[mobike008]

What I like

-- Gorgeous Exterior Looks
-- Brilliant torque 2.5L turbo engine
-- Exceptionally good handling for a mammoth sized 3-row SUV
-- Smooth, Silent, Luxurious ride with hardly any NVH intrusion
-- Steering wheel feels like driving a compact sedan
-- Ride Quality is the perfect balance between firm & soft
-- Endless safety features
-- Interiors are comparable to "Big 3" German luxury brands

What I didn't like

-- Despite its overall massive size, interior space is bit tight
-- Navigation system is slow to respond and does not come with Apple Carplay/Android Auto
-- 3rd Row seats- Hard to fit in adults and is best for kids
-- Brakes are progressive and linear but, does not have a sharp bite

P.S : All pictures on this review are taken with my iPhone 8 + and iPhone XSMAX

[mobike008]

Buying & Test Drive Experience

When I was looking to get a new car in USA, the choice of what style car to get was clear (based on the firm feedback and wish by the better half) that it has to be an SUV. She was adamant that we have always bought sedans till date and it’s time to move along with the global trend wherein everyone is buying SUV’s and one of my favorite car brand (Ford) has even announced that they will eventually stop making sedans in the future (What a shame as they make some amazing sedans)

Well, can we dare challenge our better half?

I had some weeks to decide as I had a rental pretty much till how long I want (Ford Fusion- Hybrid), which was great on gas mileage (40+ MPG) but, was lethargic to drive despite Fusion being a big seller here like many of Ford models and it has the quintessential Ford Dynamics but, didn't cut it for me at all







For the new SUV, I wanted to keep a brief list from which I can make the final choice and decided on the following SUV’s before making a decision. Sorry- I dont have pictures of all test drives as it's not easy to click pictures here as stopping and taking pictures is bit difficult as you cannot stop so easily for a photo session

---Mazda CX-5 /CX-9 2018 (This was on top of my list having owned a Mazda 6 in US a few years ago)
--Ford Explorer 2018
---Jeep Grand Cherokee 2018
---Chevrolet Equinox/Traverse 2018
---Dodge Durango 2015/2018

Just for information for members, here there is no restriction on test drives and you can take the car on the freeways, back-roads and in general any route that you choose and even go up to 30-50 miles to get a good feel of the car which is exactly what I did (These intentions were made clear to all dealerships before the beginning of a test drive)

Mazda CX-5

First, I test drove the Mazda CX-5 and loved the interiors and high quality of materials used which gives you a rich feel. I enjoyed the overall aesthetics, drive and handling of this sprightly little SUV . It had the same lovely characteristics of a Mazda which is nimble and fun to drive but, the 184 BHP engine felt slow and an entertaining engine is one of my first criteria while choosing a vehicle so it kind of didn't make sense to choose the CX-5 even though it was the perfect sized SUV



Mazda CX-9 2018

I test drove this back to back immediately after the CX-5 and on the exact same route which was nearly 40-45 miles back and forth.

As soon as I got into the CX-9, there was a sea of difference and I was super impressed with the interiors which is similar to CX-5 but, the quality in CX-9 feels a notch above. When I started the car and took off- it just bowled me over with its power delivery and just put a smile on my face as the car felt very peppy and took off with an eagerness which is exactly what I was looking for in a car

It’s 6-speed automatic gear shift compared to other competitors might be less number of gears and not the most modern but, was extremely smooth and there was absolutely zero lag when it changed gears and the gears were transitioning smoothly as I pressed on the gas pedal. CX-9 being such a large vehicle, I was sure it may not handle as well as CX-5 but, was pleasantly surprised in this department as well. And, once I put the car in the S-mode, I was immediately convinced that this has go straight into my “Top Contenders” list



Over to next contender….

