Schomp Honda

Safety

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Mazda CX-9 doesn't offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

 

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-9's side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

 

The Honda Pilot has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The CX-9 doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

Compared to metal, the Pilot's plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-9 has a metal gas tank.

 

Both the Pilot and the CX-9 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with 'good' or 'acceptable' geometry. In these ratings, the Pilot with leather seats is safer then the CX-9:

	Pilot	CX-9
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	52 mm	60 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Neck Force Rating	Low	Medium
Max Neck Shearing Force	1	132
Max Neck Tension	433	682

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

Warranty

 

There are over 41 percent more Honda dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier to get service under the Pilot's warranty.

 

Reliability

 

The engine in the Pilot has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the CX-9 has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

 

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Pilot's reliability will be 9% better than the CX-9.

 

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Pilot second among midsize crossover/suvs in their 2010 Initial Quality Study. The CX-9 isn't in the top three in its category.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 18th, below the industry average.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 63 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 29th.

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine's cylinders helps improve the Pilot's fuel efficiency. The CX-9 doesn't offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

 

The Pilot has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the CX-9 (21 vs. 20.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

 

Environmental Friendliness

 

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Pilot higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-9 (5 to 6). This means the Pilot produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-9 every 15,000 miles.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

For better stopping power the Pilot's brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-9:

	Pilot	CX-9
Front Rotors	13 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.1 inches	12.8 inches

 

The Pilot stops shorter than the CX-9:

	Pilot	CX-9
60 to 0 MPH	149 feet	150 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	154 feet	161 feet	Consumer Reports

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The Pilot has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-9's suspension doesn't offer gas-charged shocks.

 

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the CX-9.

 

Chassis

 

The Pilot is 8.7 inches shorter than the CX-9, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

 

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Pilot has an electronically controlled liquid-filled engine mounts. A computer controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The CX-9 uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

 

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CX-9 doesn't offer active noise cancellation.

 

Passenger Space

 

The Pilot has standard seating for 8 passengers; the CX-9 can only carry 7.

 

The Pilot has 14.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-9 (153.7 vs. 139.2).

 

The Pilot has .4 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear hip room, 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row headroom, 4.7 inches more third row hip room and 2 inches more third row shoulder room than the CX-9.

 

Cargo Capacity

 

The Pilot's cargo area provides more volume than the CX-9.

	Pilot	CX-9
Behind Third Seat	18 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet

 

The Pilot has standard second and third row seats which fold flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The CX-9 doesn't offer seats that fold into the floor.

 

The Pilot's rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The CX-9's rear cargo window doesn't open.

 

Towing

 

The Pilot's minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-9's (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

 

Servicing Ease

 

The Pilot has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery's water level. The CX-9 doesn't have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery's cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

 

A Maintenance Minder is standard on the Pilot to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, radiator flush and transmission fluid replacement based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Mazda doesn't offer a maintenance reminder on the CX-9.

 

Ergonomics

 

The CX-9's power locks don't automatically lock the doors. The Pilot's standard power locks automatically lock the doors when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights. (The power lock's automatic feature may have to be activated by your dealer.)

 

The Pilot has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The CX-9 has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Grand Touring.

 

Economic Advantages

 

The Pilot will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Pilot will retain a greater percentage of its original price after two and four years than the CX-9.

	Pilot	CX-9
Four Year	33% to 37%	27% to 30%
Two Year	50% to 56%	45% to 50%

 

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pilot is less expensive to operate than the CX-9 because it costs $210 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pilot than the CX-9, including $298 less for a water pump, $32 less for front brake pads, $12 less for fuel injection, $355 less for a timing belt/chain and $411 less for a power steering pump.

 

Recommendations

 

Consumer Reports recommends both the Honda Pilot and the Mazda CX-9, based on reliability, safety and performance.

 

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its November 2008 issue and the Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD won out over the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD.

 

The Honda Pilot outsold the Mazda CX-9 by almost four to one during the 2010 model year.

* [1]  Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.