Mazda CX-90 vs Mazda CX-9

What's the difference?

There are many reasons I quite like this CX-90. It sells the plush luxury promise when it comes to its interior and design, it feels big and purposeful, and has a refreshingly minimalist approach to its cabin tech. As a seven-seat SUV it’s particularly impressive, with plenty of amenity and a third row that can genuinely fit an adult in comfort.

However, there are areas where it could use more polish, from the drivetrain to the ride, and it ultimately strikes an odd point for price and ownership which feels lost between the premium segment and the mainstream rivals.

If you’re a long-term Mazda owner, I still think you’ll love it, and this Touring grade is definitely the best value in the range. It offers the lion’s share of equipment at a price more comparable to Mazda’s traditional mainstream rivals.

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 CX-90 is an impressive car to behold. Moving things onwards and upwards from its CX-9 predecessor, the CX-90 is bigger and even more refined in a lot of ways.

Mazda’s signature design language has evolved into something a bit beefier, trading out the delicate sharp angles and chromes of its front-wheel-drive predecessors for something a bit more upright, with a wide stance and tough proportions.

The long bonnet and expansive body panels stress the long-engined, fluid nature of this car’s design language. It certainly gives it a more premium vibe than the boxy American-influenced style of the Hyundai Palisade, and leans more European than the science-fiction styling of something like the Kia Sorento.

If anything, there’s some clear BMW influence in the shape of the tail and light fittings. Light lashings of chrome keep it in-line with Mazda’s previous design language, and on this base model at least, plastic claddings over the arches toughen it up a bit.

Inside is plush. In fact, it’s treading on Lexus territory when it comes to the design and feel of the seats, dash, doors and there are even padded leather touches down the sides of the centre console for your knees to rest against. Even the standard leather seats are nice (with softer Nappa leather available on higher grades), and I actually find the somewhat monochrome interior treatment on our test car to be the most modest option. It’s off-set by silver trims and a touch of chrome in the steering wheel and doors.

The dash is in a more traditional style (again, it feels influenced by BMW here) with a padded insert across the front, inset vents and a climate control panel leading down to a nice wide console with tasteful patterned trims, and an electronic shifter. The screen in this base car is of modest dimensions compared to most cars today, but those who aren’t sold on giant touchscreens will love it.

Even the digital dash elements are tastefully executed, although they’re not particularly customisable, which is a shame. 

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 CX-90 is enormous, but despite its long bonnet, it feels on the inside like it makes good use of its dimensions.

Up front, it’s easy to find a seating position thanks to an array of adjustability, from the seats to the telescopic adjust for the wheel, and the cabin is wide and tall enough to accommodate pretty much anyone with ease.

Unlike some Mazdas which have a strange zoom-factor on their rear vision mirrors, the CX-90 doesn't have this problem, and visibility generally out the windows is impressive. I can see the long, tall bonnet and cosy dash design creating visibility issues for shorter drivers, however.

Padded materials are everywhere they should be (and more), and when it comes to storage there’s a large bottle holder in each front door, two more cupholders in the centre console (with a flip-out cover), a split-opening centre console box (which hides USB-C connections, great for cable management) and a wireless charging bay up front below the climate unit.

It’s rare these days to see a full array of physical buttons and toggles for a dual-zone climate set-up, but the Mazda has the whole lot. It’s a breeze to adjust on the fly and integrates into the design in a subtle way.

It’s also worth calling out the multimedia screen isn’t a touch unit. Instead, you need to control it through a handful of buttons and a rotary dial on the centre console. It’s nice to have a physicality to it, and it works well for the relatively simple base operating system, but it’s a clumsy way to interact with phone mirroring.

In my experience Apple CarPlay has simply too many icons and menu features to work around with a dial-operated system, to the point where it’s distracting to use on-the-go (thus, defeating the purpose of having physical controls).

The second row is a real highlight. Set to its default position, I have leagues of legroom behind my own driving position (at 182cm tall). Again, heaps of width and headroom here, and even the huge rear doors open nice and wide, which should make loading luggage and fitting child seats easy.

The seat trim is just as good as it is in the front, with decent side bolstering, and top-notch amenities, with shades built into the windows, decent-sized bottle holders in each door, a further two in the drop-down armrest, soft pockets on the backs of each front seat, and a separate climate zone with independent temperature and fan speed controls.

