october specials - Southbridge Evening News

SEPTEMBER 29, 2010
☎ TOWN-TO-TOWN CLASSIFIEDS ☎ A STONEBRIDGE PRESS PUBLICATION ☎ 7
Aut motive
Mazda CX-9 Improved for 2010
but it Was Already a Really Strong Crossover Utility Vehicle
BY KEITH GRIFFIN
At the beginning of its press
materials for the 2010 Mazda CX-
9, the company scribe wrote, “As
the saying goes, there is always
room for improvement.” While
it’s tough to dispute that statement,
kudos to Mazda for making
improvements and doing them
right. What was already a strong
mid-size crossover utility vehicle
has become that much better.
My first experience with the
Mazda CX-9 was back in 2007
when it was introduced to the
Northeast automotive media at a
hotel along the New Jersey
Turnpike. It was a utilitarian setting
for a decidedly non-utilitarian
looking crossover utility vehicle.
At the time I wrote, “The best of
the [CUV] breed is the CX-9. It
combines the driving aspects of
the Mazda6, from which it derives
its platform, with the functionality
of the Mazda5. The CX-9
embraces the concept of utility. It
has three rows of seating that can
accommodate adults in all positions.
Granted, the third row
would be less than ideal for a trip
from Boston to New York, for
example, but it’s sufficient for
three couples wanting to spend
the night on the town.”
A point made back in 2007 about
the CX-9 that still resonates three
years later is how roomy this
vehicle is inside without looking
large from the outside. There’s no
sense from the driver’s seat that
there are six people behind you
when the CX-9 is packed full of
human cargo.
So, how did Mazda improve on
the CX-9 with a “refresh” as they
say in the industry? The
Japanese automaker didn’t
attempt to graft the “smile” from
the Mazda3 onto the front of the
CX-9. Looks cute on the Mazda3.
Would have looked like “The
Joker” from “Batman” on the CX-
9. The overall exterior styling is
sharp enough to elicit positive
comments from passersby. This is
a handsome vehicle.
Another successful exterior
enhancement is larger side view
mirrors. Small mirrors on big
vehicles are simply impractical.
Mazda made the mirrors more
aerodynamic, too, so there is no
increase in wind noise from the
larger surface.
One slight misstep would possibly
be the new color: dolphin
gray. There’s nothing wrong with
the hue. The vehicle loaned to me
for a week by Mazda featured the
new color and it was quite attractive.
I just couldn’t get over the
fact that it was a shade inspired
by dolphins. Beautiful animals
but their coloring is bland at best.
Safety is a big part of what makes
the CX-9 stand out. It has one of
the best blind-spot warning systems
I have encountered in many
years of doing reviews. As I have
advocated in the past, properly
adjusting your mirrors negates
The Mazda CX-9 is another example of Mazda’s ability to design vehicles that look small from the outside but are capable of carrying
lots of people and cargo.
the need for blind-spot warning
systems 99 percent of the time
but I was the beneficiary of that
needed 1 percent with my family
in the CX-9.
It’s not necessarily a high vehicle
at 68 inches, but it’s reassuring
that the CX-9 has roll stability
control. As Mazda explained in
its press materials, the system
uses both body-roll rate and
wheel speed sensors to determine
when corrective action is necessary.
A momentary torque reduction,
combined with an automatic
brake application, assists in
restoring the CX-9 to an even
keel. Interestingly, most accidents
can be avoided with
momentary torque reductions,
also known as taking your foot off
the gas. That simple advice has
spared me many times in hazardous
situations. Foot off the
gas, then hit the brakes if necessary.
Just something to keep in
mind as winter approaches.
Pricing is good on the CX-9
because it comes standard with a
lot of equipment, like Xenon
headlights, rain sensing wipers,
stainless steel exhaust tips, heated
power driver and front-passenger
seats, keyless start and entry,
three-row side curtains and roll
stability control, that other companies
might charge you for. The
CX-9 grand touring trim with allwheel
drive starts at $34,215. (The
base model with front-wheel
drive starts at $28,805.)
The model I drove was $39,435
with the $750 delivery fee included
but that included two options
one could reasonably live without,
including Moonroof/Bose
stereo at $2225 and navigation
system at $1665. The moonroof
added nothing to my driving
experience and, frankly, I find my
iPhone works just fine when it
comes to giving directions and is
usually more up-to-date.
The Mazda CX-9 is rated at 15
mpg city and 21 mpg highway
with all-wheel drive. The frontwheel
drive version is rated at 16
mpg city and 22 mpg highway. In
our neck of the woods, you’re
going to want the comfort of allwheel
drive. The front-wheel
drive model costs $32,815, so it is
$1400 cheaper. It could be money
well spent, though.
(Questions and comments about
this review and other automotive
concerns can be e-mailed to usedcars.guide@about.com.
All
queries are answered.)
VITAL STATISTICS
Wheelbase: 113.2 inches
Length: 199.8 inches
Width: 76.2 inches
Height: 68 inches
Curb weight: lbs.
Engine: 3.7-liter, V-6
Horsepower: 273 hp
Torque: 270 lb. ft.
EPA estimated mpg city/highway:
15/21
Base price: $34,215
As-tested price: $38,685
Also consider: (a comparative
vehicle) Nissan Murano,
Acura MDX, Toyota
Highlander
Auto Review