Have 2017 Mazda CX9 Signature with 200,000 km's and not one repair required other than fluids, filters and brakes. Best car I have ever owned.

I bought a CX9 recently, absolutely love it. My previous car was a Lexus NX. It was too small. Couldn’t fit much cargo after putting a stroller inside. I wanted a Sienna hybrid but there aren’t any available right now. Lots of Honda Odyssey’s though but Hondas aren’t what they used to be. The CX9 solved all my problems. I have more space now. It’s fun to drive (I drove a BMW before I had a baby), and it looks great. Absolutely no regrets in choosing the CX9.

The Mazda is gorgeous and the driving feel is unmatched. The telluride is the next gen ford flex.

If you have 2 kids and want to be able to pile a couple of their friends in the car for a short trip, get the cx-9. Drive these in quick succession you’ll see how much better the cx9 feels than the other two. If you need the 3rd row for more than occasional use you need the larger vehicles. Bought the cx9 for camping with a family of 4 and occasionally piling 6 or 7 people in for short distances. For those purposes couldn’t be happier. For the 80% of the time I’m commuting it’s great to have the upscale interior and better driving dynamics.

Just purchased a CX-9. Tons of cargo space was not a priority, and third row won't be used on a daily basis. The car looks beautiful, and one test drive and I was in love. It's a dream to drive, handles great and has a really nice ride. One thing I wish all you KZfaq car guys would do is talk about safety ratings. That was another key factor for me when choosing a new vehicle.

"Telluride. . . is less than 50 grand" Car dealerships: "Lol...good one bro"

I'm 6ft4, and wanted to buy a big and comfortable SUV in this segment. After test driving pilot and highlander, went with cx9. It just felt good for drive and I just needed 5 seats with a little bit cargo space. Also cx9 longer, I can even lie flat if I fold second and third row.

I actually believe the telluride looks really nice. I would absolutely consider it if I was in the market for s car like this.

I love your reviews. You pay attention to the subjectivities - what actually drive buying decisions.

LOL!! It’s like a splash of whiskey! I’m going to use that after I test drive the CX-9! The dealer is going to look at me like I’m nuts!

I bought a 2019 CX-9 Touring and folded the third row seats from day 1. I don’t need them, since I don’t have kids. Took a road trip and drove about 6000miles total. Best road trip car ever.

I bought a CX9GT AWD Built in Hiroshima July 2022. In the time I have owned it I love the driving dynamics with sport select & paddle shifters make for a fun drive for a big car . The panel fit , interior looks & finish are streets ahead of the competition. With all the safety & features it is far better value than anything coming out of Europe at 1/2 the price . 👌

I think the Mazda CX 9 is hands down the best three row SUV in its class. From its interior (which you could mistake for an Audi's) to its thoroughly enjoyable driving dynamics and reliability ratings, I'd go with the CX 9 any day. Yes, I thoroughly test drove the Telluride, Pilot, Atlas, and Palisade, but nothing brought me more joy to drive and be in than the Mazda. Everything from the luxurious interior to the seemingly endless torque and supple ride is head and shoulders above the rest. Sure, there's a little more space in the other cars but I personally don't need it. I try to live a decluttered life anyway. No other car brought an ear-to-ear smile to my face like it did when I drove the Mazda, and this was the first car my wife actually wanted to drive too. I dunno, if I really needed the space I wouldn't go for a Telluride or any of the others in this segment; I'd probably go for a Suburban or an Odyssey. The incremental space difference between a Mazda and Telluride isn't enough for me to think it's worth paying the mark-up over MSRP right now, or even at regular prices for that matter. When I drive I want to drive, and no other three row SUV makes me want to drive like a CX 9.

I love the styling of the CX-9

"is there anything remotely close to fun?" That is why I bought the CX9. My family fits, it is proven reliable, it pulls my trailer, and it can haul stuff.

Paul's got the new CX-9 tagline: A tiny slice of hoon!

I recently retired. Researched SUV's for the past 2 years knowing I wouldn't have a company car (2020 Chevy Tahoe) after I retired. After test driving and researching, I bought a CX-9 in Florida. I live in another state. My family drives to Florida once or twice a year (9 - 10 hour drives). I've driven Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Tahoe, Buick Enclave (wife's car) ....and after driving 10 hours back home in my new Mazda CX-9....by far the best 10 hour trip out of all mentioned. Comfort, ride and gas mileage hands down BEST. The adaptive cruise control was definitely a neat feature that I really enjoyed. CX-9!!

