The 2021 Mazda CX-9 is the Japanese marque’s biggest SUV in the current CX lineup. The three-row, seven-seater blends sophistication and performance in perfect harmony. Whether you’re looking for a family SUV to go out on a weekend getaway or a daily commuter for your urban home-office commutes, the 2021 Mazda CX-9 at Frank Boucher Mazda of Racine in Racine, WI is your perfect option. However, another Japanese three-row, seven-seater SUV the 2022 Honda Pilot falls in the same price bracket and looks like a worthy competitor. How does the 2022 Mazda CX-9 fair against it? Let’s find out.

2021 Mazda cx-9	VS	2021 honda pilot
$34,160	Starting MSRP	$39,060
SKYACTIV®-G 2.5L Dynamic Pressure Turbo DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT	Base Engine	3.5-litre, 24-valve, Direct Injection, SOHC, i-VTEC® V6 Engine
i-ACTIV AWD® with Off-road Traction Assist	Drivetrain	Intelligent Variable Torque Management™ (i-VTM4®) AWD System
SKYACTIV®-Drive 6-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift and Sport Mode	Transmission	9-Speed Automatic Transmission with Paddle Shifters
250 hp @ 5,000 rpm	Horsepower	280 hp @ 6000 rpm
320 lb.-ft. @ 2,500 rpm	Torque	262 lb.-ft. @ 4700
20/26 MPG (City/Highway)	EPA Fuel Economy Ratings (AWD)	19/26 MPG (City/Highway)

Better Torque and better Fuel efficiency

From the comparison table above, it is evident that the 2021 Mazda CX-9 is more affordable than the 2022 Honda Pilot. Although the Honda Pilot offers a higher displacement V6 engine that doles out more horsepower, the Mazda CX-9 more than makes up for it with its turbocharged 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that offers better fuel economy in the city and produces 320 lb.-ft. of peak torque at lower rpm. This means the CX-9 will offer impressive towing capacity despite the lower displacement. The 2021 Mazda CX-9 offers a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds which is aided by the i-ACTIV AWD system with Off-Road Traction Assist that helps predict traction loss when you’re driving on snow or mud. You will also appreciate the Mazda CX-9 G-Vectoring Control Plus feature that helps improve cornering stability by optimally adjusting the brakes and engine torque.

Features AVailable on The 2021 MAZDA CX-9

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 trumps the Honda Pilot when it comes to interior comfort and technology with more standard features than the latter. The standard interior equipment available on all five trims of the 2021 Mazda CX-9 includes:

10.25" full-color center display
Three-zone automatic climate control with pollen filter
Heated Front Seats (3 levels)
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Push-button start
Front door courtesy lights
Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink®
Voice command
Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ integration

Besides this, the 2021 Mazda CX-9 comes with standard i-Activsense® suite of intelligent safety innovations that help you drive better by alerting you to hazards and avoiding collisions.