Faults:

Front axle, brake calipers, complete steering rack failure, key fobs eat batteries.

General Comments:

Looks great, rides good.

Is in the shop for minor or major repairs all the time.

Had 3 Explorers before. 1991, 1996, 2003; all made 200,000 miles no problem with regular maintenance. This Mazda barely broke 100,000. We always keep the service up on our vehicles. The steering rack repair cost more than the Sport Trac I've had for over a year with no troubles.

Just say no to Mazda. It's not vroom vroom, it's a giant sucking sound of money leaving your wallet.

Faults:

Traction control does not like towing or won't turn off, & I also wish it towed more. Goes through brakes, tires, fuel like crazy... but we are at higher altitude & windy roads.

Passenger side window has a mind of its own & doesn't want to roll back up.

Plastic parts do scratch easily.

Difficult access to child seat tie downs & placement is not ideal.

General Comments:

Being used to sports cars, upon having kids, we wanted a more sporty, less minivan feel, & this did perform/drive the best where we live... & we research/tested all SUVs. It is definitely more responsive, comfortable, stylish than many... & at more than $6-$10k less than its competitors with the same options.

No vehicle is perfect, but this Mazda has not disappointed, & we have put it through the wringer. We are getting our money's worth... I am sure it will do well for another 80k miles.

Faults:

Most uncomfortable seats ever.

No cargo space... this should not be in the SUV family.

Cabin controls are not driver friendly.

Noisy cabin; all the road and engine noise comes through.

Awful access to 3rd row seats. With children in safety seats, it's impossible to get to the third row except from the back.

There are more bind spots than a full size truck; even my old Suburban didn't have this many. It's dangerous to drive, because you're constantly having to turn your whole body to change lanes.

Head room if you're over 5'5 is cramped.

Suspension is awful, feels every bump in the road. If you slightly hit the curb, plan on an alignment.

Seriously lacks power; something this little should have more pep.

NOT meant for towing even the smallest of boats. You can feel the engine strain when even loaded with suitcases.

General Comments:

I cannot wait to get out of this piece of junk! It is the cheapest made wannabe SUV ever.

The cabin noise is awful at anything over 45MPH; they don't want you going over that on a test drive to ensure you don't notice.

The seats are seriously the most uncomfortable ever; I'm constantly struggling for a comfortable position.

We traded my 2010 Tahoe in on this piece of junk because I wanted something more fuel efficient, and let me tell you this is not any better. I'm filling up just as frequently as I was with my V8 Tahoe. I wasn't sold on this, but was talked into it by a salesman and my husband who now hates it just as much.

Mazda lacks the rebates and programs that the domestic companies offer, and worst of all, I've been screwed out of my GM loyalty offer because of this overpriced car.

This is basically a mini van with a lift. The styling of the car is unappealing to me, and the lights look bug eyed.

I don't trust this car, as it feels like it wants to rollover on steep curves; again something my Tahoe never did, even though they are more known for rollovers.

Words cannot describe how much I hate this car. It's my biggest regret. The worst part is after only 5 short months I'm upside down over $5,000 in it. Thankfully we have the cash to offset it. $5,000 in negative equity was the best offer we got from 9 different dealers in 3 counties.

I just ordered a 2015 Tahoe LTZ package with all the bells and whistles. I don't care about fuel economy anymore, I want safety, comfort, performance, and cargo room. My Tahoe payment is $63 more a month than this after rebates and incentives. I can't wait until August when my Tahoe arrives to the dealership. I wanted smaller, and better MPG, but if this is what that looks like, then no thank you.

I was lured into Mazda in the first place by the CX-9 being a "large" crossover. I thought "OK, Tahoe-ish". I also saw great reviews online for the CX-9 and thought I would give it try. I am beyond disappointed :(

We rented a Suburban recently for a long trip, because my car, the one I pay over $500 a month for, was not comfortable enough for 4 adults. It felt stylish, roomy, comfortable and safe. We even extended the rental an extra 2 weeks to avoid having to go back to the Mazda. That's when I knew it was time for it to go.

I don't know why I see so many on the road, or why the reviews are so great here. I have never hated anything as much as I hate this crossover/lifted minivan. Please save your money and buy something better built like a Ford Edge, or Acadia.