Jeep Grand Cherokee

I visited their dealership and the customer service at this place was the worst of the 3 dealerships and had to wait a long time before I got the test drive vehicle. But, when I started the drive, I was immediately impressed with the steering feel and way the steering holds up in the hands (felt it was better than CX-9) and it’s engine performance was also way better than CX-9 and it accelerated much faster and felt quite fast for it’s size. But, in the handling department it was nowhere near how the CX-9 behaves in the curves. I almost made up my mind to get the Grand Cherokee

Now it’s time to do the math- And, when I put down the features vs. money comparison the Grand Cherokee failed miserably as at the same price tag comparison, Grand Cherokee had a lot less to offer and like most brands here in US, most of the convenience, safety and luxury features were mostly “add-on” which took the final price sky-high

On the contrary, CX-9 is a much more luxurious SUV both inside and outside and was wondering should I be paying more for a slightly more explosive engine as here the features matter the most compared to a powerful engine (Well, the maximum you can drive here is at 80mph and If i get the Jeep, it would be enjoyed mostly for initial acceleration)









Ford Explorer 2018

I drove their V6 version and the Ecoboost version back to back and was not at all impressed with V6 version whereas the Ecoboost version was better of the two engines as it was more peppy and I personally found it more fun to drive. With respect to interiors, it is a sad state of affairs as after sitting in a CX-9 and Grand Cherokee (GC) there is no way the interiors of Explorer will be acceptable. It was staid, dull and claustrophobic because it was all black interior with not even a hint of color or lightness even in patches.

Besides above points, their pricing is also higher than a CX-9 and equivalent to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. If given a choice between GC and Explorer, I would blindly pick the GC

Chevrolet Traverse 2018

This was not really a contender in any aspect as it's more of a people carrier than a driver's machine. Space wise this is quite good inside the cabin and even the exterior proportions are massive. I happened to drive this which was owned by a colleague and found it like a regular car- Nice but, nothing to be excited about

Dodge Durango 2015

I had the opportunity to drive this for extended period and was impressed with power but, interiors weren't that great and everything about the Durango is "bulky"- I mean there is no finesse in the components and just the word that reminds me of it is bulky. I'm sure the newer version would be lot better and since I was in market for a new car, I should have checked it out but, I know I will never be satisfied with just a Durango but, I will end up considering an SRT which is their more powerful version and lot more expensive. Well, I was already floored with Jeep and CX-9 and was almost mentally made up that it has to be either of the two as I wanted to stick to the 45 grand budget

The only thing that excited me about the Grand Cherokee over the CX-9 was the extra power whereas the CX-9 trumped Grand Cherokee in every other aspect. And, i went to Jeep dealership to negotiate the price. They have a huge line of of variants which is totally confusing and each variant will have something that is not required and missing a few critical features.

And, by the time you decide on a variant which has all the comfort, safety and luxury features that is required and should be in this price band, the vehicle cost shoots up beyond the budget. Besides the experience at dealership was below par- I had to follow up and they showed no eagerness to close the deal

Whereas, the Mazda dealership had a beautiful middle eastern lady who was like a proper sales girl and she was ready to negotiate to close the deal and kept me warm throughout by constantly following up with me. I decided to go ahead with Mazda as I know I was entering into the known territory and will not regret owning it yet again.

I wanted the soul red with sand interiors which would have looked even more gorgeous but, wifey said no red (What ever incidents or close calls happened only during my Red Accent Viva days and she is particular that I should stay away from red colors in colors...Duh?) So had to hone to next best color (loved the gray too but, I'm bit biased towards "White".

There was no stock at the Mazda dealership near home. Z (yeah, she was known as this ) was so cool she offered to drive the new car 75 miles from a different dealership to the one that I was engaging with to get it delivered to me on time. Awesome service !!!

I went ahead with a spanking new white color Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring Model which is one level below the top-end Signature (Signature additionally has better leathers and few other non critical features)

[mobike008]

Delivery Experience

Delivery experience was extremely smooth and hassle free. Z kept texting me while driving back to dealership and told me exactly when to reach. And, when I reached the dealership it was almost 5pm and White Katana was prepared and had a cute black ribbon on the hood and ready to be driven off.

