Mazda CX-9 TC GT (2016-2026)
Also referred to as: Mazda CX-9 TC GT 2025 and Mazda CX-9 TC GT 2027.23 reviews
A recall notice has been issued for MY2017 CX-9 models. Mazda will contact all affected owners, but to confirm if you are affected check your VIN at https://www.mazda.com.au/recalls/
2019 Mazda CX9 Coolant leak/Head Issues – If you are reading this then you are contemplating buying a CX-9. In my ownership I would say it’s a beautiful car with awesome power, silky smooth like a European car and very luxurious with good quality materials. Now I am going to share my personal experience which I hope may help someone contemplating buying this car to avoid a potential… Read more
financial disaster. My car is a 2019 GT Spec with the 2.5T engine with a 5 year manufacturer warranty. Few months before my warranty was due to expire, I noticed coolant level dropping marginally. I checked for potential leaks and could not find any. Coolant levels should not drop and in my mind something was not right. So since warranty was expiring I thought better get this checked. Booked in the car and Mazda dealership reported car was okay however when doing a pressure test they noticed it was not holding pressure however they said drive it for another 1k and monitor.
So for the next 3 weeks I did as they told and yes it was loosing coolant weekly (I marked the correct level as a guide). In the meanwhile googled why CX9 loose coolant and I was shocked to find a Technical Service Bulletin from Mazda North America (bulletin No.01-013/21 issued 12/02/21) whereby US spec models: - 2019-2020 CX-5 SKYACTIV-G 2.5T vehicles with VINs lower than JM3KF******830243 (produced before Jun. 9, 2020) - 2016-2020 CX-9 SKYACTIV-G 2.5T vehicles with VINs lower than JM3TC******422801 (produced before Jun. 9, 2020) - 2018-2020 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-G 2.5T vehicles with VINs lower than JM1GL******523967 (produced before Mar. 25,2020)
Where Some vehicles may have coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold. There may be cracks at the stud bolt hole or at the outside of the exhaust manifold. Google it and you will find the bulletin on line.
I went back to Mazda when my 1k was up and they quickly booked in the car and acknowledged there may be a serious problem and needs to be investigated further. Long story short, it was identified as a crack in the exhaust manifold, same as the US bulletin like for like. I brought the bulletin matter up but it was brushed aside as a US problem and OZ no such problems. I fail to understand when these cars are produced in Japan, how do exhaust manifolds differ between US/AUS. Anyway since my car has been serviced by Mazda from day 1 and I logged the complaint before the expiry of the Warranty and they had it on record, Mazda authorised the repairs at their cost, thank you Mazda. Now to access the head involved a full engine out, and full tear down of the engine. Its like walking into a loved one having open heart surgery. Had I been like 6-7 months out, I doubt Mazda would have come to the table as they might say its out of warranty and I would have been out of pocket thousands of dollars. These kind of complex repairs can only be done at Mazda dealerships as they have the tools and expertise. Normal garage would not take on such a big job as its time consuming and labour intensive having the car on the hoist for 2 mths plus.
So yes, this is my experience with this car and I narrowly escaped being out of pocket thousands because I picked up the problem immediately when I noticed something not right. Car is repaired now and running normal so far. So guys if you are looking at buying one, please have it inspected by Mazda, pay the inspection fee like $350 and have the car pressure tested as a minimum and or any other test they may want to carry out, small price to pay in consideration that you may have potential catastrophic engine failure and be out of pocket thousands (5-10k easily). Doing a pressure test, the car should hold pressure for more than 24 hrs. If it does not, walk away. If buying at a dealer make it a pre-condition that the car is inspected at Mazda to your satisfaction and don’t trust their 100 point check. It needs to be a 3rd party pre-purchase inspection and not a post purchase inspection. Be mindful extended warranties (check the fine print very very carefully and read the reviews on the net) they don’t cover water contamination. So if anything happens, its on you.
So please do your due diligence before you splash your hard earned cash. I am not rich so 5-10k repair bill would have killed me. Like I said Mazda was very good and repaired the car, only because in my opinion the car was unmolested and fully maintained by them. Had I maintained the car elsewhere, its probably a different story. Hope this helps someone. Don’t be put off with the CX9, it’s a bloody good car only thing I was unlucky to have purchased one with a supposedly know problem.
