We were awaiting the delivery of the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring and had great expectations, especially after testing the CX-5 Touring AWD in San Diego. I'm hoping to bring you reviews that parents, and car enthusiasts alike, can relate to and enjoy. So let's take a look at the award-winning, sleek design, Mid-size crossover SUV from Mazda.
I drove the Soul Red Metallic 7-passenger beauty down to San Antonio and back to Houston and it was one of the best rides I've taken, despite it being a quick 2 hour drive. You can check out our trip here. The test model had a FWD drive train with a punchy and award-winning SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbocharged engine pumping out an impressive 310 ft. lb. of torque and 227 horsepower. You almost get instant torque at 2,000 RPM and is a fun and sporty drive when you switch into sport mode and the SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6 speed semi-automatic transmission ( predictive i-ACTIV all wheel drive available ). The 0-60mph comes in at a respectable 8.7 seconds with only the driver and around 9 seconds when loaded. I have a slightly heavy foot, which reflects on our actual MPG's (20 combined and 25 highway). When it comes to taking the turns and distance driving, the electric power assisted steering made the it easy to enjoy the spacious and quiet interior.
I'm a big fan of the new Mazda designs and the front fascia is one of my favorite sides to look at. The daytime running LED headlights and fog lights add some character and plenty of illumination when the sun goes down. The interior, just like the exterior, is beautiful, functional, and efficient. No wonder the CX-9 has attracted so much attention, consumers and awards, It's because Mazda understands that "there's a balance between needs and wants[.] Our goal was to maximize both funcitonality for families and opulence for couples looking for a getaway." Said by Julien Montousse, director of design, Mazda Design Americas, who personally led the design of the CX-9's interior. The design of the Mazda brand is fueled by the passion and oneness of the Takumi craftsmen. Mazda has gotten the design, function, and quality down and that's what we see here today.
Mazda Takumi craftsmen design the vehicles with passion and oneness
You get a premium feel and quality without a premium price.The center console and dash have genuine brushed aluminum trim, soft touch leather, and a very functional toggle stick to move between setting on a clearly visible 8" touch-screen color display. There's an active driving display that projects information, blind spot warnings, GPS directions and speed during the day and at night, clearly visible at all times. The heated and perforated leather seats up front are big and comfortable with the driver having 2 memory driver positions. The leather trimmed steering wheel has a nice ergonomic feel and it's easy to use the controls on it. The GT trim model comes standard with lots of safety features like ABS, Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control, Roll Stability Control, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Lane Keep Assist, to name a few. You get awesome sound out of the 12 Bose speakers! Check out the full list of standard equipment down below.
The second row can easily accommodate three grown adults, or three car seats. The ease of access is one of the easiest and most comfortable for the passengers.The seats are able to recline to about 120 degrees, so that's a set up for a very comfortable ride. You have 3 zone A/C , so the passenger in the rear can keep cool or warm. I am 5-11' or 6', not quite sure, and getting into the third row was very easy and with the seats up I was able to sit comfortably. I wouldn't be too comfortable for long rides though. If there's no need for the third row, you can fold it down and use the cargo space to carry, your skis, small kayak, or surf boards. Put down both rows for an impressive 71 cu. ft. of cargo space!
So what's the verdict? I believe the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring FWD is one of the most beautiful SUV's on the market and covers all our random and spontaneous family needs. The CX-9 was named a finalist for the 2017 world car and world design of the year awards, it's also won the 2017 WARD's Best Interior Award and Best Engines Awards. There's beauty in the "balance of needs and wants", so if you are looking for a beautifully designed crossover SUV that accomomdates 7 passengers and love to drive, your search just got that much easier. There is quality in the quantity of seats and features, but what matters, is that it's a sporty, edgy and safe vehicle that I enjoyed to drive with my family in it, because driving matters.
