Mazda CX-9 Achieves Balance With Performance, Versatility

BIRMINGHAM, MI – Mazda Motor Corp., fresh off a successful first year with its sprightly CX-7 cross/utility vehicle, ratchets up the size and refinement of its family haulers with the introduction of the new ’07 CX-9 CUV.

Billed as the auto maker’s flagship model, the new 7-seat CX-9 was specifically designed for North American markets and is the largest and most expensive vehicle in the Mazda lineup.

Where the smaller, 5-seat CX-7 focuses on sporty, car-like driving dynamics, the CX-9 emphasizes a more refined and versatile demeanor, better suited to the needs of young, active families with a taste for adventure, Mazda says.

“(The CX-9) offers a colorful and dynamic character that is fitting for the North American wilderness,” Hideki Suzuki, chief designer for the CX-9 and general manager-product design studio, says at the vehicle’s press introduction here.

“It is a prestigious and emotional crossover SUV.”

Riding on an expansive 113.2-in. (287.5-cm) wheelbase, with overall length, height and width measurements of 199.8 in. (507.5 cm), 68.0 in. (172.7 cm) and 76.2 in. (193.6 cm), respectively, the CX-9 is considerably larger than any of the various Mazda and Ford Motor Co. products that have donated their underpinnings for the new CUV.

On the surface, the CX-9 shares similar structural characteristics with the CX-7 and Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX CUVs.

Mazda CX-9 embodies sleek, elegant design and backed by 263-hp Ford V-6.

However, it actually is a unique platform derived from several models, including the Mazda6 (main front structure and rear multi-link suspension), CX-7 (MacPherson strut front suspension and all-wheel-drive system), Mazda5 and MPV (rear structure) and the Edge (engine box and drivetrain tuning).

Ford’s Duratec 35 3.5L DOHC V-6, rated at 263 hp and 249 lb.-ft. (338 Nm) of torque, also is used in the CX-9. However, as in the CX-7, it is mated to an Aisin AW-supplied 6-speed automatic transmission vs. the Edge’s Ford/General Motors Corp. co-developed 6-speed gearbox.

Overall city/highway fuel economy is rated at 18/24 mpg (13.1-9.8 L/ 100 km) for front-wheel-drive models and 16/22 (14.7-10.7 L/ 100 km) with AWD, Mazda says.

Outside, the CX-9’s low-profile silhouette treads the line between traditional station wagon and CUV very well, offering just enough masculinity to assure onlookers it is no minivan. Helping to do that are the optional 20-in. 10-spoke alloy wheels, which offer a more aggressive, proportioned stance than the standard 18-in. units.

The styling represents Mazda’s corporate design language and can best be described as refined and elegant, with minimal flash complementing an earth-toned palette of darker exterior hues. Chrome trim strips grace the side windows and front and rear fascias, with dual, trapezoidal stainless-steel exhaust outlets serving as the most aggressive aspect of the design theme.

But it is inside the cabin where Mazda spent most effort and where the CX-9 excels.

Three rows of seating are a prerequisite for most new models in the growing CUV segment, and the CX-9 makes good use of its cavernous interior for just that. The generous 2-person back row offers class-leading legroom, the auto maker says, with comfort further enhanced by a 60-40 folding and reclining second row that slides 5 ins. (12.7 cm) fore and aft.

Getting in and out of the third row is surprisingly easy, thanks to the sliding middle seat and wide rear door openings. Once situated, even lanky adults should find ample room for moderate-length jaunts.

In addition, the CX-9 serves up an impressive 17.2 cu.-ft. (487 L) of rear cargo space with the third row in use, growing to 100.7 cu.-ft. (2,652 L) when all rows are folded flat into the floor – competitive, but less than most traditional minivans and other large CUVs, such as the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave triplets.

For a family vehicle starting under $30,000, the CX-9’s fit-and-finish and attention to detail are more than satisfactory, if not encroaching on near-luxury segment levels.

CX-9 interior well appointed, with ample room for seven adults.

As with most Mazdas, the CX-9’s controls are simple and well laid out, with subtle touches, such as well-lit electroluminescent gauges, metal-appearance trim and indirect blue mood lighting in the ceiling and footwells, providing a pleasant ambiance for the whole environment.

Delicate stitching on the leather seats of Touring and Grand Touring models, along with intersecting lines of wood and metal trim on the center console and door panels, also contribute to the most upscale Mazda interior of recent memory.

Sport model interiors with cloth upholstery are attractive and comfortable, as well, but appear ill matched to the upscale and athletic design of the exterior.

The usual plethora of acronyms and amenities expected of a high-end family cruiser are present in spades, with all trim levels outfitted with an impressive range of standard safety and luxury features, including Roll Stability Control, three rows of rollover-enabled side-curtain airbags and a reinforced unibody safety structure.

The CX-9 also offers an optional 10-speaker Bose audio system with DVD navigation and Dolby 5.1 rear-seat entertainment (with 115-volt power outlet); 3,500-lb. (1,588-kg) towing capability; optional high-intensity xenon headlights and Mazda’s advanced keyless entry system.

All the above should make long-distance trips with the family a fairly pleasant experience. But it’s the Zoom-Zoom-tuned chassis and athletic powertrain that instill the CX-9 with driving dynamics far removed from most of its 7- and 8-passenger competitors, including the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX and Volvo XC90.

With only 56% of its 4,546-lb. (2,062-kg) curb weight (with AWD) situated atop the front axle, the CX-9 is surprisingly neutral and well balanced when pushed into a corner, offering a feel that belies its considerable mass. Steering is lightweight with decent feedback, and the silky smooth powertrain always seems willing to jump to attention. Acceleration is brisk – for a vehicle of this size – but hardly enough to startle a heavy right foot.

Credit the taut 4-wheel independent suspension, along with the solid structure and 12.6-in. (32.0-cm) front and 12.8-in. (32.5-cm) rear disc brakes (with 4-wheel electronic brake force distribution), for the CX-9’s sure-footedness.

Also helping is the optional FWD-biased AWD system from the CX-7 and Mazdaspeed6, which takes into account steering angle, throttle and yaw rate when proportioning up to 50% of drive torque to the rear wheels.

Mazda expects about half of buyers to opt for the AWD system.

“The CX-9 gives class-leading versatility without sacrificing sportiness or design,” says Chris Hill, vehicle line manager-CX-9. “It (CX-9) offers 7-passenger-seating the ‘Zoom-Zoom’ way.”

With the CX-9’s so few compromises, it is hard to discount Mazda’s aspirations for the vehicle.

Although considerably less dynamic than its turbocharged little brother, the new flagship CUV likely will strengthen the brand and give consumers the option of having a large family hauler that embodies the spirit of Mazda’s more athletic vehicles.

The auto maker declines to give sales forecasts, but is confident the CX-9’s combination of sporty refinement and versatility will attract many new customers to the brand when it hits U.S. dealers in early February, filling a showroom slot vacated by the MPV minivan.

Pricing currently ranges from $29,630 (including $595 for destination) for a FWD Sport to $34,470 for an AWD Grand Touring model, with well-equipped versions nearing the $40,000 threshold, Mazda says.

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