Mazda CX-9 and CX-7 - best of both worlds!

caliche67

I just got a 2008 CX-7 Grand Touring (Black Cherry Mica) and a 2008 CX-9 Grand Touring (Liquid Platinum Metallic) in the last two weeks!! Very happy with both but still trying to decipher gas consumption on each. I'm thinking that the CX-7 (4-cyl + turbo) burns more gas than the CX-9 (6-cyl). Is this the case? Got the CX-7 for my wife on January 2nd and liked it so much that I then got the CX-9 for myself on January 12. When my wife saw me strolling in on the "niner" she handed me the keys to the "seven" and told me she was taking the "nine" instead. Can you believe that? Ha, ha, I said OK, (you know, if mama ain't happy, nobody's happy, plus I get the turbo!). I also thought since I drive further to work that maybe the 4-cyl on the "seven" would be more gas-friendly (even with the turbo), but so far it doesn't seem to be the case. It is very sporty and cool, tight handling yet still more of a truck ride. The "nine" is such a nice smooth ride, almost limo-like. They're both very cool. Mazda did a nice job here. I also have a 2007 Mazda 6 iGrand Touring (Tungsten). Nice ride too.

doubleornothin

Hey Caliche67, I have just purchased a CX-7 & CX-9 as well (will collect next week).

Have you explored whether its possible to use the same smart key with both cars? - it seems a pain to have to carry around both keys all the time.

I tried to contact Mazda USA about it but they just said naa it cant be done but I don't have any confidence with that answer. Dealer also says no - but again I think the truth is the dealer can't be bothered having to think about it.

If the smart key is just some RFID then surely each car can be programmed to recognize the same key?

caliche67

Hello Doubleornothin (cool name by the way), No, I really haven't investigated whether I could use the same smart key on both vehicles. So far, with the extremely cold weather we're having in Chicagoland, I've only had enough time to deal with trying to fit the four smart keys (2 and 2) in my kitchen key-case (they're somewhat big and hang loose so it's hard to close the lid on the key-case without one of them flipping out!!). Ha ha. But no, honestly, I don't know. Good question, however, I wonder if it can be done because my guess is every car must have some kind of different coding, recognizable only by its own smart key(s), or if not, what would preclude someone with another Smart Key to somehow getting close to the car (if while running or what have you) and program it by proximity so they can steal it. I don't know, sound a bit James Bondish but who knows. I bet McGyver could do it, right?! Also, my CX-9 has the Power Gate Lift, so I wonder if that makes a difference within the Smart Keys codes.

On the other hand, my wife mainly drives the CX-9 and I drive the CX-7, so I don't envision me carrying both keys to each car at the same time. What I'm wondering is whether if her and I are carrying each a Smart Key to each car but we're both inside the same car (or if I happen to be carrying the two keys, one to the 7 and one to the 9), if that could cause an issue - in other words, would the system in the car get confused because of the close proximity of the Smart Key that doesn't belong to the car. You know what I mean?

The one thing I do know is that the other day we were on the CX-7, went to the movies, I doppred my wife off at the entrance so she didn't have to walk so far and she started walking away with the Smart Key in her purse and the car immediately started signaling and flasing "KEY"!! I thought the car was going to shut off on me right there on the middle of the street. I sounded the horn and signaled her to come back (she was already about 20 feet away). Would that happen? Would the car actually die on you if the key walks away, or does it allow you to finish your trip and once you shut it off you won't be able to restart it until the key is in close proximity. I worry about that because chances are someone can walk away with the key in their pocket (say whomever was driving gets off the car and walks away with the key) and someone else takes the driver seat and bam, the car dies. What do you think?

Also, which colors did you get?

Another thing I'm kind of ticked off is that the CX-9 Bluetooth does not recognize my current cell phone. What a disappointment.

Finally, what would you say is the true purpose of the Smart Key? I said it is for advanced security and keyless technology but my wife contends that is is kind of a pain because you still have to carry it on you (like a regular key) but it is easier to misplace it, forget it, or lose it within their deep and congested purses because you don't really insert it to the ignition switch. How would you describe the true benefit of this Smart Key technology?

Thanks!

doubleornothin

We got a silver and platinum, can't remember which is which now - ask me again next week.

I dont think you car would die on you when your wife leaves with the key, I think from what I have read that the problem is the opposite - you cant turn it off! I understand that there is an autolock feature which if enabled will lock the car under the circumstances that you describe, I expect for safety reasons you could still open it from the inside.

Regarding multiple keys. I don't see any reason why they couldn't design the system to work with multiple keys; however it is possible that the Mazda system cant do it.

With a "dumb" key that only identifies itself in a fixed way I agree that you run a risk that someone could steal your key code by eavedropping. If this is the system used it should be a cinch to use one key with multiple cars.

A more secure key system would have the key respond in a non-fixed way - say by using an internal key (number) to encrypt and respond to the car. I would have thought that even with this type of system you could have one key for multiple cars.

The problem I have is that I have tried to contact Mazda USA to ask someone who understands these things if its possible but can't get past their customer service people. I just spent $75k on two mazda's and they can't be bothered - even though I would have thought this to be a *very* useful feature for multi-mazda families.

Can anybody else shed some light on the ability to use one smart key for multiple mazdas?

moparbad

Why is this listed as a Mazda6 topic when searched?

stever

We're, er, trying to win you over to a crossover?

Just a wrong button hit - thanks for noticing. Fixed now. :shades:

imamg

Congrats on the Cx(y)'s (see ex ie)...;) You can not program the smart keys to work both vehicles... each car has it's own code/dna almost... that's why it's important that if you add or replace keys that you get all available keys programed at the same time.

caliche67

Dude, did you get your CX's delivered already? Which color is which?

wwest

Your CX-7's FE will be beyond HORRID unless you really DIG the turbo.

The 4 cylinder must be SEVERELY derated/detuned for normal cruise mode, probably 98% of the time, in order to be able to "accommodate" the boost pressure in the rare times of need.

Absent the turbo the engine, DFI engine, could have a compression ratio of ~12:1.

If you value FE above the "boy-racer" effects gained from the turbo engine you can start by "wiring" the turbo wastegate fully open. A second tactic, while more complex or expensive, would be to have the engine head milled to get a 12:1 compression ratio.

It puzzles me as to why Mazda went to a technologically SUB-STANDARD engine as an option this year rather than simply revising the current turbo engine as above.

There is also technology available, and in current use, that would allow the turbo to be used AND have quite decent hwy FE. Toyota's new e/VVT-i HSD technique could have been used to vary the effective compression ratio to accommodate boost and non-boost driving modes.

svofan2

...I don;t remember if it was for the CX9 or the CX7,,,but someone posted that the 2 cars are great in FWD but to stay away from AWD...(CX9 or CX7)...anybody has any ideas or answers?...maybe Ceric?.....evryone is praising the CX7 FWD///