Mazda CX-9

The Mazda CX-9 is a full size SUV made by the Japanese car manufacturer Mazda. The Mazda CX-9 is the largest Mazda vehicle as of 2015.


History

The Mazda CX-9 first rolled out in 2006. The initial design had a 3.5 liter engine. The Mazda CX-9 had an engine change in 2008, minor design changes to alter its appearance in 2010, and another redesign in 2013. The re-design added safety features like a lane departure warning system and forward obstruction warning system.

Design

The Mazda CX-9 is a full sized SUV with seating for seven, though the third row seats are only suitable for teens or smaller children. The second and third row seats can be folded flat to make 101 cubic feet of space for cargo. The Mazda CX-9 also has a storage compartment in the cargo floor to store a laptop computer or purse which is useful for hiding valuables while at the amusement park or airport.
The Mazda CX-9 only comes with a six speed automatic transmission; manual transmissions are not an option. The Mazda CX-9 built since 2013 have a 3.7 liter V6 engine with 273 horsepower.
The Mazda CX-9 shares the Ford CD3 platform with the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.
The basic trim line of the CX-9 is the i-Sport. The next trim line is the Touring. The highest trim line is the Grand Touring.
All trim lines in 2015 came with air bags, traction control, stability control, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, Pandora radio compatibility, and antilock brakes. The Touring model added blind spot monitoring, a rearview camera, rear parking assist, leather upholstery, heated front seats, cross traffic alerts, and keyless entry. The Grand Touring model has xenon headlights, LED daytime running lamps, memory settings for the driver’s seat, power tailgate, and larger wheels.

Front wheel drive and all wheel drive models are available for the Mazda CX-9.
The Mazda CX-9 has a rated towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The Mazda CX-9 has a top speed of 118 miles per hour and zero to sixty in 7.6 seconds.
The Mazda CX-9 gets 17 miles per gallon in the city for the front wheel drive version and 16 for the all wheel drive version. On the highway, the Mazda CX-9 gets 24 miles per gallon on the highway for the front wheel drive version and one mpg less for the all wheel drive model.
JD Power and associates rated the 2015 model year as above average on reliability.

The 2015 Mazda CX-9 new starts at around $30,000. All wheel drive adds a thousand dollars to the price. The Touring model started at $33,000 new. The Grand Touring trim line started at $36,000 new in 2015.
A Grand Touring trim line of the Mazda CX-9 with all the add on packages can hit $40,000.

The major rivals to the Mazda CX-9 are the Buick Enclave, Dodge Durango, Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Ford Flex, GMC Yukon, Nissan Pathfinder, Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Explorer, and Chevrolet Tahoe.

Trivia

Mazda tried an SUV in the American market in the 1990s. However, the Mazda Navajo ceased production in 1994. That SUV was built on a shared platform with Ford, too, though that was closest to the Ford Explorer.