What is it?
2007 Mazda CX-9
What's special about it?
We know what you're thinking and we can't blame you. The 2007 Mazda CX-9 looks like nothing more than a stretched version of the 2007 Mazda CX-7. It's an obvious conclusion given their nearly identical styling, but according to Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development, it's far from the truth.
"The CX-7 is based on a combination of hardware from the Mazda 3 sedan and Mazda 5 wagon. The CX-9 is built on the Mazda 6 platform," he told us at the New York auto show. "A different chassis was required because with three rows of seats the CX-9 is not only longer, it needs to support the added weight of seven passengers."
At nearly 200 inches long, the CX-9 is almost a foot longer than a Honda Pilot, one of its chief competitors. Designed to appeal to larger families than the five-passenger CX-7, the CX-9's ability to fit both passengers and cargo was key. "We wanted to offer a third-row seat that was not only easy to access, but comfortable for full-size adults," said Eddie Rayyan, vehicle line manager for the CX-9.
Rayyan claimed the CX-9 will have one of the most spacious third-row seats in its class as well as one of the easiest means of access to that space. "You can push the second row forward with one hand, and it works even if there's a child seat strapped in." Even with all the seats in place the CX-9 still has 17.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
With so much room inside, the CX-9 also required more power under the hood than the CX-7. Standard on all CX-9s is a 3.5-liter V6 with approximately 250 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only available transmission and you can choose either front- or all-wheel drive.
The suspension is a full independent setup with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in back. Standard 18-inch wheels come on the base Sport and Touring models, while top-of-the-line Grand Touring models get 20-inch wheels and tires.
All models get a long list of standard safety features like Roll Stability Control, traction control, side curtain airbags and electronic stability control. Optional equipment will consist of typical features like a power rear liftgate, upgraded audio system and DVD navigation.
No pricing was announced, but with the Honda Pilot dead in its sights you can expect the CX-9 to start in the high $20s when it goes on sale early next year.
What's Edmunds' take?
We were still a little skeptical of the CX-9 until Robert Davis asked us a simple question. "The CX-9 has more room than a Honda Pilot, has far better handling and…well look at it. What would you rather drive?" Point taken, Rob. — Ed Hellwig
2007 Mazda CX-9
What's special about it?
We know what you're thinking and we can't blame you. The 2007 Mazda CX-9 looks like nothing more than a stretched version of the 2007 Mazda CX-7. It's an obvious conclusion given their nearly identical styling, but according to Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development, it's far from the truth.
"The CX-7 is based on a combination of hardware from the Mazda 3 sedan and Mazda 5 wagon. The CX-9 is built on the Mazda 6 platform," he told us at the New York auto show. "A different chassis was required because with three rows of seats the CX-9 is not only longer, it needs to support the added weight of seven passengers."
At nearly 200 inches long, the CX-9 is almost a foot longer than a Honda Pilot, one of its chief competitors. Designed to appeal to larger families than the five-passenger CX-7, the CX-9's ability to fit both passengers and cargo was key. "We wanted to offer a third-row seat that was not only easy to access, but comfortable for full-size adults," said Eddie Rayyan, vehicle line manager for the CX-9.
Rayyan claimed the CX-9 will have one of the most spacious third-row seats in its class as well as one of the easiest means of access to that space. "You can push the second row forward with one hand, and it works even if there's a child seat strapped in." Even with all the seats in place the CX-9 still has 17.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
With so much room inside, the CX-9 also required more power under the hood than the CX-7. Standard on all CX-9s is a 3.5-liter V6 with approximately 250 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only available transmission and you can choose either front- or all-wheel drive.
The suspension is a full independent setup with MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in back. Standard 18-inch wheels come on the base Sport and Touring models, while top-of-the-line Grand Touring models get 20-inch wheels and tires.
All models get a long list of standard safety features like Roll Stability Control, traction control, side curtain airbags and electronic stability control. Optional equipment will consist of typical features like a power rear liftgate, upgraded audio system and DVD navigation.
No pricing was announced, but with the Honda Pilot dead in its sights you can expect the CX-9 to start in the high $20s when it goes on sale early next year.
What's Edmunds' take?
We were still a little skeptical of the CX-9 until Robert Davis asked us a simple question. "The CX-9 has more room than a Honda Pilot, has far better handling and…well look at it. What would you rather drive?" Point taken, Rob. — Ed Hellwig
Add A Comment »