2011 Mazda CX-9 Overviews

The Mazda CX-9 is available in three trim levels: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. The "base" Mazda CX-9 comes well equipped with standard 18-inch wheels, power moonroof, heated mirrors, three-zone automatic climate control, 8-way power adjustable driver's seat, Bluetooth compatibility, side-impact air bags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS) and Roll Stability Control (RSC).

Upgrading to the Mazda CX-9 Touring trim level yields available power opening and closing rear liftgate, advanced keyless entry, 4-way power adjustable front seats, Bose audio and a backup camera.

The premium trim level designated by the Grand Touring moniker delivers upgraded 20-inch wheels, Xenon headlamps, halogen fog lamps, rain-sensing windshield wipers, driver's seat memory and available rear-entertainment system, DVD-based navigation and the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) System.

With the 2011 Mazda CX-9, the answer is resoundingly affirmative. Despite its larger dimensions, the Mazda CX-9 drives more like a midsize crossover. The Mazda CX-9 provides adult-size seating in all three rows, solid build quality and a respectable 101 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity. Overall, though, the 2011 Mazda CX-9 certainly presents more positives than negatives.

The "2011 Mazda CX-9" is a large seven-passenger crossover SUV that's available in three trim levels: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring.
Stepping up to the Touring version adds automatic headlights, heated mirrors, leather upholstery (for front- and second-row seats) and heated power front seats. The Grand Touring adds 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, foglights, automatic wipers, keyless ignition/entry, driver-seat memory presets, a second-row armrest, interior accents of wood and metal, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a blind-spot warning system.

In Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive Mazda CX-9 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, while an AWD model required 8.5 seconds. With some slight gains this year, fuel economy is on par with other large crossovers at an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg in combined driving for front-wheel-drive models. The all-wheel-drive CX-9 drops to 16/22/19 mpg.

Standard safety equipment for every 2011 Mazda CX-9 includes antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability control with a rollover sensor, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active head restraints. An optional rearview camera is available on Touring and Grand Touring models, while a blind-spot warning system is standard on the Grand Touring.
The second-row seat reclines and slides fore and aft to deliver optimal comfort. Like many large crossovers, the 2011 Mazda CX-9 provides a comfortable ride for long road trips. Surprisingly, the CX-9 also performs admirably around corners

With a family connection to Ford's crossovers--everything from the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, to the bigger Flex and MKT--the Mazda CX-9 veers off into its own distinctive niche.
Performance is the CX-9's trump card. It's a bit tough to climb over the second-row seats, too, but both the back rows will fold down so the Mazda CX-9 can swallow a hundred cubic feet of stuff.