2020 Ford Explorer vs 2020 Mazda CX-9 – Albany, NY

2020 Mazda CX-9

The 2020 Ford Explorer has four different engines available while the 2020 Mazda CX-9 has one – just one. While the one engine on the Mazda is pretty good, it cannot keep up with what Ford has to offer. The engine on the Mazda CX-9 is a 2.5L 4-cylinder that can offer up to 250 hp and up to 320 lb-ft of torque, which comes paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available.

2020 Ford Explorer

By comparison, the 2020 Ford Explorer starts with a 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 that offers up to 300 hp and up to 310 lb-ft of torque. Then there is an available 3.0L EcoBoost V6 engine that delivers up to 365 hp and up to 380 lb-ft of torque. You can also choose a 3.3L V6 Hybrid engine, which offers up to 318 hp and up to 322 lb-ft of torque, with a range of up to an estimated 500 miles on a full tank of gas.

If you want the most power possible with the 2020 Ford Explorer, then there is an available 3.0L EcoBoost V6 that has been enhanced to deliver up to 400 hp and up to 415 lb-ft of torque. Every single engine for the Explorer comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission for a smooth and incredibly responsive driving experience. 

Towing Capacity

When properly configured, both 3.0L V6 engines give you up to 5,600 lbs of towing capacity, while the hybrid gives you up to 5,000 lbs, and the standard engine gives you up to 5,300 lbs. The Mazda CX-9 has a maximum towing capacity of just 3,500 lbs, which is a huge difference and can be a serious issue if you plan on towing.

Cargo Space

If you are going to choose a large, three-row SUV, then you want to make sure you can load as much into it as possible. That all comes down to cargo space, and with this kind of vehicle, you are looking at how much you can load up behind each row of seats. No matter how you look at it, the 2020 Ford Explorer comes out on top, but we will show you how.

With the 2020 Mazda CX-9, there is up to 14.4 cu.ft. of space behind the third row, up to 38.2 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row, and a total of up to 71.2 cu.ft. of space behind the front row. This is pretty good, but falls well short of what you can get in the Explorer. And when it comes to people inside, there is up to 135.1 cu.ft. of total passenger space.

The 2020 Ford Explorer gives you more room in every possible way. You get up to 18.2 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the third row, up to 47.9 cu.ft. behind the second row, and a massive 87.8 cu.ft. of total cargo space behind the front row. That is more than 15 cu.ft. of additional space, which makes a huge difference. You also get 152.7 cu.ft. of total passenger space, giving you and your passengers a lot more room to breathe inside the Explorer.

Tech Features

Although the interior features and tech options on both of these SUVs are quite good, once again, the 2020 Ford Explorer simply has more to offer. To keep things simple, we will look at the highest trim of each model to see what you can get. Just remember that some of these features might not be available or standard on lower trims.

The 2020 Ford Explorer Platinum has tri-zone electronic temperature control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a heated steering wheel. It also has an available 10-inch LCD Capacitive touchscreen infotainment display, with an available 14-speaker B&O Sound system. The Platinum comes with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster for you while driving, along with a huge twin-panel moonroof for an incredible overall experience as the driver or a passenger.

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 Signature, on the other hand, has three-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a heated steering wheel too. However, it has only a 9-inch full-color touchscreen infotainment display, with a 7-inch LCD display for the driver. It comes with a 12-speaker sound system and a moonroof, though the moonroof is not as large as the one on the 2020 Ford Explorer, which allows for less of a view.

2020 Ford Explorer

In terms of safety features, both of these vehicles deliver some great standard and available options. On the 2020 Ford Explorer, you get the Ford Co-Pilot360 safety package standard on every model, regardless of trim. This includes pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot information system with cross-traffic alert, and a lane-keeping system. Higher trims also offer additional safety features including intelligent, adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, active park assist, and reverse brake assist. All of this comes together to create an incredibly safe and reliable SUV.

2020 Mazda CX-9

The standard features on the 2020 Mazda CX-9 are also quite good, including blind spot monitoring, a rear cross traffic alert, and advanced smart city brake support with pedestrian detection. The CX-9 also includes a collision warning, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist, and cruise control. Higher trims include front and rear parking sensors, though features like evasive steering assist are missing and not available on the CX-9 at any trim.