2016 Mazda CX-9 AWD offers a distinct family SUV

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Disclosure: I was provided a rental from Drive Shop for an honest review, no other compensation will be given. 

The 2016 Mazda CX-9 AWD is a premium family option, if you don’t want to sacrifice style for space. Mazda believes in the details when it comes to cars and the CX-9 AWD is not lacking in detail from nappa leather to twelve BOSE speakers for optimum surround sound.

2016 Mazda CX-9 AWD Review

The CX-9 is a crossover vehicle with 3rd row seating.Passenger and cargo room means it’s tough to make a three-row look good, but Mazda kicked that trend to the curb.  I love that it has the most amount of space of any crossover in the market. We had four,yes four large piece of luggage and carry on for an extended vacation. I only had to put part of the third row down to fit everything.

The new CX-9 model has no V6 engine any longer. The SKYACTIV technology 2.5 liter’s 250 hp felt plenty fast enough, I found it to be quite quick for a crossover vehicle and had to keep an eye on the speedometer as it gets away fast.  Handling is great, and the CX-9 offers a smooth and seamless ride.

Mazda has made quite with the interior from the old model. The heads up display is my favorite new option, I love not taking my eyes of the road to look at speed. Also, the large navigation screen is great for those of us that struggle to see the tiny screens. The leather seats are sleek and durable.

Fuel economy is average for a crossover, we got around 20 MPG driving in Orlando and that is comparable to all of the other 3rd row vehicles on the road. But it really is to be expected with 4,300 lbs of car under your feet.

With a price point starting in the mid 30’s this is a great vehicle for families without paying the full-sized price. Of course if you want to add the bells and whistles it can cost upwards of $45,000 once all is said and done. It’s a great bargain for the size and top of the line features for a family car.

Mazda CX-9 AWD Safety Features

Safety is big in the Mazda family. With i-activesense technology Mazda offers safety features such as backup camera, alerts during driving and distance recognition.

Here is what you can expect to find in the Mazda CX-9:

• Distance recognition support: once you reach 19 mph the sensor will ensure you are at a safe distance. If you are too close you will be alerted.
• Latch child safety seat anchors
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Adaptive front lighting helps you see around corners at night,with self pivoting headlights

My favorite safety feature was the advanced blind spot monitoring. With luggage stacked to the ceiling it was comforting to have an alert warn me on the side mirrors if there was a car close.

Overall the Mazda CX-9 was a smooth ride with optimum features. I loved the sleek look of this crossover, as a woman design is important to me when it comes to my vehicles. This felt like the Michael Kors of crossover vehicles, a sleek design made of premium leather and stunning trim.