Mazda CX-9 Luxury 2010 Review

Mazda CX-9 Luxury

Road Test

RRP: $57,015 (manufacturer's list price, excluding on-road costs and dealer delivery)
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Nil
Crash rating: TBA
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 12.1
CO2 emissions (g/km): 291
Also consider: Ford Territory Ghia AWD, Nissan Murano Ti, Toyota Kluger KX-S AWD

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

Mazda's CX-9 Luxury is a large, comfortable and quiet SUV priced just below the Luxury Car Tax threshold. So close, in fact, with the option of satellite navigation the Mazda spills over on the wrong side of the mark.

But it's a lot of metal for the money -- literally. Mazda's largest SUV is a big machine, even overshadowing its obvious competitors in the VFACTS medium SUV segment.

Once the flagship of the range, the CX-9 Luxury tested here is now the midrange model. Late last year the range was extended upmarket with the introduction of a new range-topping model, the CX-9 Grand Touring -- and all CX-9 variants came in for a facelift and minor upgrade at the same time.

Mazda has been reticent about just how far the CX-9 was upgraded -- and with good reason. The changes inside the big SUV would test even those with a penchant for recalling specification trivia.

For example, the cupholders in the centre console are large enough to fit a humungous Maccas cup in each. In a minor step backwards, the upgraded CX-9 does away with the 'terraced' rings within the cupholders to hold smaller cups firmly in place -- designed to reduce the chance of spills during cornering or braking.

As another example, the audio system in the pre-upgrade CX-9 Luxury was something to see. It read MP3 format music files, either from an MP3 player via the auxiliary feed, or on a compact disc. To load the disc, the user selected 'Load/Eject' from the touch-screen, which folded down to reveal the loading slot. That system has been forsaken in the upgraded variant. There's no touch screen and the CD slot is located in plain sight above the audio head unit's LCD.

In the original CX-9, there were buttons to the left of the information screen, to activate the different modes of the trip computer. It was a stretch for the driver and all a bit fussy. Mazda has simplified the trip computer functions with one 'info' button in the revised audio head unit. It remains almost out of reach, but it is easier to toggle through the functions.

Based on the way the latest CX-9 moves, Mazda appears to have done some work on the suspension. The CX-9 now seems to ride with less fore-and-aft pitching, although the ride quality appears to be firmer than we remember. Though not as good around town, this works out better at touring speeds.

Steering provided good response in the pre-upgrade CX-9 and that hasn't changed. Nor has the feedback through the wheel, which is still lacking. Power assistance provides some weight through the wheel, but actual feel remains limited and Ford's Territory seems to be ahead on points there.

Roadholding is up to scratch for a car of its size and the CX-9's handling on bitumen is consistent, but the line widens noticeably as soon as the driver applies some throttle.

In our launch review for the original CX-9, the tester was critical of the stability control system's heavy-handed intervention offroad. On bitumen the system in the upgrade model redeems itself somewhat. There was a reasonable margin for human error before the system overrode the driver. Its operation can't be said to be especially elegant or seamless, but it works when it should on bitumen, and that's the main thing.

Where performance is concerned, the CX-9's 3.7-litre V6 remains responsive and refined, also providing strong torque across the rev range.

While power and torque figures are unchanged, Mazda claims that the upgraded model is more economical to run. Certainly the trip computer recorded commendable fuel use of 13.2L/100km for the week. That was mostly around town with only a couple of occasions venturing out on the freeways. When the Mazda did hit the high road, wind noise prevailed, but there was negligible road or drivetrain NVH at 100km/h.

The CX-9 launches well from a standing start and the engine can plainly cope with the six-speed automatic's very tall gearing (which no doubt helps open road mileage). In terms of peak power and torque delivery, this engine is ahead of the 3.5-litre V6 fitted to Toyota's Kluger, but still lacks the steam-train pulling power of the 4.0-litre inline six fitted to the Ford Territory.

The Mazda V6 makes up for that in part by jumping straight to 5000rpm on the kickdown. Some engines already feel breathless and coarse at that sort of speed, but the Mazda's engine is still pulling hard and giving its all. In the midrange the V6 sounds throaty and purposeful. It's a sportier engine than the V6 in the Nissan Murano and sounds less clinical than the Kluger's.

As already noted, the Mazda engine combines well with the slick-shifting six-speed automatic, which is a boon on the open road and around town. One shortcoming, however, is the lack of generous engine braking some four-wheel drivers will want. Indeed, it even feels that way on the road. A manual change down to second gear is not so much felt or heard -- partly due to the smoothness of the auto box, partly the free-spinning nature of the engine and partly the high ratio of second gear. The easiest way to tell for sure you've selected second gear from third is by watching the tacho.

Nor is the Mazda's transmission what you'd call adaptive -- not up against the ZF box in the Territory. You won't have it changing down on a trailing throttle, for example.

Once you're headed offroad, it soon becomes plain that the CX-9 -- promoted by Mazda as a crossover -- is aimed more at occasional trips to the snow than negotiating mud and rocks. That shows up in the lack of hill-descent control or a lockable centre coupling. And even on a fairly gentle soft-road trail it was easy to hear the CX-9's under-body protection wearing itself away. The CX-9 is also bereft of side body protection against stone chips and scraping branches.

Ground clearance is no better than the Territory's and the turning circle, which is pretty tight in shopping centre carparks, was too wide to negotiate some of the more demanding tracks that softroaders sometimes visit in this country. That's not so much a shortcoming of the steering or front suspension as testament to the sheer size of the Mazda. This is a vehicle that is longer and wider than Territory, Murano and Kluger.