Perfect vehicle, Amazing ride! – This SUV seems like made for our family! It gives you the feeling of macho and delicacy at the same time and is made while keeping all the genders in mind! The red and blue colours are quite unique and gives the feeling of epoxy paint in sunlight! All the features are just amazing and I am in love with it. Show details
Love it, super smooth – Love this car, spacey inside and comfortable even with all 7 seats full. Car seats fit all seats. Luxury inside a heap of USB ports and super smooth to drive. The only thing a would say is I liked the “ grab the handle sensor “ better than the button on the handle to open and lock the car. Very minor and probably just a me issue lol all round great vehicle Show details
My Japanese Cadillac – Just purchased my CX-9 GT AWD in December 2020. While I’m learning to love how it looks, the interior is stunning. Comfortable, great sound system and driving throughout country NSW, it is responsive, handles extremely well for such a large vehicle and has as much “tech” as I need. Since, I purchased it new, I”ll be interested in how it holds up over the coming months and years. Happy to keep you posted but so far, so good. Very happy. Show details
Excellent Family car – This is an excellent family car. If you're looking into a high end design and big space SUV, this is the car for you. The interior of this car is amazing! we love it! I highly recommended Mazda CX-9. You can guys can get a good deal at Australian Motors Mazda - let them know about your budget. Show details
Unsafe vehicle – The car was purchased brand new in July 2019. There have been numerous issues with the car including: - rear passenger door not closing properly - faulty middle console - interactive display not working properly - ieloop malfunction three times. Each time it has taken over two weeks to rectify and this remains an issue. - electric system… Read more
malfunction in the middle of turning right on a main road, resulting in the car stalling mid turn and my family being stuck in the middle of an intersection whilst three lanes of oncoming traffic have the green light. At this time the ieloop malfunction came on as well as a number of other error messages.
These are major safety issues that should not be expected in any car, let alone a new car. Mazda has refused to replace this vehicle
Perfect Family SUV – This is our 2nd Mazda CX9 and still loving it for our family of 5. Perfect for school/ sports runs and fabulous for road trips along the coast. Smooth, light ride and great turning circle. Stylish with all of the extra luxury features as standard. Great value and very comparable with high end European cars that come double the price tag. Show details
Great engine and gearbox, internal storage a let down – Great engine and gearbox so smooth and lots of torque. Gearbox shifts so nicely, would be nice if was 8 speed, but seems to work just great as a 6 speed. Interior is nice, however it does lack storage compartments compared to other vehicles in its class. Find receipts, tickets etc, difficult to find a home while driving. The boot is huge, however… Read more
the heavily raked rear window does hold it back when the 3rd row seating is up. It is also a very big car. If you have trouble parking and you park a lot in tight sydney CBD parking, then look for a smaller car, this one will drive you crazy. My one pet hate is the lack of proper day driving led lights. For a 60k car, this should be standard, not something only on the top model, cars in 20k range have led day lights. On the open road it great on fuel for such a big car. i-stop in traffic can sometimes be a bit slow to react. 12 months service @ 15ks would be nice, don't know why mazda refuse to offer this.
Amazing car! – Spacious car for a growing family! Drives well, looks great and has plenty of power! The mod cons are spot on and make driving, parking and reversing a breeze! Annual service costs are fixed and afford able. All rear seats have anchor points as well!! I absolutely love this car!! Show details
Okay - stay away from Melville Mazda – Car is okay - have had it for nearly a year now. Navigation system is a nightmare. I no longer use it as it often takes you the longest route possible. It is frustrating and difficult to programme so I am back to the google maps on the phone. Bluetooth feature works well. It picks up a paired phone easily. Visibility is limited. Lots of blind… Read more
spots and it feels dark and close. If you are tall make sure you sit and test drive. We didnt have my 6ft 3" husband test drive and he feels quite restricted in the drivers seat.
All in all an okay car. Do not buy from Melville Mazda. Worst customer service. The manager was unbelievably rude and unhelpful and if I could have pulled out of the sale I would have. I will never buy another Mazda again after dealing with him.