I bought a Telluride 5 months ago and still enjoy watching these videos. This review was great by the way. Not because Telluride was chosen #1 but the breakdowns, scenery and overall execution. But the Telluride is fantastic. Drives very well, great features and plenty of space for my family and all of our weekend hiking, biking gear. Got the tow package as well. People can’t believe it is a KIA.

Kia knows what's up with the "yell at the kids feature". it would be better if the button had two stick figures, one big and one small, and the big one has exasperation lines coming out of their head.

Honda needs to come out with a brand new platform for the pilot, it needs a full redesign.

I chose a Sienna AWD XLE Premium for $35,000 and pocketed $10,000. I can stack two 150 gallon coolers in the trunk behind the third row and still have room. And a widescreen Blu-ray that can split sources, so the left can be Nintendo switch, and the right side is Blu-ray, with sun curtains, and power sliding doors, no door dings. Nearly 300hp with AWD.

We all drive everyday, we haul twice a year .... there is your answer! 2021 CX9 Carbon can be bought for 37K usd right now and it is a steal at that.... it drives by far best of these and driving is something we all do all the time , not pack to gills hauling. It is built in Japan , has best quality and reliability of these and remains a steal in the class.

Excellent video, production was something else, somehow you guys keep getting better.

Telluride clearly wins the all-around contest, but.... As a married retiree who wanted a personal luxury SUV that's nice to drive daily and for long road trips (got tired of my relatively loud, rough 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT), I bought the 2021 Mazda CX-9 Signature. Honestly it feels as luxurious as a new Lexus RX-350, with about the same cargo room (not an issue for my wife and I) but with 3d row seats we can use for rare occasions, and the kicker is it's just WONDERFUL to drive! Smooth and quiet, but rewardingly responsive. In normal driving it's more responsive than the others because of the 320lbs of torque providing effortless acceleration plus the superb driving dynamics, and it feels magically small and easy to maneuver despite it's length. (That said, it's not winning any quarter mile or top speed contests due to limited horsepower.) It's from this year's most reliable brand and is one of if not the most reliable vehicle(s) in it's class. It's about $10,000 to $15,000 less than a comparably equipped Lexus and probably at least $5000 less than any Telluride you could actually get your hands on now. I also think it's the most gorgeous outside (Soul Red Metallic) and inside (quilted Parchment color Napa leather.) If the limited room and likely poorer resale aren't critical issues for you, it's a winner! It makes you feel just a bit special as the driver.

In shopping for a 3-row SUV, I test drove these 3 a couple of times, along with a couple of others SUVs not mentioned in this video. The CX9's driving handling and road feel were far superior, as well as, its transmission shifted seemlessly. The other 2 weren't impressive, but had more interior room. They seemed very minivan-like without the sliding back doors. For a big family with a bunch of kids and dogs the minivan SUVs are the way to go. However, if you like driving and want to have some fun give the CX9 a test drive.

I'd prefer the CX 9 if I needed one Good comparison review

I have a 2019 pilot with 36k miles and starting to have transmission issues. Never getting a Honda again. If I could do it over again, I'd get the telluride!

Fantastic shooting location, camera work, music selection, editing, commentary, and literally everything else. I don’t think I’ve seen a better car review, bar none. And yes, that’s even accounting for the fact that this was a review on SUVs. Fantastic job guys, really incredible stuff!

Beautiful scenery and great info as always! 👍

I like the looks of the Telluride the best. I own a 2008 Honda Odyssey and other than the pealing exterior paint and failing sliding power doors the van has been super reliable and has seen many many family road trips with 8 people in it and holds the most luggage. If I didn’t use my odyssey as a truck as well to haul large and/or a bunch of items I’d consider buying the telluride.

Currently owning Mazda 6, really good car! If ill go with upgrade...CX9 without questions.

@paul we are actually looking at a Telluride! What great timing with your video! :)

We went through three minivans and they have their place. My wife's perspective is she would have considered a fourth except she didn't like the ground clearence in our Montana winters. We bought the 2021.5 VW Atlas that has a great third row and capactity for this class. We test drove a USED Telluride but the dealer wanted $75,000 for one with 6,000 miles. That's a bit more than MSRP. The Mazda was a nonstarter - Not enough space for adult passengers.

