Is the New 2016 Mazda CX-9 Three-Row Crossover Too Big For Your Garage?

Over the past three weeks, Torque News has had a trio of popular three-row crossovers to test. One thing that quickly becomes apparent when testing the largest crossovers in the market is that they are big and difficult to fit into a standard eight and a half foot wide garage bay. Let’s take a closer look at the sizing Mazda opted to use for its all-new CX-9 three-row crossover.

The Mazda CX-9 has a width of 77.5 inches including its wheel arch molding. Like all automakers, Mazda opts not to include the width added by the mirrors. Still, we can gauge a vehicle’s size by comparing it to the competitors we know well. At 77.5 inches wide, the Mazda CX-9 is about 1.5 inches wider than the Toyota Highlander which is 76 inches wide. The Honda Pilot is about an inch wider than the CX-9 at 78.6 inches wide. So among these popular models, the CX-9 falls in the middle. We know from experience that the actual width of a common 8.5-foot home garage door opening is about 100 inches wide when its trim is factored in. The CX-9 will be a tight fit, but it will go in if one is careful.
- Wondering how the CX-9 compares with regard to fuel economy? Check This Story Out.
We have an Infiniti QX60 (same as the Nissan Pathfinder) in the garage today. Its 77-inch width is almost the same as the CX-9, and we find it tight, but manageable. The widest popular crossover in this group is the Ford Explorer at 79 inches wide. We did put that into our garage as well, but just once, and then we left it out. It was just too tight.

The new 2016 Mazda CX-9 is 199.4 inches long not including its front plate holder. That makes it one of the longest vehicles in its class. Even the huge Explorer is only 198 inches long. The Highlander is just 191 inches and the Pilot 195 inches in length. Unlike a Chevy Suburban or GMC Yukon XL (224 inches in length) the Mazda CX-9 won’t stick out of a parking space into the isle at a grocery store. However, when looking for a parallel parking spot in the city, its extra length will not be an asset.

At 69 inches high including its shark-fin antenna, the CX-9 falls right in between the 68 inch high Highlander and the 70 inch high Honda Pilot. Thus, it will fit into an underground parking garage (normally).

Mazda’s new 7-passenger crossover is larger than the eight-passenger Highlander. Those considering size will find that the CX-9 is only noticeably bigger than its peers in length.