Amazing car!amazing drive – The feel and drive is smooth. Legroom is very good, handling also amazing. Noise is very less. Interiors look very classy This car is the best SUV in the same price range Downside: petrol thirsty , preferred a analog speedometer and the back camera line guidance is not very good Show details
Great car for the money – We've had this car now for 2 months after replacing our Toyota Kluger Grande which we had for several years as our primary family mover. We bought the GT model in AWD which adds a few quality of life features and aesthetic upgrades over the lower grades. I never really bought into the safety features of cars until I had a family and i can tell… Read more
you, this thing has avoided a couple of potential dust ups already; The autonomous emergency braking (which is available on all the CX9 models) pulled us up when we were cut off by a driver on their phone and one turning out from a driveway and not looking where they were going. Not until you experience this feature for real, do you appreciate how safe this car is designed to be. I joke with my wife that its almost impossible to crash this thing.
The car looks great, drives smooth and is very quiet in the cabin - much quieter than any other SUV we tested in this price range. Middle row can accommodate adults easily, the 3rd row is kids only for long trips or adults for short stints. Boot space is still functional with the 3rd row up, a few shopping and school bags fit in their with ease.
No dramas with the engine and it is quite punchy on the highway and around town when needed.
The only drawback to this car is that it is big, the trade off for being so spacious inside - parking has taken some time to get used to but it has an excellent rear parking camera and the GT comes with front and rear parking sensors. As the car has high window sills, and thick pillars it also has some bigger blind spots but this is negated partly by blind spot alert - you get used to it.
If you are reading this review you are probably tossing up between the CX9 and the other usual suspects - Kluger, Sorrento, Pathfinder etc. We looked at them all but most are just face lifts or slight evolutions from previous models. The CX9 feels like a much more expensive car then its competition and packs alot of features into a car you can get into for a reasonable amount. Plus, its the best looking out of the above mentioned options.
MY2017 model Mazda CX-9 Touring - Fantastic family car, very impressive and comfortable! – Hubby and I purchased this car in December 2017 after our family had oit grown our X-Trail. Purchasing the ne model CX9 Grand Touring was a bit of a, “No Brainer” for us. We have purchased several Mazda’s over the years and have a Mazda 3 (2011) as our family runabout. The only reason we purchased the X-Trail was because we wanted a medium size… Read more
car, at the time, with 7 seats.
Fast forward 4 years and our family needed a larger vehicle. The car drives like a dream and has plenty of guts with the new 2.5L turbo engine, both around town and on the Highway. The Grand Touring model comes with the leather option which, is very convenient with small kids. Technology wise, it is very user friendly and has everything you would expect from a vehicle of this caliber. We have had the car for just over two months now and I am yet to find a fault with the car or an addition we would have liked. I do a lot of running around with the kids and I have to say that I have been very impressed with the fuel economy on such a big car.
The kids are loving the aircon in the back seats and riding a bit higher on the road. Another feature they love is the auxiliary plug in the middle of the passenger seats, to ensure the IPAD stays charged during long trips. Hubby and I are pretty happy about that too!
If you get a chance to drive the new CX9 Grand Touring, you will see why it has won so many awards and deservedly so.
We purchased our vehicle through Penfolds Mazda in Burwood and as long as we continue servicing with them, we will maintain a 5 year warranty which, we were very pleased with. Overall, we are extremely happy with the CX9 and are loving the extra space to drive around the kids with all their gear.
Find out how Mazda CX-9 TC GT compares to other Large / 7 Seater SUVs
Know better, choose better.
