Because I have three children, the third row was very important for my family. The CX-9 also scored well on safety features, which is also important to me. I also liked the leather heated seats and the navigation and premium sound system.
I wish it had better fuel economy. A power moonroof would have been a nice feature. My biggest complaint is the water pump integrated under the cam cover. If the water pump goes, the coolant mixes with engine oil and causes catastrophic engine failure. Second is that there is no optional captain chairs in the second row.
The 2016 Mazda CX-9 has an average owner rating of 4.68 out of 5 which ranks it #5 of 17 other Midsize SUVs.
From the Vehicle History blog
Moderate Overlap Front
Side
Roof Strength
Driver-side Overlap Front