I could not spend much time with Z (I mean to ask questions and no other naughty intentions..) as we had a late evening flight to Boston. Z ensured our paperwork was completed in 30-45 mins and she personally sat in the car and walked me through the features and even connected my iPhone to the car and we wrapped up the whole deal in less than 90 mins

With some customary pictures which she took of us, we headed straight to home to pack and head to airport

What do you call a brand new car that stands in a driveway and unable to drive it for next 3-4 days. It's called "Excruciating Pain"

We conducted pooja of White Katana as soon as we returned from Boston and took some colleagues out for dinner to Olive Garden to celebrate our new acquisition !!!

https://youtu.be/ka1aCp2b8-s

[mobike008]

Exterior, Engine, Transmission & Driving Impressions

In my personal opinion, CX-9 has one of the best exteriors shapes in SUV's of it's segment (Well, cosmetic looks are always personal
and if you look at the reputed reviews out there almost everyone praises how the Mazda's generally look- Cool, Sharp and Stylish).

It has one of the cleanest design theme which is branded by Mazda as “KODO” design theme which incidentally runs throughout their product line-up

You view the CX-9 from any angle- Front, Rear, Quarter Back, Quarter Front or its side profile, I think it’s a hard pressed to find any major fault in the overall design theme. The entire design flow of the SUV is clean, precise and beautifully proportioned

Front- Looks predator'ish with a bold & large grille and beautiful designed headlamps housing one of the brightest lights that I ever experienced

Rear- Looks wonderful and beautifully proportioned and totally love the rear lights. The chrome grille below that is a hit or miss- Some people might love it. But, I felt it could have looked even better without it

Side Profile- One of the most handsomest side profiles in an SUV that I ever laid my eyes on barring the luxury SUV’s...I think you can make out my love for this angle as most of the pictures shared here are of side profile

Here is a small excerpt from the Mazda Website on what exactly KODO means. And, accordingly to them it took them 12 months to call this design theme “KODO”….!!

KODO Design: Breathing Life into the Car.

“To sum up what we mean by KODO Design, it’s about creating cars that embody the dynamic beauty of life — cars that visually suggest different expressions of this energy. In Japan, we feel that craftsmen inject life into what they make, so objects that receive the love and caring attention of these craftsmen have a vital force; a soul. As we are a Japanese car company, we believe that a form sincerely and painstakingly made by human hands gets a soul.”

“For everyone connected to Mazda, a car is not a means of getting from A to B, but actually a partner you can rely on and that inspires you. That’s why we want Mazdas to express the beauty of instantaneous motion seen in living creatures. That’s what KODO Design stands for.”

For 2018, the Mazda CX-9 has been overhauled and comes with a much tauter, sleek and elegant body design from the previous Mazda SUV's and it’s headlamps and tail lamps have been completely redesigned. These major changes to the entire design language resulted in the car looking like a million bucks !!

Mazda also made G-Vectoring Control, a new electronic system that the company says improves steering and stability in turns standard for all their models including the starting trim.

Here is some basic information about the Trims & Features

The 2018 Mazda CX-9 comes in 4 different trims namely Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and Signature. However, there is only one engine configuration across the board which is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (250 horsepower, 310 pound-feet of torque) paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Whereas, Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional and comes as standard in Grand Touring and Signature trims

In this highly competitive segment, most competitors (Pilot, Highlander, Explorer, Pathfinder, Atlas, Jeep,Traverse, Rouge etc) offer various engine, and transmission configurations and, this is where Mazda plays a different and gutsy ball game of making only one engine ( 2.5-liter turbocharged SKYACTIV-G petrol/gasoline engine that develops 250HP (on 91 Octane and 227HP on 87 Octane) and 310 LB-FT of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission across all trims). Mazda is a risk-taker..Huh?

Well, there is a reason for it as on paper the 2.5L sounds meek but, in reality it is lot better than most V6 engines-at-least from what V6 engines that I experienced during my test drives and otherwise. CX-9 sprints from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds.

