Last updated August 4, 2026
The Mazda CX-9 lineup starts with Sport, the straightforward entry model, while Touring is the family-comfort step. Touring Plus and Grand Touring form the comfort-and-tech branch: Touring Plus adds seat comfort and polish, while Grand Touring emphasizes parking visibility, navigation, and driver information. Carbon Edition is the style-led branch with distinctive cabin details, and Signature sits at the top with Nappa leather, real wood, and an executive-style second row.
The Base Model trim level is Sport, the straightforward three-row CX-9 focused on core family usefulness rather than luxury extras.
Best for: Shoppers who want CX-9 driving manners and three-row practicality with a simpler feature set.
Highlights
The Mid-Level trim level is Touring, the practical family-comfort model and, in 2023, the CX-9’s well-equipped starting point.
Best for: Families who want a more accommodating cabin and useful everyday conveniences without moving into premium territory.
Highlights
Adds a more comfort-focused cabin; newer Touring models bring leather trim, a power liftgate, a moonroof, and second-row captain’s chairs.
66 in stock
The Comfort Upgrade trim level is Touring Plus, the value-focused step that adds richer seat comfort and a more polished look.
Best for: Drivers who want noticeable comfort and style upgrades without moving to the most technology-heavy or luxurious trims.
Highlights
Adds ventilated front seats, driver-seat memory, aluminum roof rails, and a frameless mirror over Touring.
9 in stock
The Premium Comfort trim level is Grand Touring, the upscale, technology-focused CX-9 built around easier parking and clearer driver information.
Best for: Shoppers who value visibility, navigation, and day-to-day convenience as much as cabin comfort.
Highlights
Moves beyond Touring Plus’s comfort focus with more visibility and driver-information technology; newer examples add a 360° camera and head-up display.
43 in stock
The Special Editions trim level is Carbon Edition, the style-led CX-9 with a more distinctive cabin and added comfort and safety touches.
Best for: Buyers who want their family SUV to feel more personal and visually distinctive without making luxury the main priority.
Highlights
Adds a special-edition appearance and more distinctive interior details. It is a style-focused branch rather than a simple luxury step above Grand Touring.
8 in stock
The Top Tier trim level is Signature, the most luxurious CX-9, defined by richer materials and an executive-style second row.
Best for: Families who want three-row usefulness with the most premium cabin treatment in the CX-9 lineup.
Highlights
Adds richer Nappa leather, real wood trim, a second-row center console, a hands-free liftgate, and the fuller visibility-tech package over Carbon Edition.
17 in stock| Feature | Top Tier | Mid-Level | Base Model | Comfort Upgrade | Premium Comfort | Special Editions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Includes | Signature17 in stock | Touring66 in stock | Sport12 in stock | Touring Plus9 in stock | Grand Touring43 in stock | Carbon Edition8 in stock |
| Seating layout | 6 seats | 6 seats | Three rows | 7 seats | 7 seats | 6 seats |
| Second-row highlight | Heated captain’s chairs + console | Captain’s chairs in 2023 | — | — | Heated seats | Heated captain’s chairs |
| Front-seat signature | Quilted Nappa leather | Newer examples: leather-trimmed | Newer examples: heated | Ventilated + memory | Ventilated | Leather-trimmed |
| Visibility and parking aids | 360° camera + head-up display | — | — | — | Newer examples: 360° camera + head-up display | Adaptive headlights + rear automatic braking |
| Convenience highlight | Hands-free power liftgate | Newer examples: power liftgate | Newer examples: three-zone climate control | Driver-seat memory | Power-folding mirrors | Heated steering wheel |
| Distinctive design detail | Rosewood trim + LED grille accent | Newer examples: power moonroof | Newer examples: LED lighting | Aluminum roof rails | Premium driver-information displays | Aluminum cabin trim |
In the final lineup, the trims were Touring, Touring Plus, Carbon Edition, Grand Touring, and Signature. Earlier second-generation lineups also included Sport, while Carbon Edition and Touring Plus arrived later in the model’s run.
Touring is the more comfort-focused trim. On newer examples, it adds features such as leather-trimmed seating and a power liftgate over Sport. For 2023, Sport disappeared and Touring became the entry trim with captain’s chairs, a moonroof, and wireless charging.
On 2022–2023 models, Touring Plus adds comfort and appearance upgrades over Touring. Key additions include ventilated front seats, driver-seat memory, aluminum roof rails, and a frameless rearview mirror.
On newer models, Grand Touring adds technology that helps with driving and parking. Its defining upgrades include a 360-degree camera, a windshield-projected information display, built-in navigation, heated second-row seats, and power-folding mirrors.
Carbon Edition is the more style-led choice, while Touring Plus focuses on straightforward comfort upgrades. On newer models, Carbon Edition adds distinctive cabin details along with heated second-row captain’s chairs, a heated steering wheel, adaptive headlights, and rear automatic braking.
Signature is the more luxurious trim. On newer CX-9s, it builds on Grand Touring’s visibility and information technology with quilted Nappa leather, real wood trim, a hands-free liftgate, and second-row captain’s chairs separated by a center console.
Pick Carbon Edition for distinctive styling and a more personal-looking cabin. Pick Grand Touring if practical technology matters more, especially its 360-degree camera, built-in navigation, windshield-projected information display, and power-folding mirrors.
Touring is the straightforward family pick in the final lineup. It combines second-row captain’s chairs, leather-trimmed seating, a power liftgate, a moonroof, wireless charging, standard AWD, and the core safety technology without moving to the luxury-focused trims.
Signature has the richest cabin in the second-generation lineup. Newer versions use quilted Nappa leather for the first two rows, Santos Rosewood trim, and heated second-row captain’s chairs with a center console.
Grand Touring and Signature are the most helpful choices on newer models because both include a 360-degree camera. It shows the area around the vehicle, making tight spaces easier to judge.
No. Carbon Edition is mainly a style-and-comfort trim, not a higher-performance model. It uses the same turbo engine and AWD setup as other newer CX-9 trims, while adding distinctive interior details and extra comfort and safety equipment.
No. Touring Premium was an equipment package offered with Touring, not a separate trim. It was dropped for 2023, when several of its features moved into Touring, including captain’s chairs, a moonroof, LED fog lights, and wireless charging.
No, not in the recent second-generation lineup. Sport through Signature share the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Moving up the trim ladder mainly changes seating, comfort, cabin materials, exterior details, and driver-assistance equipment.
Grand Touring and Signature include the windshield-projected information display on newer models. It places key driving information in the driver’s line of sight and works with traffic-sign recognition.