12th Jun 2014, 17:55

So then why'd you buy it? All that stuff you described should've been apparent during a test drive. This is why you take a rental/demo car a few days before you actually sign the papers, to see if it's something you can live with on a day-to-day basis.

At any rate, good luck with your Tahoe LTZ (nice ride BTW) and I hope you enjoy it more than the Mazda.

13th Jun 2014, 12:44

All of the things this reviewer is complaining about (with the possible exception of MPG) should have been apparent on a pre-purchase test drive, assuming one was even done.

Why would you even consider buying a car whose styling you don't like?

15th Jun 2014, 09:05

Instead of buyer beware, this sounds like dealer beware. Never thought I would say that!

We have a Mazda 5. I agree that the seats are not meant for long road trips, but they are fine for anything under about 3 hours. Beyond that it's like riding a buckboard.

My experience with Mazda has been nothing but positive, especially in the maintenance area. Maybe it's just my dealership. But they have been always gone out of their way to resolve any issues, even if just annoyances like squeaky bushings.

Wish I could say the same about any of my GM or VAG experiences.

3rd Jul 2014, 03:46

I did test drive it, and it seemed like a fun peppy car.

The exterior looks weren't a big annoyance to me at the time of purchase, and maybe it was just that I hated the car so much that everything about it, including its big bug eyed lights, was annoying.

I wasn't pregnant on the test drive, and as I added weight to my rear (LOL), it became the most uncomfortable thing ever.

The local dealership is a nightmare filled with no wit girls (not teenage either sadly) that make minor service a nightmare. After looking at cars for over 6 hours that day, and with a high pressure salesman who swore I would grow to love Mazda's best selling vehicle, I gave in, signed the lease and went home; something I will never do again!

As for my Tahoe... I get giddy sort of every time we have a long drive ahead of us, and I even drove 6.5 hours myself, which I never do. I love the styling of the Tahoe and feel a pang of pride when I spot my beauty in a parking lot. The kids love the DVD function, and I love the ability to close it and lock it without taking my eyes off the road, and the Bose sound system is so much better than Mazda's; there aren't even words for how much better it really is.

What I really love most about my Tahoe though, is actually having cargo room. The Mazda looks roomy and like you could carry enough, but when you start loading things, you quickly realize that you are playing adult Tetris. I have loaded 4 full sized suitcases, a soccer bag and gear, along with a pack n play and my husband's golf clubs without removing my third row. I can also easily load 2 ice chests and over $500 worth of groceries easily. I'm a once a month shopper :)

I'm glad that some people like the CX-9; I just prefer comfort, cargo room, power, 4x4 and a true SUV.

3rd Jul 2014, 21:24

As a mechanic and car enthusiast who has owned over forty vehicles, it never ceases to amaze me that people buy cars after a five minute test drive around the block.

The dealerships where I buy most of our vehicles know us well, and simply give me or my wife the keys to a car, and let us keep it all day or even over a weekend. If they don't, they know we won't buy. Any car should be driven hard on both rough, urban streets and high-speed freeways. It should be put through panic braking, hard cornering and flat-out acceleration tests. It should be driven long enough to discern if the seats are comfortable or not. This may mean several hours in the car. If one is going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a purchase, they should be concerned enough to give the product a thorough testing.

17th Jul 2014, 02:32

I own a 2007 CX-9, and only now after 7 years is that the car is starting to show its age. I have driven it hard though so I cannot complain. I have driven this car twice to Florida and I have no complaints about the seats, and I am taller and heavier (almost 200 lbs). You just didn't like the car from the get go, and got sweet talked into something that you didn't really like.

18th Jan 2015, 14:53

This is a complete apples to oranges comparison. The Tahoe is a large "traditional" body-on-frame truck based SUV. The CX-9 is a newer style car-based smaller crossover. The two should not even be compared, and aren't even in the same class.

Also, to say that you should consider something more "well-built" like the Ford Edge is just a glowing example at how wrong this review really is... the Ford Edge is a SMALLER, 5-passenger crossover built on the exact same platform as the CX-9! It's amazing that someone could make such an uninformed decision as a vehicle purchase, and then write just as uninformed a review. To whoever said this is a dealership's nightmare was exactly right. This reviewer should stick with their big gas guzzler from their favorite bankrupt automaker, and go post a terrible review on that vehicle in a few months.

19th Jan 2015, 03:23

Stick to the GMC Suburban/Tahoe; those are real truck based SUVs that are rugged, safe, comfortable, spacious, tons of cargo space, and can pull/tow anything.

Smaller cross-overs may seem appealing for gas mileage, but real life gas mileage when loaded with passengers is far, far less than advertised.

My uncle has a 2014 Acura MDX crossover and it gets terrible mileage, maybe 26 MPG unloaded on the highway at best. I had a 90s diesel Suburban that got better mileage than that, and it's full size.

What I have learned is that bigger, more cargo space is more economical; you can move stuff yourself, not have to rent or borrow a truck, or use 2 vehicles because everyone can't fit in one.

Suburbans are always a good investment; a very rugged drivetrain and frame that's tried and true, and used in full size work trucks. The cost of using a bit more gas is way offset by low maintenance and ownership cost.