Awesome car – Been driving for 12 months now. I love the driving experience. Running costs are quite low and it is very reliable. It is full of great features like cruise control, auto city braking, reverse assist, electronic brakes, sat nav, keyless entry. I would recommend it to families with kids. Show details
It’s a Dream car, we have rejected Audi Q7 for it – Absolutely a delight to drive. Not to mention enough torque and ability to pull a 2plus tonne vehicle. We have tried allot of vehicles but nothing came close to the cx9. As much as I hate the badge on them, it’s a dream to drive. I hate diesels, their pick ups their sound, their ability to cause lung cancer Show details
Great family SUV!! – So far so good. Love the LED headlights! Great safety features. Great 3rd row seating. Only cons so far: 1.No auto door lock functions. 2.No rear split glass option. 3.Headlight has to be manually turned on in the rain (my previous vehicle turns on headlight after 7 sweeps of the wiper). 4.For a vehicle of this price, no LED DRLs in the lesser 2 models. Show details
Perfect Family SUV – The 2017 Mazda CX-9 GT (MY18) is probably one of the best value for money SUV in the category of 7 seaters today. Excellent technology combined with excellent handling and performance making driving the car an absolute pleasure. Sleek interiors and finish gives the CX-9 a luxury feel. Also loaded with most of the high end features as compared to… Read more
the Azami apart from the Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Dep/Maint Assist, the GT still feels like the top end CX-9. Pretty impressive safety features with active blind spot detection and warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Speed Camera Warning etc.
Economical on the fuel consumption in comparison with the immediate contender, the Toyota Kluger.
Decent leg room overall and even for the third row seats provides comfortable ride for two adults for local trips.Plenty of boot place with the third row folded down.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a 7 seater family SUV with a feeling of luxury in this class.
Excellent family car, big third row space – Comparing with other 7 seater car, CX9 has generous third row space, it can easily fit a adult comfortably. The center console in cx9 is modern, and easy to use. The car is very quiet when driving, this is helpful especially I have a 6 weeks old baby in the car. Show details
I LOVE my CX9 - perfect for the larger family – Having been a Mazda lover all my life and upgrading from the CX5 the jump to the CX9 after baby 3 was a push with the worry it would be too big to manage. It turns out it's just as easy to drive as the CX5 and Mazda 3. It has more power and is far more responsive than the CX5 was making it an impressive upgrade. It is quiet, smooth to drive and… Read more
the safety features are incredible. The blindspot detect is handy especially when the back row of seating is occupied. Fuel economy is great too. Would buy another in a heart-beat.
Great family vehicle with loads of fun but could have been perfect! – The handling is outstanding; it doesn't feel like driving a 7 seats, and more like a sedan. The steering wheel is very accurate and light. Good modern features assist not only safety but also driving experience. Running cost has been somewhat reasonable; with average 10.5 l/ 100k running on Unleaded 91. There is a gap between 3rd row(when… Read more
folded down) and 2nd row; stuff can often fall to the gap when left them in the cargo space. Also it doesn't have automatic folding side mirrors even in the top model.
Fantastic 7 seater – We bought this car after having our twins (babies 3 and 4) as we needed a 7 seater. We liked that the third row has an achor point for our son to sit with his car seat. The seats glide forward which makes them easy to move with the twins car seats in place. The boot space is not huge with 7 seats however we often fold the second seat down. The… Read more
fuel economy is good and it drives superbly. I love the screen and the leather interior. Well worth the money! We did have the passenger seat sensor replaced under warranty as it kept beeping.
No regrets – The most noticeable thing is the absence of engine or road noise. A slight humming during cruising is about all you get. The ride is great, the torque is available if needed. Even went on unpaved rocky roads, the ride is still great. I do think that the centre armrest storage could have been bigger. nitpicking really. Show details
Impressed – We've had the new CX-9 for 5 months (5,500k's) and am vey happy with our purchase. The engine is great it pulls like a V6 but at only 2000rpm rather than 3500rpm like my mates Kluger. It has the characteristics of a deisel engine 420Nm@2000 rpm but without the deisel noise. Though it accelerates well down low it does run out of steam higher in… Read more
the revs.
The ride is nice and handles good and is quiet inside the cabin and there is ample room in both rows of rear seats and the boots space with both rows up is pretty good.
The Mazda infotainment system is excellent, easy to use and navigate especially with the joystick on the centre console I just wish it had apple carplay.
The dash layout and instrument cluster is very appealing and heads up display is awesome.
There are a few things that I'm not impressed with though, it has a space saver spare, no AC vents for the 3rd row seats, no hill hold and only 2 12V outlets but it does have 2 USB outlets in the centre console and 2 in the rear seat centre rest.
All in all very impressed with the CX-9 but it is a brand new model so time will tell about reliability.
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