The CX-9's bulk also has some bearing on the field of vision -- even fitted with the reversing camera. In the snow, for instance, it would be hard to see the corners of the car when negotiating tight turns or avoiding snowbanks.

The big Mazda does offer a couple of redeeming offroad features though: there's the ability to switch off the TCS (traction control system), plus the reasonable offroad grip afforded by the tyres and the decent pulling power of the engine.

Judging the CX-9 as a peoplemover rather than an SUV, it was moderately difficult to park even with a reversing camera. Park distance sensors both front and rear would be well worth having, in the view of the tester. This is one SUV that will not easily reverse into a narrower driveway.

The big footprint does at least translate to copious accommodation inside the CX-9, although the packaging is not always carried off with the same flair as in the smaller CX-7. With seating for seven, it has the edge over Nissan's Murano. And in five-seat configuration, the CX-9 yields 928 litres of luggage space, as opposed to the 523 litres for the Territory -- both figures measured in accordance with the VDA standard.

With the third-row seat raised in seven-seat configuration, we're in two minds about the luggage compartment in the CX-9. Behind the third-row seats there's enough room for perhaps a week's worth of groceries at a pinch and we found it would accommodate four flat-packed DVD cabinets. Yet on a previous occasion in the pre-upgrade CX-9, the luggage compartment would not permit the tailgate to close on a package measuring 72 x 57 x 26cm across the width of the car. That package was not huge, by any means, and was the only item placed in the luggage section at the time.

Mazda's published figure for luggage capacity with the third-row seat raised is 267 litres, which some would say is miserly for a vehicle of this size.

This balance of luggage space versus people is a common problem in seven-seat SUVs and peoplemovers. You can cart people or you can cart goods, but not necessarily both at the same time. If you buy such a vehicle for the extra seating capacity -- because you have more than three kids -- you're not going to want to raise and lower the third-row seat every day to accommodate shopping bags. Presumably, people who do buy such vehicles do use all three rows of seating -- and shop.

At least the third-row seat is easy to raise and lower, with straps to pull each half out of the floor. This is another case where Mazda's interior designers have upgraded the CX-9, the previous model featuring spring-loaded traps behind the seats, needing to be pulled up before the seats could be raised. With the new system, raising the seats is a one-handed affair and consequently an ergonomic gain. Lowering the seats requires a tug on the strap at the rear to unlatch the seat from its anchorage and a push forward for it to fall into place, flush with the floor.

The second-row seat doesn't return to its original position after third-row seat occupants have dismounted or climbed onboard. Again, this is not a problem unique to the CX-9, although Toyota has successfully overcome this in the Kluger.

In the CX-9, users can slide the second-row seat base back while the backrest is still tilted forward, but then you run the risk of encroaching on legroom for the third-row seat occupants -- and it also becomes a two-handed operation.

In defence of the second-row seat, it offers the fore and aft adjustment, a 60/40 split fold, adjustable recline and three headrests. Other than the lack of memory to return to its previous position, it's a good feature -- just not as flexible or as modular as the same fixture in the Kluger.

Contrary to our launch review, the second-row seat in the vehicle on test featured the smaller 40 per cent/single-occupant section of the seat on the left (near) side of the car. Access wasn't difficult, although adults banished to the very rear of the car might prefer to climb in from the driver's side.

Headroom for all three rows is better than average, even with the standard glass sunroof over the front seats. Legroom was as little or as much as you want to make of it, depending on how you adjust the fore/aft travel of the first and second-row seats -- but the flexibility of the seating arrangement is good enough to provide a very fine balance for passengers of different stature. In the third row, anyone around 180cm or taller will find the sixth and seventh seats a squeeze.

The CX-9 Grand Touring comes with a powered tailgate. No such luck in this variant, however, although the CX-9 Luxury's tailgate is supported by gas struts and is easy to raise and lower, thanks in part to the recessed handgrip right of the latch.

There's a luggage compartment light set in the tailgate and shining down into the luggage compartment. This proved highly effective for illuminating the luggage compartment and third-row seating at night -- and even more so in combination with the dome light over the second-row seats.

Entering and leaving the CX-9 is aided by the large doors (both vertically and in width), which close softly but securely from just a light nudge. They also open up through a large angle, but only if the car is parked somewhere other than a standard width Aussie parking spot with cars either side. The H-point is good for adults, a bit of a climb for smaller kids.

In the front seats, the CX-9 is mostly stylish and practical. Instruments illuminate in the sort of colourful array that is all fluoro and LED, just like the Ginza at night. Despite the vivid display, they're easy to read and reasonably restful on the eye. Controls are softly damped, but the indicator stalk still lacks a two-stage/lane change facility.

The leather-bound steering wheel actually feels like leather and combines well with the soft and pleasing medium grey leather trim for the seats, the chrome highlights and piano-black bezels to provide a pleasant ambience overall.

Controls for the three-position memory and electric adjustment are located on the right side of the driver's seat base, while a manual lumbar adjustment lever is situated on the backrest. The memory position controls are invisible from the driver's seat and if you need to readjust the driving position using these controls you'll have to grope around for them if the door is closed.

Climate control comprises two separate zones for driver and front-seat passenger, plus a third zone shared by the second-row seat occupants. And mum and dads don't worry -- Mazda provides an override button preventing kids from setting the third zone to levels of heat or cold incompatible with sustaining human life.

So that's the CX-9: attractively styled, well equipped, built to a quality standard and just possibly boasting the best petrol powerplant in the medium SUV segment.

Should you buy it? If your McMansion comes with a wide drive and a triple garage -- and you ticked the census box for three or more kids -- yep. And you can probably afford to have the groceries home delivered...

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