If you remember, last fall we had the chance to check out the 2017 Mazda CX-9. And if you know me personally, I’ve raved about it ever since. It was just one of those vehicles that sparks conversation with strangers, and impress passengers. This mid-size, three-row crossover SUV is a great family friendly vehicle with the looks and performance to please everyone.
With three rows, families with the CX-9 can easily fit extended family members or just have more room for their own. In fact, I was pretty amused when our five year old Gia claimed the third row to herself. It was nice not listening to her and her ten year old sister Briana fight over the arm rest or other sibling drama.
We kicked off our week by spending a rainy summer day at Rockin Jump Trampoline Park in Ridge Hill. An hour to let the kids bounce out their energy, and then a light lunch at Yard House.
Even on a rainy day, you can feel safe in the Mazda CX-9. With six airbags to protect occupants in all three rows, you can feel better knowing the entire family is safe.
We then headed to the Bronx Zoo for a bit. Since we’re members, a rainy day is perfect to stop in and enjoy some of the indoor exhibits, the 4D movie, carousel, and other fun. There are no crowds and it’s fun to throw on a poncho and see different animals in the rain. On the way home, we enjoyed some tunes we could all sing along to thanks to the Mazda Connect infotainment system. If you’ve followed us for a while, then you know how much I love the middle console dial- making it comfortable to be the resident passenger DJ no matter how far back reclined you are.
The next day we drove with the sunroof open and headed to Orchard Beach for a fun evening of roller skating! The girls had never roller skated before, so we couldn’t turn down this free event with free skate rentals where they tried their hand at what their mama used to do every weekend as a pre-teen in Virginia.
Speaking of the beach- if you do have quite a bit of beach gear, you’ll most likely need to utilize the full cargo space and lose the third row seating. While this SUV is great for the occasional extra passengers, it often comes down to cargo space verses extra seating.
The light leather seats in this CX-9 are perfect for beach days- easy to clean off the sand and the light color doesn’t attract as much heat as black leather would.
The next day we headed over the bridge to New Jersey for a fun day at Wild West City. This adorable family owned theme park is the perfect place to let little one’s imaginations run wild and get a fun glimpse into the past. Around an hour and 30 minutes from the Bronx, the Mazda Radar Cruise Control made the ride a comfortable one for everyone in the car. Not to mention with ten cupholders placed throughout the vehicle, you won’t have to hear ‘ma, hold this!’ ever again.
After an afternoon in the wild west, we headed south to Burlington New Jersey to hang out with family where we headed to Blue Claw Crab Eatery where locals indulge in soft shell crabs and other yummy seafood. This simple eatery is also BYOB- making it fun to bring your own mixed drinks or vino.
The next morning, after stopping at a local diner for breakfast- we packed up the CX-9 and headed 2 hours to the Poconos. We checked into Pocono Manor and went straight for the pool. We ate dinner, enjoyed time by the fire, and swung the night away on colorful hammocks near the pool.
We spent the next day exploring local waterfalls on the property as well as at Bushkill Falls. With second row passenger seats that recline, Briana was able to nap comfortably all the way back to the Bronx. One feature we definitely didn’t need in the middle of July were the heated rear seats- but such a nice feature to share with passengers come winter.
On our last day with the Mazda CX-9, we headed out to Long Island to Splish Splash, a fun waterpark for the whole family. After a full day of splishing and splashing, it was nice to have the three-zone automatic climate-control system so that everyone could ride home in their ideal temperature setting.
As the sun set on our last drive that night in the CX-9, we reflected on a fun week of summer adventures. Thanks to this comfortable third row SUV, we were able to make memories with friends and family. For more information about the Mazda CX-9, visit www.mazdausa.com.