2021 Mazda CX-9 vs. 2021 Toyota Highlander

When you’re looking for a super reliable seven-seater SUV, two options spring to the front of your mind, the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander. But while they’re both great choices, chances are you’re only going to purchase one.

So, which one gets the edge, and what’s the real difference between the two options? We broke it all down for you here. We want you in the right vehicle, and after reading this head-to-head breakdown we’re confident you’ll get there.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

While we could dive into all the specs of each vehicle and leave you really confused, we decided it’d be easier for everyone if we dove right into the head comparisons.

We covered five categories: price, powertrain, size, fuel efficiency, and extra features. That way you can decide for yourself which one is the right choice for you.

Price

Both the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander are extremely similar in price across every trim level, it’s impossible to miss the fact that the Highlander typically costs just a shade more at every trim level.

But the truth is that they’re both so similar that it’s certainly possible to find a lower priced Highlander and a slightly more expensive CX-9. It’s all about finding the right deal at the right time!

Powertrain

While at first blush it might look like the Toyota Highlander has a clear edge over the Mazda CX-9 when you’re looking at the powertrain, when you start to dig a little deeper it gets a bit murkier.

Sure the 295 horsepower that the Highlander gives you is more than the 250 horsepower from the CX-9, but as every car guy will tell you, it’s not all about the horsepower. That’s because torque is a significant factor too.

And in this metric and the CX-9 actually has the edge. The Highlander only pushes out 263 lb-ft of torque, where the CX-9 pushes 320 lb-ft of torque. Add in the larger size of the Highlander, and the performance output is almost identical.

The Highlander does 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds. Meanwhile, the CX-9 hits 60 mph in 7.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in a shade faster at 15.4 seconds. So, sure the Highlander has a little extra horsepower, but that doesn’t mean it’s a better performing vehicle.

Finally, we want to mention one last thing while we’re on the topic of powertrains. While we compared the CX-9 and the Highlanders standard engine package here, the Highlander does come with a hybrid option.

While that engine certainly saves you some money in fuel costs, it does drop the horsepower to 243 and the torque to 175 lb-ft. And that slows down the 0-60 time to 7.9 seconds and the quarter-mile to 17.1 seconds. It might be good for the environment, but it’s not blowing anyone off the track.

Size

While both the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander have plenty of cargo space when you look at the numbers, the Highlander clearly has the edge. With all the rear seats folded down it has 84.3 cubic feet of space, while the CX-9 only has 71.2 cubic feet under the same conditions.

And if you have a bunch of people in the car and can only use the space behind the third-row seating, it’s not much different. There the Toyota Highlander has 16 cubic feet of cargo space, while the CX-9 has 14.4 cubic feet. The CX-9 does a lot of things right but having a ton of cargo space isn’t one of them.

But when it comes to the actual amount of space for the driver, the numbers are almost identical. The Highlander has 42” of legroom for the driver, and the CX-9 has 41”. So, while you might not have as much cargo space, there’s plenty of space for the driver to sit comfortably in both vehicles.

Fuel Efficiency

When you own an SUV, you need to expect a few more trips to the fuel station than a fuel-efficient sedan. But as both the Toyota Highlander and the Mazda CX-9 shows, SUVs are starting to buck the moniker of a fuel-guzzling machine.

Both vehicles offer competitive, and similar mpg ratings - especially when you compare them to the competition. In fact both vehicles do so well with their mile per gallon ratings that it’s impossible to declare an outright winner here.

Now the Toyota Highlander does have hybrid options available, but this skyrockets the price of the vehicle, and then it’s not a fair comparison.

Extra Features

There’s no doubt that both Toyota and Mazda are in an arms race when it comes to features. And the winner of this high-tech arms race is really you – the consumer. Both companies offer tons of safety features, and each year they seem to add more and more.

Both the Highlander and the CX-9 have blind-spot monitoring with lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alerts, radar adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, adaptive headlights, and more.

But what gives the CX-9 the edge is their smart braking system. While both vehicles offer a version of this system, only the Mazda CX-9 system works at high and low speeds. The Highlanders system will keep you safe in parking lots, but at higher speeds it kicks off.

When both companies are doing so many great things, it’s the small things that make all the difference. And right now, Mazda is doing those small things just a little bit better.

Our Verdict

While it's certainly a tough choice between the Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Highlander, it really all comes down to what you’re looking for. The Highlander might have a bit more space, but the CX-9 has a few more features.

So, if you’re constantly hauling around all that extra stuff you might need the extra space you might want the HIghlander, but if you’re simply looking for the most features then the CX-9 probably stands out.