Mazda CX-9 Safety Ratings (2013-2023)
NHTSA has crash-tested the Mazda CX-9 across 9 model years from 2013 to 2023. Its overall safety rating averages 4.6 out of 5 stars, a strong four to five-star result.
These are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings from its New Car Assessment Program. Each vehicle is scored on frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance, which combine into the overall star rating. The ratings use the tougher test methodology NHTSA adopted for 2011 and later, so they are not comparable to older results and are separate from the IIHS awards you may also see. Here is how the Mazda CX-9 scored by model year.
Mazda CX-9 NHTSA ratings by model year
| Year | Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2022 | 2022 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2022 | 2022 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 | 2021 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 | 2021 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2020 | 2020 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2020 | 2020 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2019 | 2019 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2019 | 2019 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2018 | 2018 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2018 | 2018 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2015 | 2015 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2015 | 2015 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2014 | 2014 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2014 | 2014 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2013 | 2013 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2013 | 2013 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
How NHTSA's crash tests work
NHTSA scores three crash tests and combines them into the overall rating. The frontal test drives the vehicle into a fixed barrier at 35 mph to model a head-on collision. The side test hits the vehicle with a moving barrier and, separately, slams it sideways into a rigid pole, which is the type of crash that puts the most force on occupants. The rollover rating is part lab measurement of how top-heavy the vehicle is and part dynamic maneuver test. More stars is better in every case, with five the top mark.
What the ratings do not tell you
Two caveats are worth holding onto. Star ratings only compare vehicles of a similar size and weight, so a five-star small car and a five-star large SUV did not face the same physics, and the heavier vehicle generally protects its occupants better in a collision between the two. The ratings also come from standardized lab tests, which cannot capture every real-world crash. They are a strong, independent measure of crashworthiness, not a guarantee, and they are separate from both the IIHS awards and the recall record on this site. See the Mazda CX-9 recall history and its common owner problems for the rest of the safety picture.
Common questions about Mazda CX-9 safety
- Is the Mazda CX-9 a safe car?
- In NHTSA crash tests, the Mazda CX-9 averages 4.6 out of 5 stars overall across the 2013 to 2023 model years, a strong four to five-star result. 11 of the 17 tested configurations earned the full five stars.
- What is the Mazda CX-9 crash test rating?
- The most recently rated Mazda CX-9 (2023) earned 5 out of 5 stars overall from NHTSA, with 4 stars in the frontal test, 5 in the side test, and 4 for rollover resistance.
- Are NHTSA stars the same as IIHS ratings?
- No. The star ratings here come from NHTSA's federal crash-test program. The IIHS is a separate insurance-industry group with its own tests and "Top Safety Pick" awards. Both are worth checking, and they do not always agree.
Ratings come from NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings program (model year 2011 and later). See the methodology and data sources for detail. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.