What an awesome review! We are currently looking at 3 row SUVs versus just getting a minivan (but not really wanting to...) The compare was very informative!

Telluride looks gorgeous!

I recently took home a new cx-9. I was cross shopping with Highlander and Pathfinder, two contenders not featured in this video. Both of those are much more truck like and larger but the cx-9 is nearly fully loaded for a good $10-13k less than a comparably equipped. Nissan just nickel and dimes you to death now with packages. And Toyota dealerships still acting like it's 2021, ripping off any subprime buyer that walks through the door that's willing to pay extra for nitrogen in the tires.

I love Mazda , it’s a shame that they didn’t make a bigger engine and interior . The sunroof is small but another than that is a great suv!!!

As of February 2021 I have had a AWD Telluride for full a year now. This vehicle is very smooth, comfortable, spacious, relaxing ride. This SUV will give you the illusion of luxury. I have also noticed it tends to respond best by keeping it in smart or sport mode. If you are buying this SUV to tow, rock climb or play in the mountains. Please look somewhere else God Bless you .

Yes! CX9 is for families that do not need the space and it's rarely used. We love ours. Also Kia does not have built-in Wifi

Just test drive a Cx 9 grand touring and it’s coming home love it I use to be a Toyota guy but going to make a change

Iam using a 2017 Pilot..its a trouble free car but badly need an update inside out.. Gosh it's soooo outdated for modern standards.. the interior is so depressing

The poor pilot will be 6 years old this June. When are we getting a redesign Honda?

Since 04 I’ve driven nothing but Honda’s. I almost bit on theTelluride over HYPE. However, I settled my thoughts and came to my senses and bought the Chevrolet Traverse. More power, more room, less money.

We looked at all three. But knowing we'd keep a car for a long time, we went for a Pilot.

I’ve test driven all 3 and the CX9 was the best by a healthy margin. The telluride looks great but doesn’t drive anywhere near as good or feel anywhere near as premium as the Mazda.

No mention of KIA's brother, Palisade. I prefer the looks of the Hyundai.

i think cx 9 still the best than the competitor

Excellent review. I would consider looking at a telluride if they weren’t being marked up $6000 over msrp around where I live.

I'd take a Sienna or an Odyssey any day over these for a family

You want speed, turbocharge the Pilot! I love it! It feels like I'm driving a very safe tank! It makes me feel that my family is safe inside of it!

The last two Hondas I’ve owned had the WORST cruise control ever; set it at 70, you’ll wander between 65-72; it’s maddening. The CX-9 is gorgeous

This is the first time I've ever heard the Honda V6's sound criticized.

I love my 3 row suv that uses the MLB evo platform. Longitudinal engine layout FTW

It’s like watching a tv show. It’s nicely done. Good reviews.

Love the background music in the first half of the video. What's it from? I want to listen to it and just relax.

Most reviews seem to just turn a blind eye towards long term reliability, durability, maintainence costs, safety, value for money and such factors let alone things like quality, speed and configuration of tech used, ecological and carbon footprint. It has been reduced to "how it feels" right now.

For the looks, easy diy oil change maintenance, luxury feel like pallisade, quiet interior, roomy 3rd row, drive and handling is up there with the big boys…The Telli for me also wins..tested the pilot,explorer, traverse, durango, tiguan..the Telluride is what we finally ended up on getting..and this will be our LAST gas engine family suv..

Great video , enjoyed watching this video

For me mazda #1 driving performance & style #2 Honda pilot best all around family car good resell value reliable.KIA no comment never crossed my mind to get 1😎

Thank you for mentioning the enormous center console in the CX-9. Seems like most auto journalist swoon over the CX-9 and miss one of the many deal breakers of this car. The console was one of a few for me. Completely intrudes on the driver and passenger leg room and makes what should be a large interior feel tight and claustrophobic.

The thing that wasn't mentioned was Honda's stellar reliability and high resale value.

The 3 row SUV sadness scale is as follows: 1. "See honey, we don't need a minivan!"😅 2. "Hey... at least it's not a minivan."🙄 3. "Look, it was this or a minivan."😒 4. "Should have just bought the minivan." 🤪

I got the Pilot for reliability and Cargo space. Pilot had more space that Mazda and better reliability than KIA. Got the 2021 Pilot SE and it is gorgeous.