There are two adjustable air vents with a lock-off, as well as two USB-C ports for power. Top marks.

The third row is usually where things get tricky for SUVs like this, but the CX-90 isn’t out of tricks yet.

Access isn’t the easiest. The second row can fold forward, but the left over aperture for clambering in, even though the doors are quite large, isn’t great, which will make it a no-go for anyone with mobility issues.

However, once you’re back there, I was surprised to find a full-sized adult like me can fit in relative comfort. With the second row set as far back as it can go, my knees are hard up against the back, but when rolled forward for more third-row space, there's still plenty of room in the middle. I was left with ample room for my knees and feet in the back seats. The seat trim also offers decent padding and comfortable trims, which is rare for most three-row SUVs, and while you wouldn’t want to be too much taller than me, the roof was just tall enough to have a little airspace above.

The armrests are hard plastic, unfortunately, but offer two large bottle holders on each side, as well as a USB-C port, and vents with decent air flow, which is again, quite rare for a three-row SUV.

I’d go so far as to say this is one of the best SUV third rows I’ve been in when it comes to space, comfort and amenity.

Now for the luggage space. I was pleased to find, even with the third row up, I could fit the largest (124 litre) CarsGuide luggage case with room to spare on either side. Officially, space here is 257L, but it’s rare to fit a case this size in a three-row SUV.

With the third row folded down, space comes in at 608 litres, which is on-par for this segment, and with the second and third row down, it tops out at 2025L.

With such space on offer it’s probably worth keeping in mind the payload, which is 580kg, and for those who want to add a trailer to the mix, the maximum towing capacity is 2500kg braked or 750kg unbraked for the 50e petrol straight-six versions like the one we’re testing here.

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.

The CX-9 has become more expensive, with some grades up a little, while others are up a lot. The range now starts from $45,990, plus on-road costs, and reaches $73,875 (see pricing table below), but there is more standard equipment now.

Either way, two new grades have joined the now-comprehensive CX-9 line-up, bringing the total to six, with the new GT SP slotting in above the mid-range GT but below the previously flagship Azami, which is now bettered by the new Azami LE.

The entry-level Sport and Touring round out the line-up, with each grade coming with front-wheel drive as standard, although all-wheel drive is an expensive $4000 option for all but the Azami that instead asks for a $4435 premium, and the Azami LE which gets it as standard.

Features-wise, the Sport gets dusk-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, a 7.0-inch central display, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, digital radio, a six-speaker sound system, a head-up display, three-zone climate control and black cloth upholstery.

While the Touring has the same 18-inch alloy wheels, it steps up with keyless entry, a 9.0-inch central display, paddle-shifters (new), power-adjustable front seats with heating, and black leather upholstery.

The GT goes even further with 20-inch alloy wheels, a hands-free power-operated tailgate, a sunroof, the aforementioned 10.25-inch central display (new), a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a wireless smartphone charger (new) and heated outboard middle seats.

As its name suggests, the new GT SP is the sportier version of the GT, adding a unique black finish to its 20-inch alloy wheels and side-mirror caps as well as burgundy leather upholstery and red stitching for just $500 more.

Meanwhile, the Azami has 20-inch alloy wheels with a bright finish (new) as well as adaptive LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, a 7.0-inch multifunction display, a heated steering wheel and 'Pure White' or 'Walnut Brown' quilted Nappa leather upholstery (new).

And finally, the new Azami LE mimics the Azami but replaces its middle bench with two power-adjustable captain’s chairs with heating and cooling plus a dedicated centre console, so six seats in total instead of the usual seven.

Also of note, the CX-9 has a new metallic paintwork option: 'Polymetal Grey', which helps it stand out from the crowd.

For reference, the CX-9’s rivals include the soon-to-be-replaced Toyota Kluger ($44,850 to $68,574) and the recently launched facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe ($43,990 to $61,660) and new-generation Kia Sorento ($45,850 to $63,070).

2021 Mazda CX-9 pricing before on-road costs

The CX-90 gets a bit exciting under the bonnet with its big 3.3-litre in-line six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It produces a whopping 254kW/500Nm, well above par compared to its mainstream rivals.

