Motoring Channel Staff
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Sydney, Australia — Mazda's CX-7 has been a strong seller for the company here in Australia, but without a seven seat capability many family buyers had opted for the Ford Territory, Hyundai Santa Fe, or Holden Captiva.
But with the recent launch of the American-designed Mazda CX-9, the car maker now has a true 7-seater in Australia.
The new CX-9 is Mazda's flagship SUV model, it's largest vehicle and perhaps its most luxurious.
Priced from $49,990 all CX-9 models come with a powerful 204kW V6 engine, seven seats, all-wheel drive (AWD), and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
According to Mazda, the new model has "unrivalled power, space, safety and style" and will be offered in two model grades, Classic and Luxury. Pricing is as follows:
Mazda CX-9 Classic: $49,990 Mazda CX-9 Luxury: $57,265
Mazda reckons it'll sell about 400 CX-9s per month, with the more expensive 'Luxury' model taking the lion's share of the sales.
The entry-level 'Classic' CX-9 comes equipped with things like tri-zone climate control, rain-sensing windscreen wipes and a 6-stack in-dash CD player (MP3 compatible) that is controlled via a touch screen that includes a reversing camera.
Both models have strong safety suites, with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control (TCS), antilock brakes (ABS), Roll Stability Control (RSC) and six airbags (front, side and curtain) as standard.
The major differences between the Classic and Luxury models are that the latter gets leather seats and large alloy wheels: 18-inch for the Classic, 20-inch for the Luxury.
Mazda's CX-9 will be powered by a 3.7-litre V6 engine that will happily use regular unleaded (91 RON) petrol. The 6-cylinder engine develops 204kW of power @ 6250rpm and 366Nm of torque @ 4250rpm, which according to Mazda ensures "smooth, immediate acceleration".
The Mazda CX-9 can tow trailers weighing up to 2000kg and can sprint from zero to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds. This fast sprint time is helped along by both the 6-speed automatic transmission built by Aisin and also the CX-9's all-wheel drive system.
Mazda wants to attract customers looking for a family SUV that goes beyond pure utility, something that's attractively styled while adhering to the company's sports car heritage.
One of the clearest differences the Mazda CX-9 has over its competitors is it's styling. Apart from the new Subaru Tribeca, also launched just recently in Australia, the Mazda CX-9 is virtually alone in terms of it's progressive design possessing a sporty style that is expected to become the norm in another five years.
Mazda claims that it's new model provides Australian drivers with "a stylish alternative to the drab and boxy wagons crowding the SUV market."
Due to it high riding position and large wagon body, the CX-9 is very much an SUV. But the vehicle's defining features - such as the headlights, grille, and brakelights - look as though they were taken from a sports car.
Mazda adds that "The CX-9's rakish silhouette appears swift and lithe even when stationary, but does not compromise interior versatility and space."
The interior gets three rows of seats arrayed as 2+3+2 which will be one of the vehicle's key selling points. Mazda claims that "wide door openings and easy-fold seats facilitate access to all three rows" while a range of storage options will take care of clutter. There's 10 cup holders, .
According to Mazda, the CX-9's designers paid close attention to the second row seats to improve the ease of entry to the third row. The second row seats can tilt over and also slide fore and aft and access to the third row is via a lever that tilts the seatback and slides the base forward.
With the third row occupied, the CX-9 provides up to 267 litres of cargo capacity. Both second and third-row seats fold flat to allow additional storage, up to 928 litres of cargo space.
All Australian CX-9s are built at a Mazda production facility in Hiroshima and have been modified for the Australian market. For example, the centre seat's 60/40 split and middle row seatbelt mounting point have been 'flipped', ensuring that the CX-9's interior works just as well in Australia as it does in North America.
On sale now in Australia, the Mazda CX-9 is priced from just under $50,000.