Commenting a couple years after your review... I traded in my 2014 Honda Pilot in December 2022 for a 2023 Kia Telluride. The bells and whistles in the Kia are amazing. Some quirky things like some of the settings resetting each time you restart the vehicle, but they can be overridden. The automatic transmission on the Kia seems to always be searching for which gear it wants to use. I get 2-3 mpg more on the Kia than I did in my Pilot. The Kia nav system beats Honda hands-down. You can even get weather radar (but I use Apple Car Play for that). Given the scarcity of inventory, be prepared for the dealer to nickel and dime you to death with dealer's fees and any other add-on to jack the price up. Negotiate to get a better deal, but you're still probably going to pay more than MSRP for any of the cars you reviewed.

Telluride with the easy W. Lol Had a optima and sorento with zero issues so they are reliable and great price. Just ordered a Telluride. I might be wierd but I love it and getting it even though its for me only. Single no kids going to be traveling in a 7 seater 🤷‍♂️

Great job as usual 👏 I wonder what happened to the good old station wagon as an option in the the US?

Traded my CX-5 for a CX-9 not even a question, test drive them

The scenery in this video is absolutely gorgeous! Where in Colorado is this? I would definitely choose the Mazda CX-9 or the Kia telluride in this group!

Awesome review and production is magnificent! Mazda convert here. 3 years ago I was shopping for Mazda 3 and end up buying Mazda 6. Time will tell but it is zero issue so far just like my 10 year old 4Runner. Both made in Japan. I’ve been seriously considering CX9...

I'm just going to keep driving my 10 year old Odyssey into the ground. It drives / handles very good / well.

My CX-9 is flawless after 5 years of ownership. I’ll look at a Telluride when the time comes for a new one, but I’m more interested in that new Mazda CX-9 (CX-90?) with a SkyActiv I6. Thanks for a great video.

Did I miss it? I did not hear you talk about long term reliability or resale value as a function of which car is best.

mazda cx-9 absolutely for me

I remember when I test drove the Pilot the steering felt so numb and loose that I just didn't want to spend more time driving it. The little brother CR-V handles better.

I am looking at a sequoia or ford expedition. Used. Around 15k budget. The frame rust scares me on the sequoia. And the engine / transmission issues on the ford are very scary. The 4.3 3 valve ford has sludge and cam phaser issues. Often enough that 6 grand seems like a likely repair. I am looking for something this big only because I am big and have a bad right knee. There are many suvs that would be big enough if the stupid console did not have to be so wide and shove into my knee. Any ideas ?? Tried a highlander and it was painful. The sequoia seemed fine.

You don’t ever talk about reliability, how come? Jim

Excellent review with perspectives that are often left unsaid about vehicles in this category. It wasn't difficult to predict the order of finish without ever watching the video. The Telluride and its stablemate the Palisade have remade the mainstream midsize market category. In 2020 the nearly identical models together accounted for about 157,000 sales. That puts the pair in 4th place among all midsize 3 row CUVs. As it was, only the Explorer with about 1/3rd of its sales to fleets and twice as many dealers as the combined total of the Korean brands, the Highlander and the Jeep Grand Cherokee with large existing fan bases and many more dealers the Telluride and Palisade. Production bottlenecks have hit the Telluride especially hard as a result of the COVID virus, not only in its Georgia plant but among other US component suppliers as well. The effect has been much less pronounced for the Palisade that's built in South Korea and management of the pandemic has been far more successful. But unlike the Telluride the Palisade is sold in a wide variety of international markets so overall worldwide demand has been far greater. In both cases had production been able to meet demand sales would have been even greater. Honda builds good vehicles usually well suited to their missions. Interior design is a strong point with lots of minor convenience touches. But it appears that the Pilot suffers to some extent by a belief that investing too much in keeping up with rivals in the mainstream midsize category risks cannibalizing sales of the Acura MDX, the brand's flagship and a considerably more profitable vehicle for Honda. For 2020 sales declined somewhat and dropped the Pilot below the Toyota 4Runner in total sales. Not a good sign. As far as the CX-9 is concerned, driving dynamics simply don't make up for its other deficits. At 199" in length, only the Dodge Durango and Chevy Traverse are larger. Reviewers have routinely commented on its good looks and driving "feel" since the current version was introduced in 2017 (and changed little subsequently). But physics is physics and the fact that it "feels" like a smaller vehicle doesn't make it fit any more easily in a parking space or change lanes in heavy urban and suburban traffic, the CX-9's predominant habitat. Yet interior passenger room and cargo space trails almost every other mainstream midsize CUV. In fact, cargo capacity is less than a compact Honda CR-V and third row legroom is less than every other vehicle other than the cramped Highlander. Thus, it's not surprising that the CX-9 is the slowest selling mainstream midsize SUV in the US. In fact, for 2020 it ranked 28th in sales among ALL midsize SUVs, mainstream and luxury, two and three row. With 28,000 sales it trailed the next slowest selling mainstream midsize 3 row SUV, the Dodge Durango, by nearly 30,000 vehicles. The best that can be said is that CX-9 sales have been flat since 2018, sitting firmly in last place every year. Such dismal sales may not bother CX-9 owners. They may even revel in being so "distinctive." Unfortunately, mainstream automakers by definition shy away from "niche" markets and unless Mazda, the smallest independent mainstream manufacturer on the planet, can do something to turn around their sagging sales throughout their lineup the company may find itself the newest division of Toyota or some other giant. And that would be a shame.