This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is no run-of-the-mill transmission though. Instead of the usual smooth hydraulic coupling this style of transmission is known for, the Mazda uses a hybridised single clutch set-up instead.

This is in the name of efficiency. A single-clutch plate has less loss, and is therefore more fuel efficient, with a small electric motor helping to push things along as part of the mix.

The catch is, like the sometimes-derided dual-clutch automatics, it’s not as smooth to operate. More on this in the driving section.

Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 8/10

As a result of this unusual transmission set-up, fuel efficiency isn’t bad for such a big and powerful engine, and for such a large vehicle.

The official combined fuel consumption for the CX-90 G50e is 8.2L/100km, which is already impressive, and in my week with the car over a few hundred (mostly urban) kilometres it landed close, at just 8.9L/100km.

It’s seriously impressive and runs rings around the six-cylinder Hyundai Palisade (10.7L/100km combined) while producing significantly more power than the more efficient Toyota Kluger Hybrid (5.6L/100km). On the flipside, you’ll need to fill its massive 75L fuel tank with mid-shelf 95RON fuel.

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.

For all its clever, efficient drivetrain, the CX-90 has a bit of a mixed drive experience. Initially, it comes off as impressive. It’s plush and quiet from behind the wheel, and the primarily rear-drive nature of its drivetrain gives it the big premium steering response missing from its mostly front-drive rivals.

The flaws with its tricky transmission quickly become evident, though. The clutch constantly needing to engage in stop-start scenarios makes for a slightly jerky and uneven experience, similar to the feel of a dual-clutch auto, particularly in traffic, while the at-speed gear shifts, which in a dual-clutch tend to be much smoother are telegraphed more physically by this Mazda system.

As evidenced by the actual fuel consumption, it’s clear this system does what it sets out to, and it even feels like it could be significantly better, but Mazda will need to invest some time in calibration. For what it’s worth, it feels better than its original implementation I drove at the launch of the CX-60, which was the first car to get this system.

A subsequent software update has solved some issues, but it still can’t compare to a regular auto when it comes to smoothness.

However, the engine is immensely satisfying. The big six has a low roar when pushed, and motivates the big CX-90 with ease when you step on it. It pairs nicely with the weighty steering to make for a car which feels purposeful and satisfying to steer when it gets going.

In this sense it nails the brief of elevating Mazda out of the regular crop of front-drive seven-seat SUVs, giving it a distinct and more premium edge.

As also noted with the CX-60 though, the CX-90 has the same issue with its ride quality. It’s a little too hard to give it the kind of refined response to road imperfections we’ve come to expect from brands like Lexus and BMW. The firm response to the road helps this big heavy SUV feel controlled in the corners, but it doesn’t deal with suburban bumps how it should.

Larger hits in particular are often communicated to the cabin. The CX-90 is better than its smaller CX-60 sibling, which went so far as to have its rear dampers recalled, but the brand is even considering similar updates to this large SUV, so keep an eye out.

While this version of the CX-90, the base Touring with its smaller alloys and larger tyres, is more comfortable than any other Mazda on this new platform I’ve driven, it still leaves room for improvement.

It’s a shame, because otherwise the CX-90 is a lovely and luxurious SUV to drive, with a quiet, plush interior and a satisfying engine. It’s so close to greatness that it’s frustrating.

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.

ANCAP awarded the CX-9 its maximum five-star safety rating in 2016, and despite the test occurring nearly five years ago, its results still stand.

Needless to say, the game has moved on, with the Santa Fe and Sorento recently resetting the standard, while the Kluger is soon to follow suit.

The CX-9 does, however, get front and side airbags as well as curtain airbags that cover all three rows, whereas the Santa Fe and Sorento only cover the first and second rows.

All grades of the CX-9 also get front and rear autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, traffic sign recognition, high-beam assist and driver attention alert.

A reversing camera and rear parking sensors are also standard in all grades, but the Touring and above add front parking sensors, while the Azami and Azami LE also get surround-view cameras.

The usual five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the CX-90 range, with a matching five years of roadside assistance.

Servicing is required once every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, and a schedule of costs on Mazda’s website extends to seven years. Over the first five years, prices fluctuate between $469 and $1304 annually, with an average yearly cost of $693.30. The price puts this big-engined Mazda up the premium end of mainstream automakers when it comes to service costs.

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.