Mazda CX-9 review: the three-row SUV Mazda discontinued too soon
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
A used CX-9 is one of the more interesting seven-seat buys in Bahrain precisely because Mazda stopped making it: no new-car competition means no fresh depreciation pressure, and the turbo four-cylinder is genuinely quicker than the six-cylinder engines most rivals its size still use. Have any candidate's timing chain and turbo service history checked before buying — this is the one mechanical area worth real scrutiny on a car this size and age.
Pros
- Turbo four gives stronger mid-range shove than rival V6 engines
- Cabin quality and driving position feel closer to a saloon than most seven-seaters
- Stable used prices thanks to no new-model competition
- Independent workshops know the Skyactiv-G Turbo well from the CX-5
Cons
- Turbo and timing chain need a documented service history to buy with confidence
- Third-row space is tight for adults on longer trips
- Smaller pool of used listings than a Pathfinder or Highlander
- No new-model support or facelift — this generation is final
Mazda quietly ended CX-9 production in 2023 and has not replaced it with a seven-seat model anywhere close to the same size, which makes the TC generation an orphan in the best sense: a genuinely good three-row crossover that will never see a facelift competing against it. It used a 2.5-litre turbo four rather than the six-cylinder engines rivals like the Highlander and Pathfinder rely on, and the difference is obvious the first time you merge onto the highway.
The engine that surprises people
227 hp does not sound remarkable next to a V6, but 420 Nm of torque arriving from 2,000 rpm gives the CX-9 a mid-range shove that a naturally aspirated six-cylinder cannot match, and it does so while returning noticeably better fuel economy in real-world mixed driving. The trade-off is a turbocharger and timing chain that need a documented service history — this is not an engine to buy on faith from a seller who cannot produce records.
Cabin quality follows the same Mazda script as the CX-5 and CX-3 scaled up: real stitching, a rotary controller, and a driving position that feels more saloon than school bus. Third-row space is usable for children on the causeway run to Saudi but tight for adults on anything beyond a short trip, which is true of almost every seven-seat crossover this size.
Buying one in Bahrain today
With no new CX-9 to compete against, used prices have been more stable than a typical discontinued model, though the flip side is a smaller pool of listings than a Pathfinder or Highlander. Independent Bahraini workshops know the Skyactiv-G Turbo well from the CX-5 and Mazda6 turbo grades, so servicing is not the obstacle it might appear; sourcing the specific car in the condition and colour you want is the harder part.