Getting an opportunity to test drive the all new 2013 Mazda CX-9 was a dream come true for me in every sense!
As a Family of four, driving around in our Sedan for years was getting a bit annoying to me lately. My aversion to Sedan was mainly due to the lack of space for seating and storage while traveling with kids and the inconvenience involved in handling and maneuvering them while on the go.
My Husband and I were talking about transitioning to larger type of vehicles like SUV’s or Minivans on and off but we were hesitant as our knowledge on this new class was fairly limited and we didn’t have any hands on experience with them…well, until our test driving vehicle, CX-9 came along!
A lot have changed since then as our expectations of an ideal family vehicle was completely redefined by the neat design that Mazda CX-9 brought forth in its wake. It taught me in an interesting way that a larger size vehicle that seats seven passengers in it at a time needn’t be scary to drive or maintain.
I do not have to sacrifice my comfort and familiarity in handling a smaller or compact vehicle for the spaciousness and the storage space that only an SUV, Minivan or a Crossover can give. I also learned that the Mazda CX-9 offers what the other crossovers in the market are yet to offer- the comfort and convenience of a full size crossover with the added advantage of quiet interior, incredibly sharp handling and a smooth ride. CX-9 delivers this feature by offering a commanding view of the road with its cabin’s proportion and placing that looks more like a Sports Sedan than an SUV.
Now, focusing on the Specs of the CX-9 I was driving for a period of glorious one week…
The Make and Model
2013 Mazda CX-9 AWD GS with an optional Luxury package that includes Power moon roof with one touch open/close, 4 ways power passenger seat and power driver lumbar support.
MSRP
Including the cost of Options, Freight and Taxes- $47,153 CAD
Specifications
Engine- Powerful 3.7 Litre V6
Fuel Tank Capacity- 76 L
Fuel Required- Regular, Unleaded
Transmission- 6 speed Auto
All -Wheel Drive- Active Torque Split
7 Passenger Seats (with the folding third row seats for larger trunk space)
Brakes- Power assisted front and rear disc brakes
Anti-lock (ABS)- Anti Lock Braking system with Electronic Brake Force Distribution
Tires- All Season
Some of the other features that came along in this Model that I have grown to like and hopelessly fell in love with in the one week period are as follows:
5.8’’ display screen with rearview camera –oh yeah! This baby came really handy when I was obsessed with back parking the crossover at different times in different places.
8 way adjustable power driver’s seat – Helps a driver like me who never gets satisfied with adjusting the drivers’ seat a zillion times before getting on with her driving for the day .
Front and Rear A/C with 3-zone climate control -This pretty cool feature caters to the comfort of the passenger wherever they are seated by adjusting the temperature, tailoring to their needs. No need to argue with anyone for this reason, you know?
Heated front seats with hi and low button– work wonders during those ice-cold winters
Blue-tooth hands free phone system- I don’t need to say much about this, do I?
Spaces for storing books and papers (or simply ‘stuff’) and also cup holders in the front and the rear sides – We all need it, no kidding!
Touch screen Radio and Song Title Display- This turned out to be my personal favorite at the end! The touch option made it so easy for me to navigate along the radio stations and the songs played were always displayed on the screen with the singer’s name alongside. On a side note, the radio controls can also be accessed from the steering wheel directly.
The song title display worked out well because my son has the habit of asking me, “Mommy, what song is this?” or “ Mommy, who is singing this song?” while we listen to music in the car.
Sometimes, I happen to know the song and the singer and other times, I don’t.
When I tell my son, “Honey, I don’t know who is singing this song”, his face falls and I will soon blame it on my lack of knowledge about the music world. This is an ongoing thing that happens between me and my little one while we travel together, regardless of shorter or longer drives.
But I can totally escape this situation in this Crossover, I realized. In the Cx-9 world, Mommy happens to know each song and she is able to smartly answer her Music Obsessed Toddler’s questions most efficiently. Cheers to that!
I guess, by reading this you might have guessed my feelings for CX-9 by now.
I am completely sold on this Crossover!
It was everything and more you could ask from the vehicle class of its kind. The uniqueness of its design and the revolutionary features it boasts about sets the CX-9 apart from its peers for good.
The only downside that I was able to detect in the CX-9 is that, like any other larger vehicles, the fuel consumption is a bit high when it comes to mileage. But considering all the other things that CX-9 could offer, I would say, this crossover’s gas thirst is just a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things- like, say for example, being a possible, proud owner of an elegant 2013 Mazda CX-9!
****This Crossover was provided to me for free for a week for test driving purposes. All opinions expressed herein about the vehicle are my own and they are honest****
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How lucky you are can test drive that great car 😀
Juliana RW recently posted…Alkmaar
Indeed! Its all about luck 😉
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
You’re looking good in that Mazda!! I like the feature list you’ve put out there. We have an SUV, but the kids are growing and moving out, lol, So we’re thinking of downsizing. I’ve had a lot of room for a lot of time though, so maybe not. We’ll see. 🙂
Keeping your Mazda post in mind. Thank you for sharing the experience. I love these kinds of reviews because a week is so much nicer for gathering info. than a test drive on a car lot.
Rosey recently posted…My Child’s Social Calendar is Full
Rosey! Thanks for stopping by.. You are right, you don’t need a bigger vehicle, when you are downsizing.. but I think the way CX-9 is built, it could even fit in with smaller families… but again, its all based on what your needs are.. Greatly appreciate your feedback 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Very nice review! We’re at the beginning stages of deciding what sort of vehicle we want next. My SUV is 15 years old (it still runs well, but I don’t need a truck quite that big anymore). This Mazda never crossed my radar but I’ll check it out now. 🙂
Missy Homemaker recently posted…Mondays with Peanut
I am glad that this review will help you with shopping for your next family vehicle. Happy Shopping 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Thanks for the review. We’re in the market for a new SUV, so it’s great to see some details for comparison.