While this may not seem impressive as a few V6 competitors are slightly faster clocking 6+ seconds but, some are slower than the CX-9 ( For e.g Highlander at 7.6 seconds)

Here in the US, towing calculations are huge and believe you me, some purchases are made solely on the towing capacity of an SUV (It is common to see folks here towing RV’s, Trailers with their other vehicles. One example was a sight to behold- An SUV towing a trailer which had a Harley Davidson motorcycle, ATV, Classic Car and 4X4 Jeep- A man’s complete auto fantasy’s on a trailer..Haha!)

Now when someone compares this important parameter (not for us Indian folks), Mazda CX-9 offers below-par towing capacity compared to it’s competitors, the CX-9 can tow a maximum of 3,500 lbs, which lags severely behind the 5,000 lbs tow capacity of e.g a Ford Explorer.

I personally believe, If Mazda wants to sell more cars and penetrate into mainstream american car buyers mindset then they need to seriously look at increasing their vehicle’s tow capacities

As we normally find in most diesel cars where the horsepower is less but, torque offered is more which really matters in propelling the car much quicker than less torque powered competitors. Even in CX-9, compared to it’s rivals it produces lower horsepower (250 HP) compared to some of it's rivals but, it nicely makes up in the torque department as CX-9 has the maximum torque compared to any of it’s rivals at the lowest rev band.

This turbocharged engine is quite sporty and has a great acceleration which can satisfy most enthusiasts and performs quite satisfactorily.

CX-9 being Mazda’s flagship model, they introduced this turbo charged engine for the first time only in this car (2019 gets the same engine in the Mazda 6 & CX-5- I drove a friend's 2019 CX-5 couple of weeks ago and with 2.5 Liter in that small SUV just blew me away). I feel the engine plays the primary role in an engaging driving experience as the match between the horsepower and torque is well-balanced.

Torque comes streaming in at just a small tap of gas pedal and never makes the car feel sluggish or weighed down. And, perfectly backed by it’s transmission which changes gears without the driver feeling any lag or delay. Acceleration is sharp and you can get off the line immediately.

Here in US, the biggest way to see the responsiveness is when you are merging into a fast 75mph freeway and of course, while overtaking both of which are effortless with gear changes happening fast and accurate with zero hesitation

It accelerates very fast from traffic lights. I have tried this several times when a similar sized SUV is next to me and not sure if each time I encountered slower drivers! but, usually the car in the next lane will be far behind by the time I reached highway speeds.

As mentioned in my likes, the steering wheel feels like you are driving a compact sedan (Taut and nice to hold compared to the overall size of the vehicle) and this makes the car feel light and sprightly. We as an enthusiast appreciate agility and nimbleness from our cars and CX-9 does not disappoint.

The suspension is well tuned and ride is extremely smooth without being too firm or soft. I hear this point quoted by many reviewers that how did Mazda find the sweet spot as almost all manufacturers either have a soft (majority) or hard ride quality. And, when you drive the Mazda's you can easily make it out that the balance is almost perfect. Also, the previous owners of CX-9 complained about NVH seeping into the cabin in previous year models.

Apparently, Mazda focused a lot on NVH before releasing this version and now there is a deathly silence inside and feels plush and luxurious with almost zero road noise seeping into the cabin except for when I'm in some really bad patches and that is primarily due to the tyre noise (Continental Tyres are on this model)

With a 224 MM ground clearance, it’s capable on all types of terrain without inflicting damage to the undercarriage. I'm no offroader so this car will never see any of those treacherous terrains but, it helps while parking where most of us tend to make mistakes of going too close to the curb etc. Grand Touring is shod with 20-inch wheels (Same for Signature, whereas the lower versions come with 18" wheels) can make driving on bumpy roads little offsetting but, as you know bumpy roads here are negligible so it is not really an issue

