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Mazda recently unveiled the 2023 CX-9 to take on the expensive European SUVs. Here's how it stacks up against the American Ford Explorer.
Ford is one of the biggest players in the US, with a giant lineup of SUVs. The Ford Explorer is one of the most practical choices for families looking for a large vehicle with decent power, a spacious interior, and good looks. On the other hand, Japanese companies are steadily climbing the market with pragmatic offerings. While most Japanese businesses are emphasizing practicality, Mazda is keen on distinguishing itself by offering luxury SUVs at an affordable price. Mazda has recently launched the 2023 CX-9, and Mazda has packed it with plenty of standard features, even at the ground level.
The 2022 Ford Explorer is available with a base price of $35,510 and eight trims. The Mazda CX-9, on the other hand, starts at a base price of $38,750 and five trims. While both are extremely capable SUVs, we like the Mazda CX-9 more, and below we tell you why.
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All trims of the 2023 Mazda CX-9 are powered by a Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter Dynamic Pressure Turbo inline-four engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox that channels the output to all four wheels. Mazda offers this engine in two different tunings. This engine offers 227 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque with regular 87-octane fuel, but if you want more power and stout performance, the engine offers 250 hp and 320 lb-ft with 93-octane fuel. The Mazda CX-9 is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds and offers 22 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. It packs a 19.5-gallon fuel tank that puts its highway fuel range at 507 miles.
The Ford Explorer keeps its powertrains diverse. The base, XLT, and Limited are powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four engine paired with a ten-speed automatic gearbox, capable of making 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of punch. The ST and Platinum employ a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, besting 400 ponies and 415 pound-feet of torque, pushing the Explorer to accelerate to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds. More impressively, Ford offers a hybrid variant of the Explorer with a 3.6-liter hybrid unit that prioritizes fuel efficiency.
The Explorer's turbo inline-four engine offers only 20 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highways. The twin-turbo V6 is hungrier, offering only 18 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. The Explorer offers a 17.9-or 20.2-gallon fuel tank to offer a highway fuel range of up to 501 miles. Rear-wheel-drive is standard, and all-wheel-drive is optional.
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The CX-9 is one of the most stunning 3-row SUVs on the market, with utterly premium looks and a sharp exterior design language that can give tough competition to German SUVs. While the CX-9 is a large SUV, the exterior looks sleek because of the modern design cues. The headlights resemble the human eye with a wide design, and both the DRLs and headlights are merged into a circular unit. The horizontal five-slot pentagonal grille looks unique. The rear has a different character as well. The circular headlamps and chrome CX-9 badging look premium. In addition, Mazda’s M logo and the dual-exhaust tips deliver an upscale appeal.
The Ford Explorer, however, looks rugged and has a big-boy type of exterior design as opposed to the sleeker CX-9. The fascia is outfitted with a chrome-plated four-bar grill with a honeycomb grill under it. The triangular headlamps are wide, and they fit inside a pair of DRLs or LED headlamps. Below, the Explorer comes equipped with fog bar LEDs and a chunky skid plate. The Explorer’s rear focuses on function over looks, and honestly, the Explorer’s overall exterior can’t stand in front of the stunning CX-9.
Mazda has put some serious work into the CX-9’s cabin, and hands down, we are freaking impressed! The CX-9 greets you with an exquisite cabin built with A-grade materials and a minimalistic layout. The dashboard layout is sleek and houses ergonomic controls. Most cabin parts are covered with soft-touch materials and are decorated with wooden and aluminum accents.
The driver’s side has a 7-inch TFT cluster and a leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel. The interior offers 135.8 ft3 of total passenger volume and sufficient space for seven people. The front side offers a pair of power-adjustable bucket seats with heating and cooling, and they offer 39.3-inches of headroom and legroom. The second row comes standard with bench seats, but you can also fit captain’s chairs with heating and cooling. The second row offers 38.5 inches of headroom and 39.4 inches of legroom. The third row offers 35.4-inches and 29.7-inches of head and legroom, respectively.
The Ford Explorer offers a practical cabin built with mostly plastic and durable materials. The Explorer’s cabin puts forth a modern design that focuses on function. The dashboard layout is practical, and it fits a large 12.3-inch portrait-styled touchscreen that looks weirdly placed. For decoration, the higher trims offer a leather-upholstered dashboard with contrast stitching and wooden accents.
The Explorer’s cabin is larger, with 152.7 ft3 of passenger space, and it seats seven passengers. The front seats offer power adjustability, heating and cooling functions, memory settings, and lumbar support. The second row offers captain’s chairs, but heating and cooling aren’t available like in the CX-9. The second and third rows can be folded to save space. The Explorer’s cockpit comes with a 6.5-inch LCD and a heated leather steering wheel as well.
The Explorer’s seats are roomier, with 40.7-inches of headroom and 43 inches of legroom. The second row offers 40.5 inches of headroom and 39 inches of legroom. The third row is significantly spacious, offering 38.9-inches and 32.2-inches of headroom and legroom.
Both the Mazda CX-9 and the Ford Explorer boast the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ title. However, the NHTSA has given the CX-9 five stars, and it has no recalls. The 2022 Ford Explorer hasn’t been rated, but it has two recalls from the Feds.
The Mazda CX-9 comes equipped with plenty of safety features. Premium features like a blindspot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning with keep assist, radar cruise control, and numerous other features are standard. Front and rear park assist, smart city braking, and driver attention alert are available.
Ford has packed the Explorer with fewer safety features. Only the higher trims come standard with premium safety features like the Co-Pilot360 Assist pack that consists of ACC, lane centering, speed sign assist, and others. Features like blindspot monitor, driver attention monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, and departure warning is not available even in options.
After going through all the facts and figures, it's easy to tell that the 2023 Mazda CX-9 is the better of the two. While it is costlier than the latter, Mazda packed the CX-9 with more standard features, better looks, and a premium cabin. Nonetheless, the Ford Explorer is a great option as well.
Sourav hails from Siliguri, a city very close to the Himalayas in the northern part of West Bengal, India. Anything that has to do with wheels fascinates him. He has a soft spot for Lexus and BMW. He rides a Royal Enfield Thunderbird and is often seen with his group of friends in nearby hill stations. He also loves doing photography and making music. After working with CARHP and CAR INDIGO for more than 15 months, he joined HotCars to continue in automotive writing. He's currently crushing upon the Triumph Tiger 1200.