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Mazda CX-9 Safety

mdx_fan1mdx_fan1 Member Posts: 11
in Mazda
Hello everyone,

with the great deals on the suv's these days , i have decided to get one.
After reading through posts and reviews i have narrowed on the following vechicles

1) 2008 Acura MDX
2) 2009 Honda Pilot
3) 2008 Mazda Cx-9

Of all the 3 , the MDX is the most fun to drive , however its also the most expensive ( 33K for base , 38K fully loaded )
Next fun to drive is the Cx-9 , the pilot is the least fun , but with the most utilitarian ( with some braking issues according to edmunds review )

The deals are much more for the Cx-9 , so i was shopping for one till i saw the rear-crash ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety site ( www.iihs.org )

The cx-9 got bad ratings for rear-end crash , the mdx and the pilot got good ratings and the top safety pick.

Is the rating good and reliable enough to rule out the CX-9, except for that i like the CX-9 in all aspects.

Appreciate your input

Kumar
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    howardruhowardru Member Posts: 155
    Where did you ever read that the CX-9 had bad ratings for rear-end crash? I researched the car high and low and never ran across that report.

    http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?mazda

    Listed the rear Dynamic as Marginal and head-restraints as Good. There are no Poors indicated that would indicate "Bad".

    Is there some new report out for the 2008 cx-9?

    Although, I would wait for the 2009 which will include the MPG trip computer and Homelink Mirror unless you can get the dealer to throw in the Homelink mirror and ScanGauge II computer.
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    citivascitivas Member Posts: 144
    I think you will be very lucky to find the MDX "fully loaded." Let us know if you do. I have followed the pricing thread on the MDX forum and while some people have quoted $38K, they have not quoted fully loaded. At most they quoted the tech and entertainment packages, but not with all the options (or they listed those options above the $38K cost) and I haven't seen any credible quotes under $40K that include the sport and entertainment with all the options. Also, you will find the price varies a lot by area. For some reason they are still selling a lot of these where I live. I went in for a test drive and quote on a Thursday evening and had to wait my turn for 40 minutes for a test drive behind two other couples, and by the time I returned there was another couple at the curb waiting to test drive after me. During the wait there were at least 3 other groups hanging out in the model car and they were actively closing two sales. They're best quote was about $5K off the best posts on the Acura forum. I'm sure I could do better if I shopped but the bottom line is the MDX is selling well in my area.
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    citivascitivas Member Posts: 144
    BTW, you saw the Pilot has a good crash rating but I presume you are talking about the '09 Pilot and if so there is no crash rating for it yet. I believe you are comparing it to the previous model year's rating and it was a totally different design. Obviously the Honda typically does well, but you are making an assumption.
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    mdx_fan1mdx_fan1 Member Posts: 11
    I was refering to the info in this link also
    http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?mazda

    they rated "Marginal" for dynamic rear end crash, even though it is not "bad" , its still 2 levels lower than the top rating "Good"

    I was referring to the mdx + tech + ent package for 38 K , in my area most of the dealers did not have the mdx sport in stock , they have a lot of the tech + ent package
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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    The CX9 does not come with anti-whiplash headrests. Also, the headrest is angled a bit forward so that one need to adjust the height carefully to get a good protection. For those two reasons, CX9 did not get good rating on the rear hit test, I don't see it as a big deal since few fatality is caused by rear crash compared with Frontal/side crashes. CX9 has triple-H construction. It protected the occupants very well from structure integrity perspective. That is what I care the most.
    HONDA ACE is nice but it only improves the frontal crashes. Not sure about the rest, though. Do more research and make your own decision.
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    citivascitivas Member Posts: 144
    To upate my previous post, they must of recently rated the '09 Pilot. I saw a new delivery at the dealership this weekend and they now have 5 stars for the crash cateories and 4 stars for roll-over...
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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Same as CX9, no?
    How is the rear end crash for the new Pilot?
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    thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    For those still wondering, the 2009 Honda Pilot is a "Top Safety Pick," scoring higher than the CX-9 in several categories. In fact, the Honda scored good in every single category and subcategory.

    The Mazda received less than good (Acceptable) on the Frontal Offset subcategories of Head/Neck and Right Leg/Foot .

    The Mazda received less than good (Acceptable) on the Side Impact subcategory of "Structure/Safety Cage."

    The Mazda is not an "unsafe" car by any means, but the Pilot has shown, at least in these tests, to be somewhat better than the Mazda in crash protection.
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    cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    From photos, I see both performed very well under impact.
    IIHS perform tests on a specific setup and speed. Under a difference condition or with a different test vehicle, the results might be different.
    IIHS results only show that Pilot did better than CX9 under their testing conditions and with their test vehicles. No doubt, Honda ACE has been very successful in helping their vehicles get high marks in tests.

    Besides, there is the "active safety" to consider. Which vehicle allows you to better avoid accidents to begin with. To me, no doubt, CX9 wins, thanks to better handling and braking. :)
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    thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I agree with ya on all counts, and have no doubt both are safe vehicles. I was just posting to update the testing which had been done on the '09 Pilot; info that wasn't available before, when I stumbled across this thread.
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    dogdoc1997dogdoc1997 Member Posts: 32
    My brother calls me this morning to tell me that the CX9 is rated one of the worst on a 40MPH impact? Anyone else hear this??? My wife and kid ride in that thing every day......dogdoc
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited July 2012
    What year is yours? 2010? For the 2012, Edmunds says:

    "The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the CX-9 its highest rating of "Good" for both frontal-offset and side-impact crashworthiness, but a second-lowest score of "Marginal" for roof-strength integrity. In Edmunds brake testing, an AWD Grand Touring model came to a stop from 60 mph in 123 feet, which is impressive for this class."

    You can look up other years at safercar.gov and the IIHS.
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    dogdoc1997dogdoc1997 Member Posts: 32
    yes, 2010.
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Sounds like it hit mostly high marks in the safety tests.
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    oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    What vehicle were you thinking of getting to replace you CX-9? Have you looked at the safety ratings of similar vehicles? What is the source of the information of the "one of the worse" ratings for a 40 mph impact?
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    jw766jw766 Member Posts: 6
    I came very close to purchasing a CPO '12 Mazda CX-9 GT this weekend. I then found the 24/7 Wall Street article listing it as one of its most "dangerous" cars.

    Has there been any Mazda response to this article? Am I overreacting by tabling the discussion on purchasing this car?
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