2013 Mazda CX-9

The Mazda CX-9 starts at an MSRP of $29,785 and offers a great value for the price. The competition is very strong in the segment and especially in the sub $30k price segment. Let’s find out how the 2013 Mazda CX-9 stacks up against competitors like Nissan Murano, Ford Flex, and Toyota Venza.

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 is offered in three trim options Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. The powertrain remains the same for all the trim options. The base Sport trim comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, three-zone automatic climate control, 5.8-inch touchscreen display, 6-speaker audio system, a trip computer, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, and Pandora radio capability. 

The Touring trim adds automatic headlights, leather upholstery, 4-way adjustable front passenger seat, a blind-spot monitoring system, a rearview camera, and rear parking sensors. The Grand Touring trim is the top-of-the-line fully-loaded trim and it gets 20” alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, keyless ignition/entry, driver-seat memory functions, and a power liftgate.

We recommend

We recommend going for the Touring trim as it offers the best value among all the trims. It gets you all the features that you will ever need for your daily use and much more. The upgrade from the Sport to the Touring trim is completely justified. The Grand Touring trim also justifies its price, but it comes with bigger 20” wheels, making the ride quality stiff.

The Mazda CX-9 is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine which is standard across all the trim levels. The engine produces 273 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque which is an impressive figure. The power is sent to the front wheels or all-wheels based on the variant you select via a 6-speed automatic transmission. 

The performance of the engine is admired by enthusiasts as it has a sporty performance. It might not be the best SUV in the segment in terms of outright acceleration, but the handling of the CX-9 makes it one of the better picks in the segment for driving pleasure. It takes 7.5 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph which is an impressive figure for the segment.

The 2013 Ford Flex is half a second quicker than the Mazda CX-9 in the 0 to 60 mph sprint. The Nissan Murano takes 8.6 seconds and the Toyota Venza takes 9.4 seconds to do the same. The Toyota Venza is powered by the least powerful engine in the competition and that is why it is the last car to reach the 0 to 60 mph mark. However, the Venza beats the Murano and CX-9 in the quarter-mile run.

The expectations of the high fuel economy are very less likely from a large-size SUV that offers sporty performance. However, the Mazda CX-9 manages to deliver a very decent fuel economy for the segment. It delivers 17 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg of combined fuel economy. Mazda has equipped a large 20.1-gallon fuel tank which helps it achieve good range on long highway trips.

The Mazda CX-9 is the least fuel-efficient SUV in the competition but the difference is not that big. However, the Toyota Venza beats all its rivals in the fuel economy department with quite an evident margin. It also comes with the smallest fuel tank capacity in the competition. The Nissan Murano has the largest fuel tank size in the competition and also offers the longest highway range. The Mazda CX-9 comes right after the Murano in terms of highway range.

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 is not as spacious as some of its rivals but you will never feel a lack of space in any of the rows. There is a lot to like about the interior of the CX-9. The interior is well laid out and the quality of the materials is also on the higher side. The front row feels ambient and the seats are very comfortable. The driver seats provide multiple adjustment options and it is very easy to get a comfortable driving position. The whole cabin feels driver-focused which goes in the favor of the CX-9. The controls of the cabin are also very easy to use and the driver controls fall well within the reach of the driver.

The second row is also spacious enough for three passengers as the shoulder room is on the premium. Getting into the third row is fairly easy and the space inside the third row is very generous for the segment. The kids can easily spend long hours in the third row while the adults will also be comfortable for short drives across the town.

The Ford Flex offers better legroom in the second row and still, it manages to provide a better cargo area compared to the Mazda CX-9. The Nissan Murano and Toyota Venza also offer very decent space in the front and rear rows. The lack of third-row seats allows them to provide a better cargo area than the CX-9 and Flex. Standout interior features:

• Tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Keyless ignition
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Trip computer
• Leather upholstery
• Driver-seat memory functions

How intuitive is the 2013 Mazda CX-9 infotainment unit?

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 comes with a 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display as standard across the trim levels. The screen feels a bit small for the size of the SUV, but the placement is nice and overall it looks nice on the dashboard. The infotainment supports Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, CD player, HD radio, Pandora radio capability, and USB/auxiliary inputs. 

It also gets a standard 6-speaker audio system. All these infotainment features are standard for all the trims. If you go for the Grand Touring trim, you can get an optional rear-seat DVD entertainment system with 11-speaker Bose surround sound system, navigation system, satellite radio, and 115-volt household-current outlet. The infotainment features include:

• A 5.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• 6-speaker audio system
• Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity
• CD player
• HD radio
• Pandora radio capability
• USB/auxiliary inputs

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 easily stands out from all the other SUVs in the segment. While the other SUVs follow a muscular and bulky look, the Mazda CX-9 is a more sleek and modern-looking option in the market. It looks very proportionate from every angle and some might like it while some might not. The front looks striking to the eyes and the side remains very simple and elegant. 

It rides on standard 18” alloy wheels which get bigger with the top-of-the-line Grand Touring trim at 20”. The rear gets twin exhausts to add a sporty feeling to the overall styling of the SUV. The CX-9 gets a very proportionate rear styling where you will find long taillamps that go all the way to the tailgates. The Mazda badge sits on the center of the tailgate with a chrome strip running right below it. 

The Ford Flex is the longest SUV in the competition and also has the longest wheelbase compared to the other three SUVs. The Mazda CX-9 is the second-largest SUV in the competition and is the widest of them all. The wheelbase is also fairly wrong at 114.2 inches which is longer than the Murano and Venza. Standout exterior features:

• 18” alloy wheels
• Bi-xenon headlights
• Keyless entry
• LED running lights
• Power liftgate

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has rated the Mazda CX-9 four out of five stars in their crash test rating which falls below the other rivals. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has also given it its ‘Poor’ safety rating. Safety is an area of concern for the 2013 Mazda CX-9 and it surely needs to work in this aspect. The safety features include:

• Blind-spot warning system
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Rear Parking Sensors

The Mazda CX-9 comes out as a great package in the segment. The performance and handling of the SUV are better than its rivals, and it feels more like a sports SUV in that regard. The interior is also very laid out and the quality of the materials are of good quality. The SUV scores well in the practicality aspect too. The only area where it lacks is the below-average crash test ratings. In all aspects, the 2013 Mazda CX-9 comes out as a compelling choice in the segment.