It really scores well on the handling department, CX-9 tackles winding roads with so much confidence that you can lean into the corners with zero fear of turning turtle..LOL. Though you know here in US, it’s rare to find true corners but, the test of the car for me is the butterfly super curvy exits where you can truly test the handling of a car. Also, some of the corners on freeway speeds of 75MPH truly tests the car’s handling abilities (There is one corner in Cleveland City limits where there is a warning sign from at-least 5 miles that you need to take that corner at 25MPH and I ignored it and was in for a surprise as it was a straight 70mph road that turns 90Degrees to the left suddenly...Haha)

Body roll is at the minimum, I never felt any serious body roll during taking corners aggressively and I do keep testing the car on these aspects quite regularly and never encountered a situation where I panicked (Probably, here is where the G-Vectoring system cleverly increases levels of grip and composure without the driving even knowing what’s happening in the background)

The brakes are good and well modulated and not the “touch and it stops” type of brakes. But, works as per how much pressure is applied to it. They could have been more sharper but, no complaints

The icing on the cake is the overall look and feel, I get so many looks at traffic signal that it makes me feel like I'm driving an Audi or a Volvo without being anywhere near their price tag. Cherry on top of this delicious cake is the gas mileage, I consistently get 22MPG in city and 28MPG on highways which is phenomenal for an SUV this size

In short, Mazda CX-9 lives up to it’s company tag-line “ Zoom Zoom”

[mobike008]

Interiors, Comfort & Features

One of the best aspects of the cabin is the well assembled panels. Luxurious finishing that oozes quality, steering wheel and transmission shifter are both covered in leather and feel great in your hand. The infotainment controls and shifter knob are raised to a more comfortable position so that while your hand is resting on center leather console it is easily accessible.

The infotainment screen is well in the driver's line of sight and the optional digital cluster display provides information to the driver. Seats are nicely contoured and supportive to the backside and leg room is just adequate but, could have been slightly better for my large frame. For 2019, the CX-9 receives optional front ventilated seats the front passenger seat gets height adjustment as standard.

Honestly speaking, other manufacturers should take this car as benchmark for quality & quality of materials used in cabin in a non-luxury segment

Adults can sit comfortably in the first and second rows but the third as mentioned is compact and still can fit an adult for short duration but, I would think it's best suited for children. On the Signature trim, the high-quality Nappa leather and aluminum trimming is the only difference and looks even more ravishing but, you pay 3-grand more for just a couple of more "nice to have" features

The driver's seat has 6-way manual adjustment with power seats for the front. Meanwhile the second row folds and reclines and the third only folds. As with most three-row SUVs, the first and second rows are spacious and comfortable. I have driven a friend's Honda Pilot (in Boston) as well as Traverse and both of which have better 3-row seating

Leather as standard starts only from Grand Touring trim and is available in black or beige (they call it sand) and quality is really premium. All trims have leather wrapping on the steering wheel and shift knob, as well as cloth floor mats Door and dash panels are very soft and feel totally plush

Door closes with a THUD and gives a premium feeling. When you sit in the cabin what blows you away is the driver-centric features like the heads-up display, control knob, radar cruise control, etc.

In my personal opinion, Heads-up display (HUD) alone is enough to justify a CX 9 over other mainstream 3- row SUV's as it is extremely useful and not at all intrusive (Speed, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Info, Speed Limits, Navigation info is all displayed in the HUD. And, unlike some other cars which displays it on the dashboard/plastic , this is reflected in the windshield of the car and both at day and night it looks crisp and clear with respect to clarity

White Katana comes with a Bose center-point 12-speaker surround system. I listen to music streaming from i Tune and also listen to radio; quality is pretty good as you can expect from a good brand like BOSE. But, in my personal opinion, it's not the best music system out there.

