Compare the2023 Mazda CX-9VS 2022 Toyota Sequoia

Safety
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature has standard Rear Smart City Brake Support that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Sequoia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Full-time four-wheel drive is standard on the CX-9. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Sequoia. Four-wheel drive of any type costs extra on the Sequoia.

The CX-9 Grand Touring/Signature has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sequoia only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the CX-9 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Sequoia uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the CX-9 and the Sequoia 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available driver alert monitors.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-9 is 2.6% to 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Sequoia.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-9 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sequoia has not been tested, yet.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-9
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
Sequoia
	RWD	5.7 DOHC V8	13 city/17 hwy
	AWD	5.7 DOHC V8	13 city/17 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-9 stops much shorter than the Sequoia:

	CX-9	Sequoia
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	192 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	163 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The CX-9 Touring’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sequoia SR5’s standard 65 series tires. The CX-9 Touring Plus/Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Sequoia TRD Sport/Limited/Nightshade’s 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-9 Signature handles at .85 G’s, while the Sequoia 4x4 pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-9 Signature executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.1 seconds quicker than the Sequoia Limited 4x4 (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29.8 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The Mazda CX-9 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1300 to 1600 pounds less than the Toyota Sequoia.

The CX-9 is 5.7 inches shorter than the Sequoia, making the CX-9 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-9 is 9.4 inches shorter in height than the Sequoia, making the CX-9 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the CX-9’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Sequoia uses body-on-frame design instead.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the CX-9 Signature is quieter than the Sequoia 4x4:

	CX-9	Sequoia
At idle	37 dB	45 dB
Full-Throttle	71 dB	71 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	66 dB

Passenger Space

The CX-9 has 4.5 inches more front headroom, 3.6 inches more rear headroom and .9 inches more third row headroom than the Sequoia.

The front step up height for the CX-9 is 2.7 inches lower than the Sequoia (18.3” vs. 21”). The CX-9’s rear step up height is 3.4 inches lower than the Sequoia’s (18.8” vs. 22.2”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-9 easier. The CX-9’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.7 inches, while the Sequoia’s liftover is 33 inches.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The engine computer on the CX-9 automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. The Sequoia’s starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

The CX-9 Grand Touring/Signature has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-9’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sequoia’s parking brake has to be released manually.

On a hot day the CX-9’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sequoia can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

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

The CX-9 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The CX-9’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Sequoia’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sequoia doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-9’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Sequoia’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-9 Touring Plus/Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sequoia doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda CX-9 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Sequoia doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the CX-9 is less expensive to operate than the Sequoia because it costs $27 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the CX-9 than the Sequoia, including $3 less for front brake pads, $659 less for a starter, $83 less for fuel injection, $119 less for a fuel pump, $67 less for front struts and $242 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

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

The Mazda CX-9 outsold the Toyota Sequoia by almost seven to one during 2022.