Verdict
The J8 is about 36% cheaper, the CX-9 has a 13% bigger boot, while the J8 is 7% more powerful. Weigh that against the equipment each side gives you in the table below.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM178,800✓ | RM281,450 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM439✓ | RM830 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC with direct fuel injection, turbocharger and variable valve timing | 16-valve DOHC, naturally-aspirated, turbocharged |
| Capacity | 1,998 cc | 2,488 cc |
| Horsepower | 246 hp at 5,500 rpm✓ | 228 hp at 5,000 rpm |
| Torque | 385 Nm at 1,750 rpm | 420 Nm at 2,000 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 89 mm × 100 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.5 | 10.5 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 8-speed Automatic | SkyActiv-Drive with Manual Shift mode |
| Gears | 8 | 6 |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 9 seconds | —✓ |
| Rated Economy | — | 8.98 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h✓ | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,820 mm | 5,075 mm |
| Width | 1,930 mm | 1,969 mm |
| Height | 1,699 mm | 1,747 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,820 mm | 2,930 mm |
| Weight | 1,892 kg | 1,854 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 65 litres | 72 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 200 litres | 230 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/50R20 | 255/50R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/50R20 | 255/50R20 |
| Spare Tyre | Full Size Spare | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Maxxis Victra Sport 5 SUV | Falken Ziex CT50 A/S |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Struts | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloys | 20" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloys | 20" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | G-Vectoring Control |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| ANCAP | — | 5 stars |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 (Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags) | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electronic for Rear Doors | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available For Second Row Seats | Available for second row seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) - Front and Rear |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | Front Seats Only |
| Safety Notes | — | Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projectors | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | Full LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver & Front Passenger Powered Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function for Driver |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding and Reclining | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Sunroof | Front, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Rear | — |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights, Ambient Lighting | — |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Second Row, 2 Third Row | — |
| Sun Shade | Panoramic Glass Shade, Rear Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 12.3-inch Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-Speaker Sony Sound System | — |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | — |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot | Powered boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes |
| Auto Parking | Yes | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Digital/Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | 2 USB charging ports in rear centre armrest |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 150,000 km✓ | 100,000 km |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 7 years✓ | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 3-year/60,000 km free service |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
