When we review vehicles, our main question usually is: Can our family fit (and live) comfortably in this car? That includes the cargo space in the back, a proper section for all the groceries I buy each week, and enough room so the kids don’t get on each other’s nerves during long car rides or road trips. This is the most important thing for us.
The 2013 Mazda CX9 has a third row, which is all the rage right now. It gives a family yet another section to place members, or even put this row down in order to give a family of 4, or 5, room in the back for other items. I also appreciated that I could completely put down one of the second row seats to create a path for my son to sit in the third row. He didn’t have to continuously move the seat back and forth in order to sit where he wanted to.
With all of that said, I didn’t really like having to move the second row all the way up in order to put down the third row for storage. By putting the second row up, that reduced the leg room for the kids immensely, and with Duchess being in a big car seat, it meant that she was constantly kicking the back of the drivers seat. No Bueno. I’m pretty sure if they would take some of the ample space that is positioned between the windshield and the steering wheel (there was lots of space there, for some odd reason), and place it in the back, this Mazda would be the perfect car when it came to space.
I’m a sucker for a rearview camera in a car, and the Mazda CX9 didn’t disappoint with that. I also appreciated that the Mp3 player hook up was located INSIDE of the armrest! It wasn’t in the way of anything and, once it’s connected to the car, you can control your music right on the screen in the dashboard. I also loved that there was an auxiliary outlet inside of the armrest as well.
One interesting aspect of the car that stuck with me is the adjustable headlight placement of the car. With a husband that is 6’1″, and my height being at an itty bitty 5’4″, we are always re-positioning whatever car we have to fit the height of whoever is driving. The headlights tend to have to stay at whatever position they are. I loved being able to move the lights to a better position for me, especially since I”m not a big fan of driving at night anyway. It made me feel more comfortable with any nighttime driving that I did.
The overall ride of the Mazda Cx9 was amazing. I mean, it is a Mazda! It did well around curves and the ride was smooth and quick (when needed to be). I so enjoyed the ride I took with it on the parkway to my base and back. I don’t think I’ve ever had that smooth of a ride to work. Also, the cruise control was fantastic. Usually with cruise control, when you increase or decrease the speed, you get a “jerky” response. Not with this Mazda.
Now let’s talk price. For this car, and the amenities that it offers, I think the pricing is a little high. If you look at the competitors in the same prize range, the Mazda is missing just a few of the bells and whistles that other cars do offer. I think if the pricing was decreased about 5 thousand or so, it would be a real contender. So, while the Mazda CX9 is on our list, it isn’t very high up there. But, I have to say, we’ve been spoiled by other cars recently, so it had a lot to live up to.
Do you own a Mazda, or have you been interested in test driving one? Which model?
We have a mazda protege 5 for our second car. Problem? It only seats 4…we have 5 people in our family. We are thinking about getting something with a third row, but good to know about second row having to be forward. The husband is 6’3″ which might prove to be a problem.
Yes, I think the CX9 might be a good choice for you all, if you don’t mind having some little feet kick the seat. I think your DH would be just fine, since he could still put the seat back as far as he wants, but you’ll have to put the baby behind him in order to not have a bigger kiddo wrecking havoc on the back of the seat lol. The middle row does seat 3, so that would be great for you all since you could still use the cargo space and fit the girls in one row!
I love the headlight adjustment option…great idea! I am pretty short too, so it would be nice to have this feature.
Yes, it was such a cool part of the car. My husband actually pointed it out to me and was very excited about it. I guess it’s something tall people love just as much as us short folks :).
Oh, I am so glad to see this! We are currently going to have baby #3 and that makes our beloved subaru kinda crowded. My DH is not a fan of mini vans, so I will let him know about this option. 🙂 Thanks!
Looks like a great find! We have 6 as well, so our first priority is fitting all of us in the vehicle comfortably and safely. The rearview camera sounds like a winner too.
Cost is a big issue for lots of family.
It’s just 3 of us and we rarely take trips with all of us together.
When we do, my husband’s Nissan Maxima is roomie enough for us.
We reviewed a Kia too and it was so fun to drive!
I love the third row seating. Even though we only have two children so wouldn’t need it for the average trip, it would be nice to have the extra space when we need to transport more than just our little ones in the car, especially because my son is still in a carseat which takes up a lot of space.
I feel ya, Aja. We have a very bulky car seat for our 2 year old, so the 3rd row helps us with space. We can put her in the way back on long trips where she’ll be sleeping, or put her in the middle row and let my son get in the 3rd row so he feels as if he has more room. It’s a win-win!
I am in the market for a new vehicle and I hate car shopping. I too have to be concerned about how many I can fit in the vehicle and even more important how much equipment can fit in it. I use to own a Mazda while in college and stated I would not buy another.