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By
EWAN KENNEDY
2 February 2009
Mazda's CX-9 provides an excellent combination of SUV styling and
seven-seat people moving competence. A large vehicle, which is
designed for the American minivan market rather than for customers
in its home country of Japan, it has many features that are
appreciated by Aussies.
Though
almost all owners will use it as a suburban runner, the CX-9 has a
4WD system and can cope with light-duty running off sealed
surfaces. Typically on forest trails, perhaps even at the beach.
On slippery surfaces in the snowfields it is in its element.
Mazda's
designers have come up with plenty of style thanks to some clever
use of horizontal lines, thus taking some of the practical boxy
rear end away by clever optical illusions. The now traditional
Mazda five-point grille makes the front end look almost sleek and
sporty.
There's
room for seven adults without them being overly cramped, though
four adults and three children is more realistic. The centre seats
can slide back and forward to let you juggle the amount of legroom
available in this seat and the third row seats. If you’re not
using the back seat you can slide the centre seat all the way back
to its rearmost position and gain limo-like legroom.
The
third row of seats fold flat very simply to give a useful increase
in luggage space, but even with the seats up there's still room
for a couple of fair-sized suitcases.
Mazda
CX-9 is powered by a 3.7-litre V6 engine producing peak power of
204 kW, and torque of 366 Nm at 4250 revs. While that torque
figure may seem to be at high rpm, the band is nicely spread and
the engine produces decent pulling power from 2000 rpm.
Fuel
consumption is high, almost to gas-guzzling extent. On easy paced
country trips and gentle motorway running you are unlikely to get
the consumption much below 11 litres per hundred kilometres.
Traffic driving will typically see figures of 15 to 18 litres per
hundred. When driving in twisty, hilly conditions petrol
consumption on the wrong side of 20 litres per hundred kilometres
could be the norm.
The
suspension is relatively soft, though steering feel isn’t bad
for a big people mover and there's little understeer until it’s
going quite hard at bends.
Ride
comfort is good and excellent NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness)
work by the engineers means you and the family should get back
from a long Aussie road trip feeling fresh and relaxed.
This
is a big vehicle and parking in tight spaces can be quite a
challenge at times. It has a good turning circle for its class and
this can be a real help. A reversing camera is a welcome
installation in a large vehicle with rather limited rearwards
visions.
Mazda
Australia has been pushing vehicle safety hard for several years
now. So the CX-9 has electronic stability control and rollover
protection to help prevent crashes. As well as six airbags should
one become inevitable.
The
upmarket CX-9 Luxury as tested has a recommended retail price of
$58,590.The CX-9 Classic comes onto the showroom floor at $50,990.
On-road costs have to be added to these prices, but dealers may be
able to absorb some of these to gain a sale in the tough GFC
times.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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