Mazda Confirms CX-9 Crossover Vehicle For Australian Market

Motoring Channel Staff - 8/Nov/2006

Melbourne, Australia — Though Mazda cannot tell us how much it will cost, the Japanese car company has confirmed that the new Mazda CX-9, one of the marques largest ever vehicles measuring more than 5 metres long, will be coming to Australia to join the CX-7 and the rest of the Mazda range in early 2008.

The vehicle will first go on sale in the US in the second quarter of 2007, and now the Americanised vehicle has been re-engineered for right-hand drive markets, such as Australia.

This large crossover SUV is designed to give drivers the high-riding view of the road that many 4x4 vehicles provide, while also retaining the aspects that make normal sedans so popular - smooth ride and handling.

Mazda believes that the CX-9 - a three-row, 7-seat, crossover SUV - will boost Mazda's SUV range to three distinct models with the 186 kilowatt V6-powered CX-9 joining the recently updated Tribute and the crossover CX-7.

Like the Mazda CX-7, which goes on sale this month (November '06) in this country, the CX-9 is a clean break from the traditional boxy SUV. Mazda expounds that CX-9 is the insightful solution not only to the modern family's complex needs but also to the enthusiast driver's desires.

"CX-9 will be an exciting addition to our Australian range as it gives us a third model in the important SUV segment and a dynamic entrant into the seven seat market," indicated Doug Dickson, managing director of Mazda Australia.

"That Mazda has agreed to re-engineer the CX-9 for right-hand-drive production just for Australia further emphases the importance of this market to the company," added Dickson, who points out that Mazda Australia is the country's top-selling full-line importer and in 2006 has a market share of 6.7 per cent year-to-date.

"The CX-9 represents everything a Mazda SUV should be," continued Mr Dickson, "offering ample power, striking appearance, fun-to-drive vitality, precision build quality and unexpected versatility. 

"While other vehicles in this category focus only on what's behind the driver's seat for the family, Mazda has engineered a unique solution that is equally as exciting for the driver," concluded Dickson.

Interior

Built in Japan, the CX-9 rides on a long 2875mm wheelbase, providing easy access to its three-row seating. It's overall length is 5071mm, or more than 5 metres long, which will make parallel parking a bit stinky. There's ample room for adults in every position and sufficient cargo space to accommodate most needs, and to make life easy for all drivers, the driver's seat and steering column move quickly and easily over a long range of adjustment. 

Mazda has revealed that the 60-40 split second row not only carries three in comfort, it also offers approximately 125mm of fore-and-aft slide travel and a reclining backrest. In the 50-50-split third row, the seating position and leg room are impressive in numbers and real comfort. Entry to the third row is easy, with nearly 650mm of access space between the folded second-row seat and the C-pillar. 

Even with the third row occupied, the CX-9 provides more than 480 litres of cargo capacity - which is more than most small cars and only 20 litres short of many large sedans, like Falcon and Aurion. Both second and third-row seats fold flat to allow additional storage all the way up to the back of the front seats.

Mazda says that once inside the CX-9, the driver is greeted by a neatly organized combination of cylindrical shapes and blacked-out instruments on a T-shaped instrument panel. Brightly edged gauges with metal-look trim and indirect blue illumination set a cool mood. Indirect lighting also is embedded in the front and rear door trim and ceiling for a warm, futuristic glow. 

Exterior

Mazda reckons that the CX-9 is not an average crossover. While many mid-sized crossover SUVs strive for the utilitarian look, the Mazda CX-9 is designed to evoke a strong pride of ownership. Without sacrificing versatility or efficiency, the CX-9 strives for the sophisticated appearance of a vehicle costing two to three times as much. Its smooth and flowing silhouette, prominent wheels and tires, muscular wheel arches and steeply angled windshield give the CX-9 a dramatic look.

CX-9's front end is unmistakably Mazda, with its elegantly sculpted sporty five-point grille and wide, bold bumper. A horizontal streak of chrome floats on the front grille bar, giving a distinctive and high quality feel. Side windows form a flowing, open and modern greenhouse, allowing clear vision from all seating positions, and the unique trapezoid chrome exhaust pipe accentuates the fine detail put into the design, suggesting that this is not simply something built for moving bodies, but a vehicle also designed to appeal to people's sense of style.

Powertrain

The CX-9 is powered by a new 3.5-litre V6 producing about 186kW and 325Nm of torque. The Australian specifications have not yet been solidified due to fuel differences, which means the actual power output may drop to about 180kW when the CX-7 launches here in 2008. The 3.5-litre bent six features dual-overhead camshafts (DOHC), 4-valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, a high compression ratio and electronic throttle control.

A 6-speed automatic transmission will be standard on all models, and Mazda says that the direct benefits of this 6 ratio gearbox are optimum acceleration and passing performance, coupled with excellent highway fuel efficiency.

Drive is through Mazda's advanced Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive system, which uses various sensors to signal control modules that automatically apportion torque to those wheels most able to provide solid traction. A computer-controlled coupling, connected with the rear differential, automatically adjusts the torque distribution, allowing up to 50-percent of the drive power to be sent to the rear wheels, depending on traction conditions. This all-wheel drive system is also used in the Mazda6 MPS and CX-7.

Chassis

The CX-9 has a super-stiff unibody that Mazda says will provide a sound foundation for a poised ride and agile handling. Extra laser welds and adhesive weld bonding have been applied in critical areas for enhanced stiffness. Like a luxury car, damping sheets applied to floor areas and acoustic foam filler added to body cavities will assure a quiet, high quality cabin environment.

In front, the perimeter frame mounted to the unibody through six rubber isolators supports the powertrain, the engine-speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion power steering, and a low friction strut-type suspension system using coil springs. The multilink rear suspension consists of one trailing arm and two lateral locating members per side. To minimise cargo-compartment intrusion and permit a wider load space, the rear coil spring is positioned between the lower lateral member and the unibody. A damper is located as close as possible to each rear wheel to provide excellent motion control with minimal friction and anti-roll bars at each end maximise agility and control during assertive driving.

In the United States, where the CX-9 goes on sale in the first half of next year, and it rides on a choice of 18- (P245/60R-18) or 20-inch (P245/50R-20), V-rated, low-profile radial tyres. As a result, CX-9 looks and feels unusually nimble for its size.

Safety

When the Mazda CX-9 comes to Australia in 2008, it will feature an advanced Roll Stability Control (RSC) system that uses both body-roll rate and wheel speed sensors to determine when corrective action is necessary to avoid flipping over. A momentary torque reduction, combined with an automatic brake application, assists in restoring the CX-9 to an even keel, a system offered on few other SUVs in Australia.

Other safety features such as disc brakes for all four wheels, ABS, TCS, and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) help to activate the brakes and reduce driveline torque and automatically apply one or more brakes to minimise under or over-steer during emergency maneouvers.

Additional protection is provided by sensor-activated side-curtain airbags which extend from the first to the third row, covering all seven occupants in the event of a smash. These inflatable restraints deploy in the event of a lateral collision (or a rollover) and help to reduce the likelihood of injury and limb or head ejection from the vehicle. 

Related articles:
- Mazda6 Diesel
- Mazda6: Road Test
- Mazda MX-5: Road Test
- Mazda6 MPS: Road Test

Preliminary Australian Market CX-9 Specifications: