2016 Mazda CX-9 Very first Drive
The all-new Mazda CX-9 SUV is akin to a patriarch being reborn. As the fattest and priciest vehicle in the automaker’s lineup, the outgoing CX-9 was feeling like odd-man out. While the other models in the Mazda lineup boasted Mazda’s latest innovations like the groundbreaking SkyActiv suite of powertrain technology that does wonders for both efficiency and power output, the former CX-9 was still using a power plant from 2008. And while last year’s CX-9 still injected the joy driving dynamics that go arm in mitt with Mazdas, it lagged newer rivals like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder in terms of technology, efficiency and amenities.
That all switches with the fully revamped two thousand sixteen Mazda CX-9. This 3-row crossover SUV is the last in Mazda’s lineup to receive the utter SkyActiv powertrain technology as well as its sleek and curvy “Kodo” design influence, bringing completion to the automaker’s lineup transformation. The fresh CX-9 is also the most premium yet, with higher-end trims like the fresh CX-9 Signature model being able to pass for a luxury SUV. The wait was long, but after driving this fresh midsize family hauler over hill and dale, we can say it was worth it.
Our particular hill-and-dale fling was in the San Francisco area, where Mazda invited us to attempt out their newest and largest SUV. As before, the CX-9 retains its 3-row, 7-passenger layout. But just about everything else inwards and out is fresh.
Potent and efficient heart
One of the largest switches to the CX-9 is a heart transplant that exchanged out the V6 engine that has powered the vehicle since its debut for an all-new Two.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. With a maximum pony count of 250, it’s down twenty three horsepower from the outgoing Three.7-liter naturally aspirated V6. But it’s up significantly in the torque department, rising from two hundred seventy lb-ft to an outstanding three hundred ten lb-ft. In a world where many buyers still think more horsepower equals more driving satisfaction — and in a segment where most competitors still employ V6 engines — Mazda’s engineers knew the strategy for downsizing could be risky. Their philosophy, according to development engineer Dave Coleman: “Disregard the specs, make it the best in the real world.”
After a utter day and hundreds of miles in the all-new Mazda CX-9, we think this gamble should pay off. Like the rest of Mazda’s fresh generation of vehicles with the SkyActiv touch, the CX-9 combines frolic and joy driving manners with efficient operation.
Regarding the latter, the budge to the smaller engine is instantly evident in fuel economy. The two thousand sixteen Mazda CX-9 is rated at twenty two mpg city/28 highway for front-wheel-drive models, and 21/27 mpg for all-wheel-drive versions. That compares to figures of 17/24 and 16/22 for the outgoing model. Depending how you cut the EPA-rated numbers, the fresh CX-9 is best-in-class or near-best among 3-row SUVs.
If good fuel economy is difficult to penetrate in a larger family SUV, joy driving dynamics are even firmer. After all, such a crossover’s primary mission is shuffling kids to soccer practice, not bombing down twisty roads. But Mazda has managed to not just retain the CX-9’s zippy and road-clinging ways, but improve them. With the fresh CX-9, Mazda has put the “joy” in “functional.”
Let’s embark with the turbo engine. It’s very responsive, and Mazda has done an admirable job quelling the dreaded turbo lag. The CX-9 is quick off the line thanks to its hefty torque rating at a low Two,000 rpm, and it still showcased enough guts for high-speed passes on winding two-lane roads on Highway one north of San Francisco’s famed Golden Gate bridge.
Like its little brothers the CX-5 and CX-3, the CX-9 offers a Sport mode, which holds gears longer and makes the engine more responsive. Unlike those smaller crossover SUVs, it’s not indeed needed in the CX-9. Sure it’s nice to have, but this engine is so responsive in normal mode that we found it ideally sweet even on challenging uphill roads. The times we did put the vehicle in Sport mode, it switched personalities almost too much, holding gears longer. Good if you’re channeling your internal Mario Andretti, but maybe too aggressive for soccer moms and dads.
Rail quality and overall serenity has also been improved. The suspension ably soaks up imperfections, and the interior is quieter than ever. The fifty extra pounds of sound-deadening material paid off.
We also like the 6-speed automatic transmission. Very first, because it’s a 6-speed. While more rivals are switching to 9-speed autos, many of them don’t feel fairly fully baked, which leads to hesitancy and hunting/pecking of gears. Not so in the CX-9. This automatic is very well matched to the engine, and gear shifts are uneventful in the best way.
When the roads curve
While the outgoing CX-9 was among the oldest midsize SUVs on the market, it was still one of the segment’s most fun-to-drive entries. The fresh one feels even lighter, nimbler and more spry, making it more than a worthy successor. It’s actually fairly joy in corners, something that’s unexpected in a family SUV. But it is expected in a Mazda, and this one meets the automaker’s zoom-zoom commitment.
Gratefully it does so without compromise to utility. The CX-9 has improved in that respect, too. When not ferrying passengers in the rear two rows, they now fold in a flatter style that makes it lighter to geyser longer items.
Beauty and safety on the inwards, too
The cabin itself has undergone its own revamp. The two higher trims — Grand Touring and the fresh, top-line Signature — could pass for luxury cars. This is most true of the Signature, which boasts Mazda’s very first use of plush Nappa leather and genuine rosewood. In presenting this fresh Mazda, the word “premium” was oft repeated by executives, and backed up by the CX-9.
The CX-9 also receives a makeover on the safety side, with Mazda’s fresh flagship available with the automaker’s suite of active and passive features and driver’s aids. On the roster are the now-expected blind-spot monitoring, along with lane-keep assist, radar cruise control and Clever Brake Support, which can automatically stop the vehicle if it senses an imminent collision. Sorry, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto fans, the two thousand sixteen model isn’t presently available with either, but we’re told implementation is a matter of when, not if.
For fans of practicality and driving, however, the two thousand sixteen CX-9 is here now. Prices range from $32,420 for a base Sport model to over $45,000 for a Signature edition. While fully revamped, this second-generation model retains the spirit of the original. It brings style, safety and joy manners to the mainstream 3-row SUV segment, with a good helping of efficiency as well. The SkyActiv family should be proud.