Are you interested in purchasing a Mazda CX-9 Touring or a Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring, but you just can’t decide between the two? You’ve come to the right place, for we’ve combed through CX-9 technical data from 2008 to the present to give you the most thorough answer.
The main difference between the Mazda CX-9 Touring and the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring lies in their safety, entertainment, and comfort features. The Mazda CX-9 Touring doesn’t have a heated steering wheel, for example, and this comes as a standard feature for the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring.
We talk about the important differences between the two trims in complete detail in the succeeding sections. We broke down the differences between these two trims per year. This would help you to narrow down the features that you want and find out which model years they can be found. Read on!
Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring Vs. Touring—What are the differences?
Here is the complete breakdown of the features of these two Mazda CX-9 trims.
The 2008 Mazda CX-9
Mazda replaced the 3.5-liter Ford V6 engine with a 3.7-liter V6 gasoline engine in 2008 that was installed in all Mazda CX-9 trims. It produced 273 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm.
The new engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and a choice of an FWD or AWD drivetrain.
The 3.7-liter V6 had a fuel economy rating of 16 MPG for city driving and 22 MPG for highway driving if equipped with the FWD. This drops to 15 MPG for city driving and 21 MPG for highway driving if paired with the AWD.
There were only three trims in 2008, and the Mazda CX-9 Touring was positioned as the mid-range trim while the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring is the high-end trim.
Both trims were equipped with a 20.1-gallon fuel tank, and they had the same curb weight—4,312 lbs- with a FWD drivetrain and 4,528 lbs with an AWD drivetrain.
The Mazda CX-9 Touring came preinstalled with 18-inch wheels, while the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring is equipped with 20-inch wheels.
The 2009 Mazda CX-9
The FWD and the AWD versions of both trims added 22 lbs to their total curb weight in 2009. This could be due to the several new features added to all trims.
The Mazda CX-9 Touring gained the option to have a keyless start, while the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring had this feature as a standard. Both trims gained the option to be installed with a backup camera.
Moreover, seat memory and blind-spot monitoring became standard features on the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring. The Mazda CX-9 Touring doesn’t have access to these two features.
2010 Improvements
The backup camera became a standard feature for both trims in 2010. Additionally, the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring gained the navigation system and the entertainment system as standard features.
2011 Improvements
Both trims became marginally lighter in 2011. Both trims went from 4,334 lbs to 4,330 lbs when equipped with FWD and from 4,550 lbs to 4,546 lbs with the AWD.
There was an improvement in the fuel economy of both trims without any changes to the engine, drivetrain, or transmission.
City driving fuel economy for FWD became 17 MPG while highway driving became 24 MPG. On the other hand, the fuel economy for AWD became 16 MPG for city driving and 22 MPG for highway driving. It is not clear whether the improvements to fuel economy were brought about by the slight drop in weight of both trims.
Changes for 2012 and 2013
There was a further two-pound reduction in weight for the FWD in 2012. However, there was no proportionate drop in weight for the AWD.
The weight of the FWD version of both trims became even lighter in 2013, shedding a total of 11 lbs. On the other hand, the AWD version of both trims gained a total of 6 lbs.
Two new features came as standard for both trims. The HD radio and the rear parking aid became standard features for both trims.
The Mazda CX-9 can now have the navigation system as an optional installation. It also gained the blind spot monitor as a standard feature.
The power liftgate and the remote trunk release features became available as an option for the Mazda CX-9 Touring, while the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring gets them both as standard features.
Changes for 2014 and 2015
The towing capacity of both trims was improved to 2,000 lbs when equipped with the FWD. The towing capacity jumped to 3,500 lbs when equipped with the AWD.
The FWD gained 6 lbs curb weight, while the AWD gained 7 lbs.
Cross traffic alert and brake assist were introduced as a standard feature of both trims.
The Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring gained access to woodgrain interior trims while power liftgate and remote trunk release were added to its standard features.
Second generation Mazda CX-9
The second generation of Mazda CX-9 was launched in 2016. It was completely redesigned and was based on the Skyactiv platform and engines that were also used in other Mazda models since 2011.
The Mazda CX-9 trims were equipped with a new Skyactiv engine in 2016. The Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter Turbo Inline 4 gasoline engine can produce 227 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 310 lb-ft of force at 2,000 rpm using 87 octane gasoline.