Mazda took a page out of Germans and gave this beautiful dial knob usually found in BMW's and is well placed and easy to access and is best way to use the system while driving without taking your eyes of the road. Navigation system graphics are cool, neat and extremely sharp with respect to visibility but, the overall system itself is slow. It takes nearly 45 seconds to fire up after the engine is cranked up (I think that's average at it's best). When I got the car there was no Android Auto/Apple Car Play but, now it's available as $400 add-on option ( It is useful but, didn't think its worth paying that much)

Door opens wide for easy entry and exits. Access to the front and middle-row seats is easy thanks to tall openings and no obstructions. In tight spots, the relatively short doors can open wide so you don't have to squeeze in. Third-row access does require a short but inelegant crawl.

Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel has enough travel to please taller drivers, and armrests are right where they should be to provide appropriate support.

Interior space is tighter than what the massive exterior size tend to make you believe and visibility is good but thickish front roof pillars can obstruct the view somewhat through tight turns. The rear view is severely compromised by sloping roofline and high seats of 2nd and 3rd row but, it's no worse than in a typical SUV in its class. However, the good point is I never use the inside rear view mirror ever in any car out of long term habit. My sole truth always lies in left & right ORVM

You'll find numerous interior storage cubby holes for storage and door-pockets are of good-sized and have indents that hold large water bottles. The there is storage space in center console of both front and second row seats. Storage space is satisfactory.

Rear seats fold down with a flick of a button and voila you have massive space to carry luggage. My guess is it can easily carry 2 International Suitcases along with their cabin bags (Never tried to pack 4 suitcases at one go- It was partly used once when wifey was travelling to India)

Overall, the interiors of the Mazda CX-9 "almost" rivals the luxury SUV's out there !!!

[mobike008]

CX-9 Convenience & Safety Features

The CX-9 is equipped with advanced dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags, and the side-impact curtain airbags include rollover protection.

There are a total of 6-airbags.Some of the technology advanced safety features include Smart Brake Support and Advanced Smart City Brake Support with pedestrian detection, designed to warn the driver of potential collisions with the ability to emergency brake.

CX-9 also comes with parking sensors (front & back), a surround-view mirror, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Just for info at a quick glance, I am listing out some of the prominent convenience and safety features of CX-9 Grand Touring Trim

Convenience Features

Power Seats (Driver and Passenger)
2-Memory Seats (Driver)
Powered Sunroof/Moonroof
Back-Up Camera
Cruise Control
Adaptive Cruise Control (Extremely useful for long drives)
Heads-Up Display (Oh Boy! This is best feature of CX-9)
Auto-Off Headlights (Switches off after 15-20 seconds-Useful)
Key-less Start (Problematic- Have a funny story to share)
Rear Parking Aid
Power Liftgate (When hands full of grocery bags- It's a boon)
Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
Leather Wrapped Gear Shift Knob
Heated Steering Wheel
Remote Trunk Release
Intermittent Rain Sensing Wipers
Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers
Keyless Entry & Power Door Locks
Electrochromic rearview mirror
Heated Mirrors
Power Mirrors
Second Row Heated Seats
Second Row Dedicated AC/Heating Vent System
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
Power Parking

Safety Features (Most of these features are visible on HUD Screen)

Lane Assist
Lane Departure Warning
Blind Spot Monitoring
Front and Rear Car Warning (Adjustable via. Settings)
Normal Cruise Control
Adaptive Cruise Control (Adjustable via. Settings)---Cannot sing enough praise of this amazing system
Warnings on No-Hands on Steering Wheel
Cross Traffic Alert
Integrated Turn Signals on ORVM
Day Time Running Lights
Auto High Beam (Impressive like hell !!)
Electronic Stability Control
Traction Control

I was lucky to find this in some of the Mazda paperwork



As you can see from above why it was an easy decision to choose the Mazda CX-9 with the above set of safety and convenience features which came as standard in the Grand Touring model at the budget that I was looking for it was a no-brainer to get this beautiful machine. And, a point to note that some of these features are not even there in mid-level German luxury brands (You have to pay additional for each feature or a set of features)

