Mazda CX-9 vs Toyota Highlander (vehicles, 2011, SUV, best)

[jimbo4345]

I am looking at 3rd Row SUV's and have pretty much narrowed it down to the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander. I like the way that both of them look and drive, and am basically narrowing it down to price for the GT CX-9 or Limited Highlander. How much did you pay for yours, and do you have any pros or cons that you would like to point out now that you have owned it for a bit?

thanks a ton!

Jim

[sdlife619]

I like the new Mazda's, they are the new or I should say what Toyota and Honda used to be back in the 90's.

I remember early this year I took a trip to one of my local Mazda dealers, and was very impressed by the Mazda 3. For being a small economy car, it felt like it was worth much more than the asking price. It has a Lexus theme going on in it's rear end styling, especially in Pearl White paint. The interior was BMW'sh.

I actually sat in a CX-7 which is smaller version of the 9. I personally like the current Mazda design, the CX-9 is a really nice looking ride in all black. These cars look more luxurious than the competition IMO. I mean come on, you seriously want to be like everybody else out there buying Toyota's??

No offense, but Toyo buyers to me don't know what there missing out on, usually this group of people are loyal to the brand and wont look into purchasing something that is not a Crapola. CX-9 looks way better than the Highlander, but that's just my opinion.

I say CX-9. Be free....don't let the big Toyo get a hold of you! It's a devastating effect. A mind controlling alteration in your brain thinking because you just bought a Toyo, everything is gonna be alright.

[trlhiker]

It's all personnal choice. Get whatever fits you the best be it the Mazda or the Toyota. It doesn't matter what others think since they are not the ones buying it. Go to Edmunds for reviews of both vehicles.

[jenlion]

Hi Jimbo, I just paid $32,061 for a 2011 CX-9 touring with the bose/sunroof and the pearl white paint.

I thought the Highlander was a great car, too. Consumer reports scores it higher in most categories, and I honestly thought that would be the car we wound up with after going through that. (And our other car is still a Toyota).

This will sound dumb, but there were some interior things in the highlander that were much preferred: better console storage (CX-9 has a tiny console storage bin, a tiny glove box, a sunglasses compartment that is too small for my sunglasses, and no places to stick the driver's stuff!), far better cupholders (matters with a family that does a lot of long drives, and my husband who does often have two drinks), more knee room. I also felt like I could see behind and around me a little better in the Highlander than in the CX-9. And I love the popdown mirror in the highlander and most other family cars. Missing in the CX-9

But the drive of the CX-9 was so much better. The Highlander felt like we were driving a marshmallow. Ponderous, drifting movements. Nothing WRONG with it really, just not the feeling you want when you're winding up Rainier with a steep dropoff next to you. Perfectly safe, I'm sure, just doesn't FEEL good.

So, gave up the cupholders, the knee room, the middle-seat console storage, the driver storage, and got a much better ride. So far so good. Put the 4YO in his carseat on long drives last week in the 3rd row and he's happy. Again, the cupholders were a problem - in the 3rd row, they're too small, and don't fit his water bottle!

The cup issue is minor, the console storage issue will always be annoying, but the drive is wonderful. And the 3rd row is better in the Mazda. It's not great for any large person, but it was literally impossible for an adult in the Highlander. Merely uncomfortable for an adult in the Mazda.