Details of Cars

Mazda CX-9: the three-row flagship crossover

MAZDA

First-generation Mazda CX-9
A first-generation Mazda CX-9. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Mazda CX-9 is a three-row mid-size crossover built from 2006 to 2023, and until the CX-90 arrived it was Mazda’s largest passenger vehicle. It was built at Mazda’s Ujina No.1 plant in Hiroshima but was never offered in Japan, where the shorter CX-8 was sold instead.

Mazda CX-9 at a glance

Mazda CX-9 key facts
Built 2006–2023, two generations
Seats three rows
Built at Ujina No.1 plant, Hiroshima
Sold in Japan no; the CX-8 was offered there instead
First generation TB, launched at the 2006 New York International Auto Show
First-generation engines 3.5-litre Ford V6, then a 3.7-litre V6 with 274 hp
First-generation platform Ford CD3, shared with the Ford Edge
Second generation TC, revealed at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show
Second-generation engine 2.5-litre Skyactiv turbo, 230 or 253 hp and 420 N·m
Successor Mazda CX-90

History of the Mazda CX-9

The first-generation CX-9 was launched at the 2006 New York International Auto Show. It was originally fitted with a 3.5-litre Ford V6, replaced in June 2007 by a 3.7-litre unit producing 204 kW (274 hp) and 366 N·m and built by Mazda itself, coupled to a six-speed automatic. The first generation used the Ford CD3 platform shared with many Ford and Mazda models, with the Ford Edge as its closest mechanical sibling. Standard safety equipment included blind spot monitoring, a reversing camera, stability and traction control, roll stability control, front side airbags and three-row side curtain airbags. A minor facelift for 2010 brought a new front fascia, new tail lights, three-zone climate control and Bluetooth, and a 2013 refresh with a new grille, bumpers, lights and front vents aligned it with the Kodo design language.

Second-generation Mazda CX-9
A second-generation Mazda CX-9. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The second generation was revealed at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, nine years after the first, and production started in February 2016. It was based on the Skyactiv platform and engines shared with other Mazdas introduced after 2011, with a turbocharged 2.5-litre four producing 230 PS on regular fuel and 253 PS on premium, plus 420 N·m, through a six-speed automatic. The new body followed Kodo design, was shorter but rode on a longer wheelbase, and weighed 90 kg less in front-wheel-drive form and 130 kg less with all-wheel drive. Mazda added blind spot monitoring, radar cruise control with stop and go, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, high beam control and autonomous emergency braking.

The CX-9 was discontinued in the United States after 2023, replaced by the CX-90 as Mazda’s three-row flagship, though production continued for other markets such as the Middle East before ending in 2024. In 2008 the first generation was named Motor Trend SUV of the Year and was a finalist for North American Truck of the Year; the second generation won the 2017 Wheels Car of the Year in Australia and was named one of Car and Driver’s 10 Best Trucks and SUVs for 2017 and 2018.

Design and features

  • Three rows: Mazda’s largest passenger vehicle until the CX-90.
  • Ford CD3 origins: the first generation shared its platform with the Ford Edge.
  • Skyactiv turbo: the second generation used a 2.5-litre turbo four with 420 N·m.
  • Not for Japan: the CX-9 was built in Hiroshima but sold only abroad.

Mazda CX-9 versions

  • TB (2006–2016): first generation, 3.5 then 3.7 V6, facelifted in 2010 and 2013.
  • TC (2016–2023): second generation on the Skyactiv platform with a 2.5 turbo.

The CX-9 sits above the Mazda CX-7 and Mazda CX-5, and it shares its three-row role with the Mazda MPV in older ranges. More Mazdas are in the Mazda collection.

Sources

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