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2009 Honda Pilot vs. 2008 Mazda CX-9 vs. 2008 Toyota Highlander

549 messages,  Last post on Feb 11, 2013 at 8:48 PM

You are in the Honda Pilot Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mazda CX-9, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Car Comparisons, SUV

Messages Page 54 of 56

#524 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [luckyseven] by citivas

Jul 06, 2011 (9:26 am)

Replying to: luckyseven (Jul 06, 2011 9:15 am)
I don't own a HL because I didn't like the seating or the nav system. But I test drove one 5 times three years ago, I test drove the current model 2 times this year, my in-laws own one and I have driven it over 1,000 miles, and I have had one twice in the last three years as a rental vehicle.
 
My problem with the middle second row seat (I specified middle seat only in that row) is it’s only half a seat. It's not comfortable for an adult and it is too small for a full car seat and too hard for a little kid to reach under the seat to buckle the seatbelt. In the interest of mimicking a minivan and letting people remove it they sacrificed the quality of the seat (if I had needed that feature I could have gotten another minivan). So it really only becomes useful for a kid who is out of a car seat but not full grown. And because you can only fit full tethered car seats on one of the two side second row seats (too hard to constantly take them in/out of the third row or put the kids in them there and buckle them), that means the middle second row seat is an important location for adults. In our Pilo, we probably have an adult sitting in the middle second row at least twice a week on average plus on long car trips that are hundreds of miles. Just not realistic in the HL.
 
Some people only need limited seating so this is not an issue for them. But for those that need more, the HL seating is much less versatile than the Pilot which can literally seat 8 adults – the third row is night-and-day more roomy than the HL.

#525 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [citivas] by luckyseven

Jul 06, 2011 (10:02 am)

Replying to: citivas (Jul 06, 2011 9:26 am)
That's why we have all these choices, get the car that suits your needs the best. Nobody ever complained to me about middle seat on the middle row. Plenty of times I had 3 people seating on the middle row for long duration. Middle seat makes something close to the bench seat out of middle row. I'd say it depends on adult size. 3 normal size adults fit there without a problem or discomfort, pretty much the same as family size sedan second row, even a bit wider.

#526 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [luckyseven] by aviboy97

Jul 06, 2011 (10:20 am)

Replying to: luckyseven (Jul 05, 2011 7:56 pm)
HL is also superior in handling to other 2 because it is a bit lighter so I wouldn't call it boring brick on wheels.
 
While the Highlander is slightly faster to 60, it is equal to the CX-9 in the quarter mile. It gets destroyed in the corners. With every media outlet that has tested the road manners of any 3 row crossover, the CX-9 repeatedly beats the Highlander, and every other non luxury 3 row CUV on the market. Nothing has changes in the 4 years the car has been on the market.
 
Here is a quote from a March 2011 comparo from Motor Trend in regards to the Highlanders handling: "The faster you go, the more this thing wobbles."
 
In contrast, the same article praised the CX-9: "As a high speed, canyon-carving seven-seater, the CX-9 is severely gifted. It actually inspires confidence when you push, quite unlike the rest of the field"
 
I'm not trying to bash the Highlander in any way. It is a really good car, but lets not call it what it's not...which is a better handler than the CX-9.

#527 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [aviboy97] by davicho

Jul 06, 2011 (11:01 am)

Replying to: aviboy97 (Jul 06, 2011 10:20 am)
Thank you aviboy...precisely my point!

#528 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [luckyseven] by davicho

Jul 06, 2011 (11:12 am)

Replying to: luckyseven (Jul 06, 2011 9:09 am)
Luckyseven, let me let you in a dirty little secret too...I have been a Honda Certified Parts Proffesional for about 12 years now and have worked for a few dealers including my current position with an auto group that includes the following:
Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, GM, Chevrolet, Buick, Honda, Toyota and Scion.
 
I certainly consider looks for my purchases among other considerations. Did you notice that I own a Mazda CX-9 which we (the Auto Group) do not carry as one of our makes? Precisely my point...I was not impressed witht he offerings all these makes provided in the CUV segment...including (again) the ho-hum boring and ugly looking HL (again, my opinion). However, given that you say that " no one buys these cars for looks" I can see why your choice was to go with an HL.

#529 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [davicho] by luckyseven

Jul 06, 2011 (11:48 am)

Replying to: davicho (Jul 06, 2011 11:12 am)
There is a little more add to it... I owned a Protege years ago and my customer experience was really bad with it, what a money pit. I also owned Civic, Accord(s), Camry, and HL and will not likely ever go back to Mazda. Even if Toyotas and Hondas are not the prettiest cars on the road they do deliver.

#530 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [luckyseven] by davicho

Jul 06, 2011 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: luckyseven (Jul 06, 2011 11:48 am)
Now here is a statement I agree with you on. Although my CX-9 has had 88,xxx problem-free miles (knocking on wood).

#531 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [luckyseven] by aviboy97

Jul 06, 2011 (2:45 pm)

Replying to: luckyseven (Jul 06, 2011 11:48 am)
"Get burned once, shame on you. Get burned twice, shame on me". I really cannot blame you for not wanting to invest in Mazda again, however, your issue was not the norm. The Protege was a really good car.
 
All car companies have cars that do break down from time to time, even Honda's Toyota's, Mazda's etc....Working in the industry, I can attest to every brand of vehicle go through my service department and needing a boat load of work.
 
On a side note, my 2005 Mazda6 is around 80,000 trouble free miles.

#532 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [davicho] by sixth_gear

Jul 06, 2011 (4:13 pm)

Replying to: davicho (Jul 05, 2011 4:19 pm)
Isn't this so often the case. The genius marketing team turns a half-useful product to successful must-have, or an incompetent marketing team fails a talented engineering team.
Latter seemed to have happened in the case of Mazda. Engineering department did a great job besting Pilot and Highlander in almost every aspect (per major reviewers), but all I, a representative of the ignorant masses, knew about Mazda before I started delving deeper, was a stupid "zoom zoom" catchphrase. Noway as a prospective buyer would I have ever known that CX-9 is arguably better (let alone close) to it's Honda and Toyota competitors. I wouldn't even know the intent behind "zoom zoom", apparently they are trying to convey that Mazdas are sportier and faster than most other cars.
Mazda should seriously think about dumping their marketing team if not the upper management too, considering the disparity between on paper ratings and on the road presence.

#533 of 549 Re: If CX-9 is so great, how come.. [sixth_gear] by aviboy97

Jul 07, 2011 (6:44 am)

Replying to: sixth_gear (Jul 06, 2011 4:13 pm)
Mazda should seriously think about dumping their marketing team if not the upper management too, considering the disparity between on paper ratings and on the road presence
 
Mazda has a new marketing partner. Their new tag line is "We build Mazda's. What do you drive?" They have a new slew of commercials out as well.
 
In any event, Mazda has a difficult task when it comes to marketing because they do not have the marketing budget to go toe to toe with Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford and Hyundai. So, Mazda relys on the Internet, word of mouth and owner loyalty.
 
Mazda build a great product, but, they do have trouble brining attention to the brand...

Messages Page 54 of 56

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