The new engine was paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that can be equipped with an FWD or AWD drivetrain. This combination greatly improved the fuel economy of the Mazda CX-9 trims.
Additionally, both Mazda CX-9 trims now had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 lbs—the same capacity whether it is using an FWD drivetrain or an AWD.
The second-generation Mazda CX-9 Touring lost the rear parking aid as a standard feature. It became an optional feature for it instead.
The Mazda CX-9 Touring came preinstalled with the same wheel diameter, but it was wider by half an inch. The Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring, on the other hand, was preinstalled with the same diameter of wheels that were an inch wider than on the previous models.
FWD trims
The new engine, paired with a lighter curb weight, brought about better performance and fuel economy. The fuel economy for city driving when using an FWD drivetrain improved to 22 MPG from a mere 17 MPG. Likewise, the highway driving fuel economy improved to a notable 28 MPG from 24 MPG with the old engine.
The overall curb weight dropped by almost 300 lbs, from 4,323 lbs to 4,054 lbs. Trims that use the FWD drivetrain are equipped with a 19-gallon fuel tank.
AWD trims
Both trims have a fuel economy of 21 MPG for city driving and 27 MPG for highway driving when equipped with the AWD drivetrain. Additionally, trims using the AWD drivetrain weighs 4,301 lbs, a remarkable drop from the former 4,559-lb curb weight.
Trims equipped with the AWD drivetrain came with a slightly larger fuel tank that has a capacity of 19.5 gallons.
Additional new features
The second-generation Mazda CX-9 came packed with new features. Satellite radio, premium sound system, and sun/moonroof are now available to both trims—as an optional feature for Mazda CX-9 Touring and as a standard feature for Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring.
The satellite radio is provided through SiriusXM. It is a free trial subscription for three months. The Mazda owner even has the option to create their own channel on SiriusXM.
Additionally, head-up display and adaptive cruise control became available as standard features for the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring trim.
If you’d like access to SiriusXM even if your Mazda CX-9 did not come pre-equipped with it, the SiriusXM Onyx Plus Satellite Radio w/ vehicle kit that comes with free 12 months, is available on Amazon. Check it through this link.
The 2017 Mazda CX-9
Both trims underwent unspecified changes in 2017 that negatively impacted the fuel economy when equipped with an AWD drivetrain. Fuel economy for AWD-equipped trims became 20 MPG for city driving and 26 MPG for highway driving.
The curb weight of both trims also became significantly heavier than the previous year. Trims equipped with the FWD are now 4,144 lbs and those equipped with AWD are now 4,327 lbs.
On the positive side, Mazda introduced smart device integration for both trims. It included the new feature to their list of standard features.
The 2018 Mazda CX-9
Both trims gained weight once more in 2018, although it did not affect their fuel economy. FWD-equipped trims now weighed 4,166 lbs, while AWD-equipped trims weighed 4,361 lbs.
The Mazda CX-9 Touring now included adaptive cruise control to its list of standard features. Both trims gained lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist components as standard features.
Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring added heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel to its list of standard features.
2019 Improvements
Both trims continued to gain weight in 2019. FWD-equipped trims became 4,217 lbs while AWD-equipped trims became 4,383 lbs.
The Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring added cooled front seats to its repertoire of standard features.
2020 Improvements
The 2020 Mazda CX-9 Touring now had the option to install two third-row USB ports and Bose premium audio. It also has the option to install a moonroof with an interior sunshade.
The height of both trims also slightly dropped in 2020 from 69 inches to 67.6 inches.
Changes for 2021
Both trims gained additional weight once more in 2021. When equipped with FWD, curb weight became 4,236 lbs. When equipped with an AWD drivetrain, the curb weight of both trims increased to 4,409 lbs.
For unknown reasons, Mazda CX-9 Touring can no longer install the navigation system feature beginning 2021, even as an optional feature.
Changes for 2022
Mazda stopped offering FWD for Mazda CX-9 Touring and Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring in 2022. The curb weight of both trims stayed at 4,409 lbs and they both kept the 19.5-gallon fuel tank.
Both trims are now pre-equipped with the remote engine start feature.
Conclusion
Both trims of Mazda CX-9 have different features. The Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring adds specialty features to what you normally get from the Mazda CX-9 Touring.
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