Lauren recently posted…Our MommyCon Philly Experience
Hope this review helps you with your shopping 🙂 Good Luck!
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
What a great looking SUV! My husband is looking for something new, we’ll have to check this out now 🙂
Almost Supermom recently posted…Saving Money With Pinterest – Day 27 of 365 Days of Pinterest
I promise you won’t be disappointed 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
I love the crossovers not as big as vans and suburbans so I can save on gas while enjoying the space.
Kita recently posted…Kokoa Fashion
That’s right! This one will be a great choice for you 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Great review! I’ve been looking into crossover vehicles and I honestly didn’t even know Mazda had an option. Sounds like a pretty great option.
Jessica @Bkeepsushonest recently posted…Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies – Paleo Friendly
Yeah, Mazda do have this option and it is rather new 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Wow! This car looks so stylish! I really like it 🙂
Looks super good! And so funny how he gets sad over you not knowing the artists haha!
AJ | TheAJMinute
AJ recently posted…MOO.com
I know, right? He has such an inquisitive mind 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
This looks like a great car! I’ve always been a big fab of Mazda! Thank you so much for sharing! love the pics!
cindy b recently posted…GIVEAWAY: Win a $300 Amazon Gift Card! 4 2nd Place Winners will win $50
Thank you for reading 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
I can’t believe this little thing has 7 passenger seats! Wow! It looks so roomy inside!
Lexie Lane recently posted…Should We Lie To Our Children?
Yes, it is really spacious but doesn’t look too big from the outside at the same time 🙂 Cx-9 has a very neat design.
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
This is fantastic. We’re starting to investigate the idea of trading in our mini-van, so reading reviews like this helps. We also need something to help with the frigid winters. AWD is crucial for those times that we have to leave a bus route!
Suzi Satterfield recently posted…Love Story – How I Met My Husband
Cx-9 is really great for families… easy to be on the go with AWD on all seasons.. its worth checking out while you shop for SUVs. Thanks for stopping by.
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Nice looking car! 🙂
This is a great review…
Sharm’s Outlet recently posted…Tomato Canning Stage 3
Love the 3rd row and the AWD option! I haven’t thought about looking into Mazdas…thanks for sharing.
Yeah, This one is excellent! You should totally check it out! 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
So are you going to buy it? It’s a nice looking car with a lot of great options! When I bought my last car they had me at heated seats. It’s still my favorite option.
Anita Breeze recently posted…Low Carb Recipe: Zuchinni Casserole
Heated seats are awesome! 🙂 As for buying, I would love to own one, but not yet 🙂
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
Looks like an awesome car!
Amber recently posted…Hey, It’s Okay Tuesday!
I love your review, super detailed and precise. I think Mazda should have a new Spokeswoman! Almost made me want to go crazy in debt 😉
Glenda recently posted…Gumball Topiary DIY Tutorial
Thank you for your kind words Glenda! I fell in love with CX-9 deeply that I couldn’t stop raving about it.. hence the details lol
Momless Mom recently posted…EatSmart Digital Kitchen Scale Giveaway
I’ve had custody of my nephew several times because my baby sister couldn’t stay sober/clean. I’m 38, single and plan to remain so as long as I have the kids. I’m planning to adopt both of them in the next year if I can get my niece’s bio-father to surrender his parental rights. It shouldn’t be a problem since he’s in prison with back child support payments accruing, but he’ll be off the hook if he lets me adopt her!
Anyway, I had a 2006 Mazda3 when I first realized that I would be getting both kids on at least a semi-permanent basis. It was a tight fit with his car seat and her booster seat in the back of my little hatchback (plus they could reach one another to fight/grab/annoy each other)! The side-impact crash ratings were only average, so I wanted larger, safer and more comfy as well.
Long story short, I bought a leftover 2012 CX-9 GT after the mildly ‘redesigned’ 2013 CX-9s were already out. I got an amazing deal ($9000 off sticker) and it has keyless ignition, Bose surround sound, Moonroof, Power Liftgate, memory settings for the driver’s seat position and tons of other cool stuff.
After a full year and 19k miles, I absolutely LOVE it! It’s surprisingly quick for a large Crossover/SUV, it handles better than most sporty sedans and it looks great inside and out. It’s easy to forget just how large of a vehicle it is until you realize how much cargo space you have with the 3rd row seats folded down, which is how mine stay. I’ve never even used the 3rd row seats yet and forget that they’re even back there since they fold flat and flush into the floor.
The middle row slides up to 11” forward-back to give 3rd row passengers enough legroom if needed. I did test out the 3rd row before I bought it was amazed that a guy my size (6’2’ 245#) could sit comfortably back there and get in/out with ease! The armrest with cupholders and storage compartment in the middle row is also a very handy feature- it serves as a barrier between the kids also!
Fuel economy isn’t great, but I average about 18.5mpg overall and I’m always in the left lane going 5-10mph over the limit. But for the amount of space, utility and (honestly) luxury, it’s totally worth it!
Thank you for sharing your story. Glad that you took responsibility for your sister’s kids and that they have someone as you in their life! You are right, CX-9 is amazing. I only had it for a week but it impressed me alright. If we ever buy a SUV/crossover, CX-9 will be seriously considered 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.