Mazda CX9

Mazda’s CX-9
Sporty feeling, and also carries seven adults.

The front grille of the 2010 Mazda CX-9 “crossover” utility vehicle is new, but the goodness of the fun-to-drive and spacious seven-seater stays the same. The CX-9 is Mazda’s largest crossover, and it comes in three versions: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. All three are powered by a quick-revving 3.7-liter V6 that makes 273 hp, yet the CX-9 returns up to 22 mpg on the EPA highway test. The CX-9 feels lively during acceleration, which is much of the reason it has gained a reputation among experts as one of the most fun vehicles with three rows of seats.

All three versions of the CX-9 are also available with all-wheel drive, and come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature. So equipped, the CX-9 gets from zero to 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds. The transmission shifts smoothly and quickly, without delays from either the manual controls or from tapping the accelerator pedal to downshift. There’s more fun: The handling is surprising for a seven-seat vehicle, with quick steering, a small turning circle, and grippy tires. Backroads are to be enjoyed in the CX-9 as much as long highways. Complementing this behavior is a driver’s seat that feels more like a sedan’s bucket seat than a utility vehicle’s taller chair. This car-like attribute adds to the enjoyment of driving the CX-9, even without a full load of people.

For 2010 there are newly styled, optional leather seating surfaces, while the CX-9 keeps its logically arranged dashboard controls and instruments. The available navigation system can now display the view from the optional rearview camera. Getting into the second and third rows of seats is easy due to wide-opening rear doors, and the second-row seats slide rearward and recline, making them an ideal place for large adults. The third row of seats is easy for adults to enter and exit because of the clever way the second-row seats fold and slide.

The $29,385 Sport model comes with privacy glass, 18-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, Bluetooth, tri-zone climate controls and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls. The Touring version adds heated mirrors, leather upholstery for the first two rows, auto-off headlights and the availability of some optional equipment. The Grand Touring edition upgrades to 20-inch wheels, HID Xenon headlights, fog lights, keyless ignition and entry, driver-seat memory, storage for the second-row armrest and “theater” illumination inside.

A sunroof and a Bose audio system are available, as is a quick-moving power liftgate. The rearview camera with a rearview mirror display is also available, as is remote engine starting. For long trips with antsy kids, there’s also a rear-seat audio and video system with separate inputs. The kids will also be well-protected, since the CX-9 comes with active features such as emergency brake assist for panic stops, stability control for slippery conditions, and a rollover mitigation system. There’s also an available blind-spot warning system that will alert the driver if it is not safe to change lanes. Front seaters are protected by side airbags, and side-curtain airbags extend to all three rows of seats.

The 2010 Mazda CX-9 is slightly more refined, yet it keeps all the traits that make it one of the most fun crossovers of any size to drive.