Check Out This Review Video Of The 2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring
Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring FWD
Engine + Mechanical
-SKYACTIV-G 2.5T Turbo Engine
-SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6 Speed Sport Mode Automatic Transmission
- 227 Horsepower And 310 ft.lb. Torque
- Front Wheel Drive
- Electric Power Assisted Steering
- Independent Front And Rear Suspension
- Front And Rear Stabilizer Bars
Exterior Features
- 20 inch Alloy Wheels
- 255/50R20 All Season Tires
- Rain-Sensing Windshield Wipers
- Fixed-Intermittent Rear Windshield Wiper
- Heated Power Mirrors w/ Turn Lamps
- Power Moonroof
- Aluminum Roof Rails
- LED Headlights w/Auto on/off
- Adaptive Front Lighting System
- High Beam Control
- LED Fog And Daytime Running Lights
- LED Combination Taillights
- Rear Roof Spoiler
- Roof Mounted Shark Antenna
- Power Open/Close Rear Lift Gate
Interior Features
- 7 Passenger Seating
- Tilt-Telescopic Leather Steering Wheel w/Audio And Cruise Controls
- Power Automatic Door Locks
- Power Windows w/One Touch (4)
- Auto Dim Rear View Mirror w/Homelink
- Soft Touch Leather Trimmed Upholstery
- Power Driver Seat w/Lumbar Support
- Driver Seat Memory w/2 Positions
- Heated Front Seats
- Power Front Passenger Seat
- Genuine Aluminum Interior Trim
- 2nd Row Windowshades
- Mazda Radar Cruise Control
- Electronic Parking Brake
- Advanced Keylesss Entry System
- Push Button Engine Start
- 3-Zone Automatic Climate Control
- Bose® AM/FM/HD/SAT 12 Speakers
- Bluetooth/ AUX Jack / USB Inputs ( 4 )
- 8" Color Display w/Rear View Camera
- Multi Function Commander Control
- Mazda Navigation System
- Active Driving Display
- Centered Armrest w/Covered Storage
- Carpeted Floor Mats
Safety and Security Features
- Anti-Theft Engine Immobilizer
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- SKYACTIV Body - Ring Structure
- ABS With EBD And Brake Assist
- Dynamic Stability Control
- Traction Control System
- Roll Stability Control
- Trailer Stability Assist
- Advanced Dual Front Airbags
- Front-Side Impact Airbags
- 3-Row Side Air Curtains
- Blind Spot Monitoring
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Rear Backup Sensors
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keep Assist
- Smart Brake Support
- Smart City Brake Support
MSRP : $40,470
22MPG - City
28 MPG - Highway
Price As Tested: $41,810
20MPG Combined
25 MPG Highway
20" Alloy wheels
2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring Driver's View
Sport Mode Toggle switch for a much sportier and stiffer ride.
7 passenger accommodation with sand leather interior
12 speaker BOSE sound system
3-Zone climate control
What features in a car could you not live without?
By now, it's no surprise that we are constantly on the move and we love creating new experiences and sharing them with you all. I didn't know much about Fiesta, a city of San Antonio celebration of culture and history, and since we were ready to receive the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring, we made the grand decision to head out to San Antonio and bring the touring experience home! Let's start by explaining what Fiesta is and why it's important. The celebration goes on for 10 consecutive days (April 20-30) honoring the heroes of the Alamo and San Jacinto , you know, Texas history. I was born and raised in Houston and have always been fascinated by the rich culture and history, so it's a no brainer that we made it out to a celebration of history that has been going on since 1891!! So how did the trip go? Let's talk about how 2 young parents made it happen.
Out of all the cars that have been loaned to us, the award-winning Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring has been one of the few cars that we have anxiously been waiting to test drive. For real. When we went to San Diego a few months ago, we tested the Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD, and that was a fun and sporty drive with the family, but knew the redesigned CX-9 would be even better for us. I love the front end design, the upscale ambience lighting, and of course the turbocharged SKYACTIVE-G 2.5T engine! But it's not all about the specs and what the car is but more about the experiences it brings to our lives. And that's why we love to travel. We do things together as a family and experience new things together, just like Fiesta. Even though Ashley was born in San Antonio, neither of us had been to Fiesta before. We packed our bags the day before, like always haha, and of course Camila's clothes, diaper, and all of the things we have learned to pack. By now Camila is used to us going on spontaneous trips like the South Padre trip and Austin trip and may even be more anxious to go on trips than we are!
