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66 | FireFlyz
Car
Review
The CX-9, Mazda’s full-size SUV looks like it takes up quite a bit of tarmac and
Zachary
Ho
wants to know if it still can oomph the zoom.
T
he
Mazda CX-9 was first
sold in 2007. Back then,
Mazda was in alliance
with Ford and as such,
shared many platforms,
including this one. The
CX-9 is built on Ford’s
CD3 platform that was also used for the
previous generation Ford Edge SUV and
Mazda 6 sedan, among others.
LOOKS
The CX-9 is the biggest passenger
vehicle in Mazda’s garage and it has
been refreshed with a Kodo-inspired
look that gives it the familial look of its
newer brethren. The aggressive-looking
headlamps and prominent grilles take
over from the old smiley look making this
hunk of an SUV look meaner than before.
The side profile remains unchanged
with its plain surface; only the slightly
flared wheel arches break the monotony.
The rear however, could do with some
aggression like the front to even things
out.
POWER
The 3.7 literMZI V6 engine in the CX-9 can
also be found in the 2011 Ford Mustang,
albeit with some performance difference.
The engine gives out 274hp and 367Nm
of torque and propels the CX-9 from
standstill to 100km/h in 10 seconds. You
might expect a quicker time with those
power figures but there’s quite a bit of
weight for this non-turbocharged engine
to pull. Still, that time remains impressive.
The six cylinders work smoothly giving
you the feeling of a willing and able
workhorse. However, for quick dashes,
increased pressure on the throttle is
necessary. The 6-speed automatic gearbox
shifts easily so there’s no worry when
MAZDA CX-9
it comes to overtaking or getting up to
speed. Manual override of the gearing is
available but I never had to use it often
even for overtaking. Where you feel the
vehicle’s heft is in the fuel department;
it is a 2,000kg SUV with a V6 engine
after all.
DRIVE
Mazda has a reputation for building
very driveable cars; if you remember the
Miata and RX-7, and that reputation lives
on in something as bulky as the CX-9.
The steering response is good for a large