Used car safety, rank #45 of 188
Mazda CX-9 4WD Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Mazda CX-9 4WD, a midsize SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Mazda CX-9 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize SUVs average of 24, which is 33% below the class average. That places it #45 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 74.1/100.
What the Mazda CX-9 death rate means
At 16 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Mazda CX-9 4WD beats the midsize SUVs average of 24 by 33%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 36, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 45 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Mazda CX-9. Its 95% confidence interval is 14β77. It is higher than the Mazda CX-9's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest midsize SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Mazda CX-9 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Volkswagen Atlas 2WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Atlas 2WD | 2020-23 | 5 (0 to 16) | 89.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Highlander 4WD | 2020-23 | 7 (1 to 13) | 87.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Volkswagen Atlas 4WD | 2020-23 | 7 (0 to 16) | 87.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Telluride 2WD | 2020-23 | 8 (0 to 22) | 84.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Bronco 4WD | 2021-23 | 10 (1 to 19) | 83.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Traverse 4WD | 2022-23 | 10 (0 to 23) | 83.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Highlander hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 11 (1 to 20) | 82.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee L 4WD | 2022-23 | 11 (0 to 25) | 82.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda CX-9 4WD (this page) | 2020-23 | 16 (0 to 36) | 74.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize SUVs: 24 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Mazda CX-9
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Mazda CX-9 we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mazda CX 70 | TSP+ | 95.4 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 70 PHEV | TSP+ | 95.4 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 90 | TSP+ | 95.4 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 90 PHEV | TSP+ | 95.4 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 5 | TSP+ | 94.2 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 30 | TSP+ | 93.1 |
| 2026 | Mazda CX 50 | TSP+ | 91.7 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 74.1 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Mazda CX-9 4WD
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this nameplate and model year. Check by VIN rather than treating that as a clean record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for one year. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Mazda CX-9 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Mazda CX-9 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 16 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Mazda CX-9 4WD, 33% below the class average (24 for midsize SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 74.1 out of 100 and rank #45 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Mazda CX-9 4WD driver death rate?
16 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 36. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Mazda CX-9 died at a rate of 45 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Mazda CX-9 4WD compare with other midsize SUVs?
The midsize SUVs class averages 24 driver deaths per million; the Mazda CX-9 4WD sits at 16. Among the 9 midsize SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Volkswagen Atlas 2WD with a death rate of 5.