I'm super happy with my choice and enjoying the experience of CX-9's punchy performance, sporty driving dynamics with an excellent fuel efficiency allowing me to enjoy a premium SUV without the associated cost of buying a germany luxury brands

[mobike008]

A few casual videos of driving the Mazda CX-9 in different weather conditions

Snowy Conditions

https://youtu.be/PKPiCwZ2QcU

https://youtu.be/khGrssIMS1Q

Long distance driving (New York State)

https://youtu.be/OHUbtZ27Cm8

https://youtu.be/H63UPdoLN6s

Driving in summers is a joy that is unexplainable

https://youtu.be/tFZq8ncuTUk

https://youtu.be/Rxp70BMUJgw

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[syedyaseer]

Congratulations. Looks beautiful in white. Im also out in the UAE market for Mazda CX-9 for my friend. We are looking for 2018 and above model.

[rav11stars]

Congratulations! Mazdas are indeed beautiful and are a pleasure to drive. I drive a 2018 Mazda6 and it's an awesome car to drive. I read that the 2019 Mazdas are coming with Airplay and Google Auto?

[nikhilthegunner]

Was Lexus not available as a contender in your budget? Would’ve been nice to see your opinion on a Lexus in that field.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by syedyaseer

Congratulations. Looks beautiful in white. Im also out in the UAE market for Mazda CX-9 for my friend. We are looking for 2018 and above model.

I'm assuming you are scouting for a preowned. Go for it and ensure it's 2018 model as major changes including the 2.5 Liter engine has been introduced from this model onwards

Any help or further info required on the SUV, feel free to reach out to me

Originally Posted by rav11stars

Congratulations! Mazdas are indeed beautiful and are a pleasure to drive. I drive a 2018 Mazda6 and it's an awesome car to drive. I read that the 2019 Mazdas are coming with Airplay and Google Auto?

Yes- Like I mentioned in my review. I firmly believe that Mazda's have almost all the characteristics of a BMW minus the brand name and associated costs

I used to own a Mazda 6 in US some years ago so I know what you mean. The newer 6 with 2.5L engine is simply explosive.

You heard it right all Mazda's now come with Apple Carplay and Android Auto and is a $430 add-on option for folks like me who did not get it as standard in my 2018 model

Originally Posted by nikhilthegunner

Was Lexus not available as a contender in your budget? Would’ve been nice to see your opinion on a Lexus in that field.

Nikhil- Honestly speaking Lexus was never in my contention for two reasons

1. They are expensive as they start from $35K onwards for their base model NX which is not an aspirational car. I would like to get the RX450 at the minimum and RX's look great ( newer model is simply futuristic in shape) but, they start from $55K onwards

2. I find Lexus as a brand dull and boring. Nothing exciting about them

If I had the budget, then I would have considered the Lincolns over them which according to me are equally beautiful (Especially the Lincoln MKX)

Anyways, I'm not an SUV type of guy and bought this only to please wifey but, still wanted something that can be enjoyed for it's driving dynamics.

I will probably get something exciting for myself in near future

[syedyaseer]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I'm assuming you are scouting for a preowned. Go for it and ensure it's 2018 model as major changes including the 2.5 Liter engine has been introduced from this model onwards

Any help or further info required on the SUV, feel free to reach out to me

Yes indeed we are looking for pre-owned 2018 model. We have come across one special or limited edition car, unfortunately asking price is comparatively higher than GTX(Top) trim available in the UAE market. Definitely, i will be in touch in case i need any help.

[thehighwayman]

Congratulations on your purchase. IMO Mazda makes some of the best looking cars that are equally enthralling to drive. The Mazda 3 sedan was on my shortlist before I decided to purchase a Honda mainly for its resale value .The only area Mazda needs improvement is proper use of the interior space.

[lexusES350]

Congratulations, Its interesting that you never entertained Honda Pilot Touring AWD or Toyota Highlander Limited as one of the contenders as they firmly competes in the same segment. It would have been nice to know if you had taken a test drive and chose CX9 over these two.