"please don't make me buy a minivan"....... I felt that one.

Pity the Telluride is not offered in Europe :(

I preferred my CX-9 by far .

I have the Honda elite fully loaded. Thinking about getting the 2021 edition or going for the telluride

The older generation Pilot looked better. They need to go to a square design

Telluride is awesome!!!

The size of the Kia is great...sadly only available in the US

Fantastic cinematography as usual EverydayDriver. I also totally agree with you about your ranking of those vehicles. It'll be interesting to see how this market segment drives in 5+ years as these vehicles become electrified.

Cx or telluride ..carbon edition 2021 vs night edition..13k difference....hmmm???

The Kia Telluride looks the most luxurious. Honda has become an old man.

Telluride , Highlander, CX-9 Honda uses a crazy practical design mindset on some of their cars. Elements will be missed

mazda has always been p underrated but the lst couple yrs (say 2018ish-now(1/2022)-++) theyve been rly fkn incredible

Love this, I picked the Kia Sorento recently, so I can relate to that a lot! Informative video guys

Mazda has always given the most bang for the buck as far as features, but I too do not care for the grill. Honda’s relies on its name, never cared for their interiors, don’t think they’re very comfortable. Kia is just a little too boxie aesthetically but I wouldn’t count it out.

Great video!!! Thanks! We are a Honda family, but right now with the economy taking a dump and where the car market is, Mazda may be the hit.

Any way Canadians can get access to Amazon's Prime Video episodes?

I wish KIA makes the Telluride with five passenger configuration instead of 7 or 8. Our children moved out and we just need a bigger vehicle to travel cross states and our Rav4 is a little too small for long distance.

Lmfao at these fully loaded MSRPs. Even a year ago they were not being sold for those prices.

Man, that CX-9 is a great looking car…However, I have two big complaints that make it a no-go. Ok…3 things…1. Front seat thigh support is not adjustable…so, if you try to raise your seat a big, you’re sitting downhill…second, the cup holders…they are right in front of the arm rest and side-by-side. Try putting a drink in there and use the 2014 BMW iDrive dial…you can’t. The Telluride puts them next to the shifter front to back. A more preferred layout. And third, the already mentioned 2014 BMW iDrive. It all looks nice, but functionally it’s a disaster…too bad. It’s a great car. The Telluride wins this one. That Pilot is just plain…plain and ugly.

"...A tiny slice of hoon" LOL

Can you please say honestly how Hyundai Palisade v6 gdi engine is? Is this very good quality v6 engine? Will this engine run 500k to 600k km? I want to know because I have a confusion to choose from Hyundai Palisade V6, Volkswagen Atlas sel V6, and Honda Pilot Elite V6, please give me the right information because I want to choose a V6 car which will run perfectly 500k to 600k km without any big issues...

CX-9 would definitely be my choice if I was in the market for this type of family hauler be it I need the sports car-ish performance and feel it would give me the hint of it I must have. Alas, I'm content with my '23 GR Supra (manual).

Mazda all the way. If you just want a soccer mom to haul the kids around, everything else is okay. Get the Mazda if you want to feel you are connected with a machine.