As I mentioned on the Vlog, we have taken the 168 mile trip from Houston to San Antonio numerous times but the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring made it feel like it was a completely different trip. The noise in the cabin was very minimal, the ride was smooth, and the seats were really comfortable, all 7 of them! Once in San Antonio, we met with family there and head out to Market Square. It was a bit late so we had to leave Camila with family there since it's not quite kid friendly at night. We had no idea what to expect but you can see for yourself on the vlog. We had fun, heard lots of music, ate a lot of food we probably shouldn't have lol. There are a lot of individual events all across San Antonio and the following day was Fiesta De Los Niños so our Mila was not missing out on anything! We head over to Kelly Air Force Base where the event was being held at. The day was full of food of course, Texas Parks and Wildlife had a booth on site that had an alligator and a lot of species of snakes native to Texas, they even had a baby scallop hammerhead to show the kids what happens to fish when they get caught in fishing nets. I'm proud of the Texas culture, heritage and history and thanks to Mazda USA, we're a little more Texan today than we were before this trip. Even though we only made it to 2 days of Fiesta, we will be going back to bring you back more adventures from this adventurous and spontaneous family! See the day 2 vlog below!
This was an experience we won't soon forget and you know it won't be long until we go on our next trip! Check out the 2017 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring review here!
Camila running around at a rest stop
Fiesta De Los Niños
CX-9 Grand Touring - Mid-size 3 row crossover SUV
Award-winning in design and engine performance
Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring offered a sporty drive with an attractive design
Do you have a favorite place to go or yearly tradition?
This year has brought so many surprises and many firsts and it's only been two months into the year 2017! Not only was it my first time attending a dad conference, but it was also our first time in California. To top this off, we drove the sporty and edgy Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD through the beautiful streets along the Pacific Coast. This was all made possible by receiving the Miller Grant to the 6th Annual Dad 2.0 Summit held in La Jolla, San Diego. In case you missed it, we started off the year away from home and ever since, have taken more random and spontaneous trips than ever before. There's a long list of places on our bucket list we're looking forward to scratch off and were excited to scratch off visiting the Pacific Coast in California!
Both Ashley and I, were pretty nervous about Camila flying on a plane for the first time. To our surprise, she was the best and decided to fall asleep the last 10 minutes of the flight haha. We landed in San Diego close to midnight and went straight to the parking garage where we had a Mazda CX-5 waiting for us thanks to DriveShop and Mazda. The next order of business was getting to our hotel and prepare for the next 5 days. Even though it was late, we were pretty excited to be in a new place together as a family.
We ended up on top of Mount Soledad by accident and the views were very rewarding
Dad 2.0 check in was not until mid-afternoon, so we had half the day to go exploring and get a feel for the city. On our way to breakfast, we took a wrong turn but somehow ended up on top of Mount Soledad. We don't mind getting lost even if we have an itinerary for the whole day, the views were breathtaking and very rewarding for us. We ran into a local who pointed out all the good spots in town and where to get some good breakfast. This trip was off to a great start! Old Town was where we found Café Coyote. We are used to Tex-Mex and homemade Mexican food, but the Mexican food there is as close to authentic as it can be. Seriously, the food was amazing! Camila enjoyed the food too, all the while she was admiring all the colorful decorations around us. There really isn't a greater feeling than experiencing and enjoying things together for the first time.
Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD overlooking the foggy area of La Jolla
Taking in every moment together
Before going to San Diego, I did research on all the things that we could do there and one of them caught my attention in particular. The area of La Jolla had a population of Seals and California Sea Lions and we were drawn to that. We made that our mission and as you can see in the vlog below, we had a chance to see the sea lions very closely. The seals were in pup season, so we couldn't get too close since some of the seals had newborn pups and human disturbances could lead to the abandonment of the pup. We really enjoyed seeing the locals care for the wildlife and conservation efforts.The weather there was foggy but we still managed to make our way down to the beach below the cliffs. The waves were crashing a little strong and I think Camila was a bit frightened, but she distracted herself by digging in the sand. It was getting close to the conference kick off, so we took off to the hotel so I could get ready to head out. Since this was a conference for dads, Ashley and Camila were going to stay alone at the hotel, but The Lafayette Hotel was really nice and there were many things to do there.
