Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Mazda CX-9

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Highlander are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The CX-9 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander AWD’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-9 doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

Compared to metal, the Highlander’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-9 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Highlander and the CX-9 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Mazda CX-9:

	Highlander	CX-9
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	328	337
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	40%
Neck Stress	179 lbs.	183 lbs.
Neck Compression	90 lbs.	165 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Mazda CX-9:

	Highlander	CX-9
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	88
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.4 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	98 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	208
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	54 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	582 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-9.

There are over 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The CX-9 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 14th.

Engine

The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 45 more horsepower (295 vs. 250) than the CX-9’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Highlander is faster than the Mazda CX-9:

	Highlander	CX-9
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	7.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.2 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	88 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the CX-9:

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
CX-9
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Highlander’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The CX-9 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-9 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Highlander higher (5 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-9 (3). This means the Highlander produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-9 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Toyota Highlander, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-9.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-9:

	Highlander	CX-9
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12.8 inches

The Highlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CX-9 are solid, not vented.

The Highlander stops much shorter than the CX-9:

	Highlander	CX-9
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	130 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the CX-9 Touring pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the CX-9’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

Chassis

The Toyota Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Mazda CX-9.

The Highlander is 4.5 inches shorter than the CX-9, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the CX-9 can only carry 7.

The Highlander has 6.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-9 (141.3 vs. 135.1).

The Highlander has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more rear shoulder room, .7 inches more third row headroom, 5.5 inches more third row hip room and 1.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the CX-9.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The CX-9’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the CX-9.

	Highlander	CX-9
Behind Third Seat	16 cubic feet	14.4 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	38.2 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	71.2 cubic feet

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Highlander. The CX-9 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-9’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Highlander and the CX-9 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Highlander is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-9 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the CX-9 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The CX-9’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the CX-9’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

When the Highlander Limited/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The CX-9’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Highlander Limited/Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The Highlander is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Highlander will cost $650 to $2835 less than the CX-9 over a five-year period.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Highlander will retain 56.97% to 58.08% of its original price after five years, while the CX-9 only retains 44.15% to 46.25%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Highlander is less expensive to operate than the CX-9 because it costs $73 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Highlander than the CX-9, including $828 less for a water pump, $370 less for a muffler, $38 less for front brake pads, $4 less for a fuel pump, $208 less for front struts and $358 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $7177 to $8198 less than for the Mazda CX-9.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Mazda CX-9, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Toyota Highlander XLE AWD two places higher than the Mazda CX-9 Signature.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Mazda CX-9 by almost 8 to one during the 2021 model year.