2018 Mazda CX-9: What's Changed
CARS.COM
- Most significant changes in the new Mazda CX-9: Smart City Brake Support auto brake system, blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on base Sport model
- Price change: Sport model is $610 higher, Touring $1,010 cheaper; base prices are unchanged on the Grand Touring and Signature, and the destination charge is unchanged at $940.
- On sale: September
- Which should you buy, 2017 or 2018? Go for the 2018 Mazda CX-9. The price increase on the Sport is offset by new standard safety features. The Touring is less expensive and others are unchanged.
Mazda’s CX-9 mid-size crossover with third-row seating makes its Smart City Brake Support system, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert standard on the base Sport model for 2018, so all models now come with those features. Smart City Brake Support automatically applies the brakes in emergency situations less than 19 mph.
The CX-9 was redesigned for 2016 and competes against popular three-row SUVs such as the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. It ranks well below those rivals in sales, yet the CX-9’s sales have continued to grow this year. Mazda says more than half of U.S. sales are of the two most expensive versions, the Grand Touring and Signature.
In a bid to boost sales of the Touring model, which slots between the base Sport and the Grand Touring, Mazda has cut the base price on the CX-9 by $1,010 to $35,900 for front-wheel-drive versions and $37,700 for those with all-wheel drive (Prices for both the all-wheel and front-wheel-drive models include the $940 destination charge).
All CX-9 models use a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Sport, Touring and Grand Touring are available with front drive or AWD; the Signature is AWD only.
All models of the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV have seats for seven with a tilt-and-slide feature on the second-row seats for access to the rear row.
Mazda stresses driving dynamics in its vehicles, and the CX-9 stands apart from the mid-size crossover herd with its satisfying handling and overall performance, but it lacks some features that competitors offer, such as captain’s chairs for the middle row and a panoramic sunroof. Those who are looking for an SUV that emphasizes the “sport” aspect should check out the CX-9.
