Compare the2023 Mazda CX-9VS 2023 Infiniti QX80

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

Safety

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To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-9. But it costs extra on the QX80.

The CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The QX80 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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 QX80 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the CX-9 and the QX80 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 around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-9 is safer than the Infiniti QX80:

	CX-9	QX80
OVERALL STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	2 Stars
HIC	212	384
Neck Injury Risk	26%	36%
Neck Stress	309 lbs.	439 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	95 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	107/424 lbs.	983/651 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	1.2 inches
Neck Stress	183 lbs.	219 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	376/375 lbs.	452/534 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda CX-9 is safer than the Infiniti QX80:

	CX-9	QX80
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.4 inches	1 inches
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	16 inches
HIC	249	437
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	553 lbs.	684 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-9, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6% to 8.6% less likely to roll over than the QX80, which received a three-star rating.

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 QX80 has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Mazda dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-9’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 CX-9’s reliability 27 points higher than the QX80.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Infiniti.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Infiniti is rated below average.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-9 gets better mileage than the QX80:

			MPG
CX-9
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
QX80
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/20 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/19 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-9 stops shorter than the QX80:

	CX-9	QX80
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	130 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	155 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The CX-9 Signature handles at .85 G’s, while the QX80 AWD pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-9 Signature executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the QX80 AWD (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-9’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the QX80’s (38.8 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda CX-9 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1300 to 1700 pounds less than the Infiniti QX80.

The CX-9 is 10.8 inches shorter than the QX80, making the CX-9 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-9 is 8.2 inches shorter in height than the QX80, 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 QX80 uses body-on-frame design instead.

Passenger Space

The CX-9 has 1.4 inches more front legroom and .9 inches more third row legroom than the QX80.

The front step up height for the CX-9 is 4.1 inches lower than the QX80 (18.3” vs. 22.4”). The CX-9’s rear step up height is 4 inches lower than the QX80’s (18.8” vs. 22.8”).

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 QX80’s liftover is 35.8 inches.

The CX-9’s cargo area is larger than the QX80’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-9	QX80
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	21.5”/50.5”/84.9”	18.4”/48”/81”
Max Width	57.2”	50”
Min Width	40.2”	49.8”
Height	30.3”	36”

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 QX80 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

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 QX80 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 QX80’s parking brake has to be released manually.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the CX-9 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The QX80 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the CX-9 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CX-9 will cost $875 to $2985 less than the QX80 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the CX-9 is less expensive to operate than the QX80 because it costs $291 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the CX-9 than the QX80, including $9 less for front brake pads, $178 less for a starter, $104 less for fuel injection, $177 less for a timing belt/chain and $482 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-9 will be $33915 to $36807 less than for the Infiniti QX80.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-9, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti QX80 isn't recommended.

The Mazda CX-9 outsold the Infiniti QX80 by almost five to one during 2022.