Compare the2023 Toyota HighlanderVS 2023 Mazda CX-9

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mazda CX-9 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 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, 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.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CX-9 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 14 points higher than the CX-9.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 above average in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mazda is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Mazda is ranked fourth.

Engine

The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (265 vs. 250) than the CX-9’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
CX-9
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights 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.

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

Suspension and Handling

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 up to 7.

The Highlander has 6.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-9 (141.8 vs. 135.1).

The Highlander has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more third row headroom and 5.5 inches more third row hip 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.

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.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Mazda CX-9 by over six to one during 2022.

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