A California Sea Lion posing as I was approaching
The stage of Dad 2.017 in La Jolla, San Diego
The 7ft heated pool of The LaFayette Hotel
The Dad Conference was a real eye opener for me, not only because it was my first dad conference, but it was my first real understanding of the dad influencer industry. I only know 3 other dad influencers here in Houston, and I'm a newbie compared to them. So I didn't really understand where dad influencers stood in the marketing world. I was able to catch up with my YouTuber friend, Jorge Narvaez from Reality Changers and also got to meet other Millenial dad youtubers; Manny Rodriguez from The Way I Dad, Andrew Tiu from The Tiu Review, Glen from BeleafInFatherhood, and ThatDadMat who is a CPST and CBWS Babywearing Educator! Three of these guys are also from Texas!
The three days of dad 2.0 were full of networking, talking with brand representatives, car test drives, interviews, facebook live sessions with Facebook, listening to great panels, partaking in interesting conversations, and enjoying the whole experience. The 2 last days of the conference were all day events so Ashley and Camila enjoyed the heated pool and explored around while I was away. I was drained once it was all over but I was eager to go out and explore what San Diego had to offer. What really drained me was having to get up early and drive to the Hotel where the conference was being held at but I was able to know the Mazda CX-5 in a daily real world scenario and I didn't mind the heated seats in the cool and rainy mornings!
Mazda CX-5 on one of the cool rainy days in La Jolla
The weather of the first two days was pretty bleak but the following days were perfect. The sun was out and we were able to see the beauty of the southern California coast. I love driving, and was eager to drive the streets of La Jolla along the Pacific Coast with my family in the CX-5. The AWD system was perfect for the steep and windy roads there and came in handy on 30 degree slopes. We enjoy roads like these and by far have been some of the best we've ever been on and we are glad to say we experienced this with Mazda.
One of the best things to have in a vehicle are options, and one of my all time favorites is having a driver mode selection. The options in the Mazda were straight and simple; either normal or sport mode. Sport mode brings out the #zoomzoom out of the 184 hp 4 cyclinder engine and makes for a lovely driving experience. Driving on the southern California highways was a breeze and I think it's just right for singles or a small family. Ashley and I are the ones in the front seats all the time so we like to have a nice view of our surroundings and inside the cabin. It's very streamlined, simple and functional. You also have dual control A/C, which is perfect since I don't like to be cold and she does, and there's also heated seats in the front. We both loved the Crystal White Pearl Exterior as well as the Parchment leather interior, however, having a toddler and light color interiors can be a nightmare but if you can find a way around that, then go for it! I think the light colors made the compact SUV seem a lot more spacious and we loved it. #DriveMazda !
The back seat space in the CX-5 is a lot roomier than it appears on the outside
I'm actually glad we traveled to San Diego on our first trip to California instead of Los Angeles! And I want to go back during the summer and maybe get a chance at getting in the water to get some underwater footage ( the water was 54 degrees Fahrenheit - too cold to swim without a wet suit).
Besides all the driving we did, we were able to see the many other cool things San Diego had to offer, like Mission Bay, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, Gaslamp Quarter, and all the beautiful scenic roads. There's so much that happened on this 6-day trip and you can see more of it all on our travel vlog! I personally think it's one of our better ones we've made so far. You can read the Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD's specification below and enjoy the pictures along the coast in La Jolla.
2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring AWD
SKYACTIV-G 2.5L Engine
SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6 Speed Sport Mode AT
184 Horsepower - 185 LB-FT Torque
Electric Power Assisted Steering
Independent Front/Rear Suspension
Front & Rear Stabilizer Bars
19" Alloy Wheels P225/19 All Season Tires
Variable Rain-Sensing Wipers
Heated Power Mirrors W/ Turn Lamps
Auto On/Off Halogen Headlights
Fog Lamps/Daytime Running Lights
Power Moonroof
Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel W/ Audio, Cruise, Bluetooth Controls
