Disclosure: Mazda let me test drive a 2013 CX-9 for a week!
If your in the market for a new vehicle that seats seven and not quite ready to make a minivan purchase the affordable, roomy CX-9 may be the vehicle for you! The only vehicle capable of seating seven used to be a van or a huge SUV. But the full-size crossover has literally changed the game when it comes to toting around lots of passengers. Their large SUV like space, great fuel economy and exterior styling will make you wish you had five kids to take up every seat. (Just kidding!)
Ok, ok so don’t literally tell your significant other that you want the CX-9 so you can have five kids, because odds are then they will not even look at it with you! But if you happen to have five kids, like I do- or plan to have five kids- your entire family will be able to fit in the Cx-9.
You could easily install five car seats in the back of this crossover. I choose to install two extra large seats in the second row, leaving room for our oldest child in the middle. Both of the second row outboard seats have lower anchors and tethers so installation was super easy. If you wanted a seat in the middle you would have to use the seat belt for installation. Pictured below you see the Britax Frontier 90 and the Diono R100.
The third row seat has no anchors or tethers so installation back there must be done with seat belt only. We choose to stick two boosters back there for our boys and I was impressed with how much room was left over in the middle. The third row is actually usable in the CX-9, which surprised me. My kids fit back there with no issue at all, now I wouldn’t attempt to shove my 6-foot husband back there, but for my kids- it worked quite well.
Getting back to the third row was super easy, even with child seats installed. The second row slides back and forth and not just a little bit, it slides right up against the front seat. Moving it all the way forward creates just enough space for little ones to shimmy into the back seat with out having to fold the seatback forward, which can not be done with an installed child seat.
Trunk space is honestly pretty non existent with both the second and third row upright. We were able to fit four camp chairs and a pillow pet in the back with kids in the third row. With it down a whole world of space is opened up that can easily store a large double stroller (or two) groceries and any other kid toting necessities. With the second and third rows folded flat, the CX-9 offers up an impressive 101 cubic feet of room for pretty much anything you need to
Safety features are aplenty in the CX-9. Standard safety equipment for every 2013 Mazda CX-9 includes antilock disc brakes, stability control with a rollover sensor, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active head restraints. The car I test drove also has a blind-spot monitoring system, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera.
If you need a big vehicle, but arent quite ready to become part of the minivan club- I highly suggest you at least test drive the Mazda CX-9! Once you slip behind that drivers seat, you won’t want to give it back. You can find a dealer near you to test drive or purchase a Mazda CX-9 by clicking here.
Special thanks to Mazda for letting me test drive the CX-9 for a week.
I did not know that Mazda made a car called the CX-9 that is roomy! I like this color, my favorite is silver on a car, and the interior is spacious with a great deal of room. I bet you loved test driving this car!
We have a crossover but we don’t have a third row with those extra seats. I am realizing that we could certainly use the added space for carpooling and my kids’ friends!
This would be perfect having the 3rd row for my son and all his children, They definitely need the room and this seems to have it all
I’ve heard these got good reviews from consumer reports… if we decide to grow our family I’ll have to look into one of these thanks for the review.
i love mazda cars but i never heard of the CX-9..it’s very nice.
We are looking for a new vehicle that will give us more room. I like how this one is 3rd row seating and that is what we are looking for. I do not want a van, so this may be a great options for us.
Oh my! That IS roomy!
The Madza CX-9 is definitely a great stylish alternative to the minivan and the SUV. I never like the look of minivans and SUV’s just seems too bulky not to mention the gas guzzling. My aunt had a Mazda that she ran up the miles on so I trust their structural and mechanical integrity.
The Mazda CX-9 does not work out well with 4 children. I have 4 boys aged 9 6 3 and 3 months.I begged my husband not to buy it, I told him we needed a van. It would be an OK vacation rental but if you want to put a stroller in the back and use the 3rd row seating and expect any sort of functionality forget it! No grocery shopping is possible no double stroller is possible no room for anything extra. If you have for kids that don’t require any sort of clothing changes or extra backpack even that don’t require a stroller and you don’t do any big grocery shopping this then this is an OK car for you. If you are like my family and you require a double stroller for two smaller children and you have to keep a change of clothes in the car for each of the four kids just in case there’s accidents then I would highly recommend that you look at something different . It’s so frustrating because a car is supposed to be convenient and help you get around and this car does not help me get around with four kids on a regular basis, it makes my life harder and some cases and we’re going to be paying it off for the next four years.?