When the Mazda CX-9 launched back in 2007, the motoring press had nothing but great things to say about our new SUV. Motor Trend even awarded it the 2008 SUV of the Year!
We fast forward four years and the competition keeps rolling out their latest and greatest in the 3-row SUV class. SUV top sellers like Ford brings the new Explorer to market and Dodge redesigns the Durango. Certainly stiff competition, but what happens when you compare these SUV’s to each other?
The results surprised Motor Trend:
Four years on and the scrappy, fantastic-driving Mazda CX-9 is still the best seven-passenger SUV you can buy.
After the break, read the first place finish and link to the entire comparison on the MotorTrend.com site.
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Check out our special offer and enjoy the review…
1ST PLACE: MAZDA CX-9
It’s got that cartoonish Mazda smile, looks more like the Lincoln MKT in its larval stage than a proper SUV, won’t handle real off-roading, and can’t even tow 2 tons. It also happens to have won our SUV of the Year contest in 2008. A bit of a ringer? Maybe, but it’s also the cheapest of the competitors by about $500.
The logbooks are simply overflowing with praise. Said I, "As a high speed, canyon-carving seven-seater, the CX-9 is severely gifted. It actually inspires confidence when you push, quite unlike the rest of the field." Says Kiino, "Delicate steering that’s just perfect. Feels very carlike, almost like a raised Mazda6."
I’d argue it feels better than that. Then there’s Mr. Williams, the "real SUV" lover, "I’m very surprised how well the CX-9 has held up over the years. Throttle response and front-end dynamics make it a hoot to take on undulating mountain roads. The excellent chassis smoothes out any nasty chop."
And that’s just the half of it. Swoons Loh, "Easily the best driver here. Feels fast and light and sporty. Yes, it looks like a sport wagon and not a butched-up truck, but at least the packaging matches the dynamics." Per Evans: "This is not a crossover or an SUV; it’s a sport wagon. Out of this group, the entire driving experience is second to none." Finally, Lago asks, "Can I take this one home?" Kinda says it all, no?
So there you have it. Four years on and the scrappy, fantastic-driving Mazda CX-9 is still the best seven-passenger SUV you can buy. Sure, the nav system is a generation behind the Explorer. Of course, it could learn a thing or two about interior packaging from Honda. And the Durango is four or five times better-looking. But in the end the former king conquers ‘em all, once again. I’ll let Loh sum up the Mazda’s latest triumph: "A truly excellent package with no major strikes against it." You listening, Dodge?
