform that has delivered a series of quite good cars. Quite good indeed. Let's see what the top-of-the-range Edge has to offer.