Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. Need more cargo space? Lots of choices including a Honda CR-V (!) in a package a foot and a half less in length. Don't care about cargo space? You'll sacrifice interior space for performance and handling? In that case, you might want to look at a CX-5 with the same engine/drive train in a vehicle that weighs over 550 lbs less than the CX-9 and not that much less interior room. Ah, but you need three rows of seats. Well, you might want to look elsewhere unless you hate your third row passengers. No ventilation and less legroom than the back seat of a Mustang! Ever tried to sit in the back seat of a Mustang? Mazda builds some fine, highly competitive vehicles in various categories. The CX-9 isn't one of them.
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  2.  @kevinW826  Yes, I've driven one. Looked carefully at the vehicle last year before purchasing a KIA Sorento that's 10" shorter with more cargo capacity (73 cubic ft vs 71 cubic ft) and over 150 cubic ft of passenger space compared to 132 for the CX-9.
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  3.  @kevinW826  Good question. In the first place minivans are even larger and therefore less maneuverable in suburban traffic than most crossovers. Second, the family SUV is my wife's daily driver and she prefers the "command" (i.e. higher) driving position of a crossover. The weakness of the CX-9 is not its overall size, per se. Or even it's cramped space. It's the incredibly inefficient allocation of interior space compared to virtually every other SUV on the market. At 199" long the CX-9 is among the largest midsize SUV's. Only the Durango and Traverse are larger. Yet it's interior space is less than a Honda CR-V or a Subaru Forester.
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  4.  @kevinW826  Sounds like you'd be happy in the backseat of a Mustang then.
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  5.  @dmillzzz1918  Apparently you're unfamiliar with the interior of the SX-L Sorento.
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  6.  @dmillzzz1918  Depends on what you mean by "class." In terms of size the Sorento falls squarely in the category of smaller, mainly two row, midsize mainstream SUV's that range from about 188" to 192" in length along with the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Ford Edge, the Chevy Blazer, the Subaru Outback, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Pathfinder, etc.) What distinguishes the Sorento from others in this group is the third row of seating with more legroom and virtually identical headroom compared to the CX-9. If you're referring to the "class" of features and components, the Sorento shares its transmission and AWD system with the larger Telluride. Unlike the CX-9, the Sorento has a naturally aspirated V6, as do almost all other midsize crossovers with the exception of the CX-9 and an eight speed transmission compared to the CX-9's older six speed unit. The CX-9 "Signature" trim is impressive but the Sorento has better nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, an extending thigh cushion for the driver and a far superior infotainment system, also shared with the Telluride. Of course, the biggest difference is the incredibly inefficient allocation of interior space in the CX-9. According to Mazda it has 132 cubic ft of passenger space compared to the Sorento's 151 cubic ft. Though the CX-9 is 10" longer than the Sorento, it has less overall cargo space. (71 cubic feet vs 73 cf.) As just about everyone agrees, the Telluride is an awesome crossover and sets the standard in the larger midsize 3 row segment. That's not surprising given its more recent design than the CX-9 and the Korean brands' focus on value for the money. But for my smaller family (2 adults, a teenage daughter, and a big dog) the more compact Sorento offers more maneuverability and parking convenience (especially in a crowded garage with a hitch mounted bike rack). It's hardly noteworthy that the Telluride offers far more than the CX-9. More noteworthy is that the Sorento does as well.
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