New Car Review: 2012 Mazda CX-9 THIS IS NOT A FAT CAT by Marty Bernstein Senior Editor-at-large The Auto Channel To many the Big Gulp, supersized life has become emblematic ofAmerica. Why else would an automaker continue to market a fullsized SUV in the face of rising fuel costs, governmentalregulations and economic uncertainty? Well for one because in thecase of the Mazda CX-9, its flagship SUV that has been refinedsince its introduction and more importantly, there is a real demandfor them. Let's face it while some of us liked the idea of a big"truck" and all the possibilities its enormous sizeallowed, but alas we liked saving money more and as a result, carsoutsold trucks for the first time in a decade, but for many of us alarge vehicle is not a choice but a necessity. Between the large families and the lake families there is asustainable market in North America for the large SUV and the MazdaCX-9 is a cool cat that will give its owner 9 lives of enjoymentbehind the wheel. Because despite its size, seating for seven (7),this is one nimble cat. The exterior boasts contemporary styling that manages a sporty lineand an attractive silhouette despite its girth. Sitting on20" aluminum alloy wheels, the Mazda 9 stands ready forwhatever the road or your to do list can dish out. You and yourseven passengers will be seated in a spacious interior cabin thatboasts leather trimmed seats. Pick up the kids or fill the cargo area that is comparable to apick up, the Mazda 9 has the capability and the capacity to meetmost challenges a trip to Costco can create. The 60/40 split foldsecond row and 50/50 split fold third row seating configurationallows for storage flexibility. More importantly this flexibility is a breeze to engage allowingthe owner to transform the configuration of the interior withoutthe fuss, muss or in some cases the tutorial that is required bymany of the comparable models in this segment; moreover, it is thisease of operation that migrates throughout this SUV that makes theMazda 9 so much fun to drive. Yea I said it; this big cat was a hoot to drive. Behind the wheelfeels more cat-like than a big dog of a SUV. The height of thevehicle, both in road stance and seat placement is just right andprovides the driver excellent site lines and in case you missedthat motorcycle that just pulled up on the passenger side, theblind spot monitoring system, a very useful feature that isstandard. An alert light indicator, located on both of the sidemirrors, illuminates when a vehicle is approaching. Your safety is also insured through Mazda's strategicplacement of air bags and air curtains and is validated by the9's four star crash teat rating. Rest assured that longbefore any of those safety measures are engaged, the Mazda CX-9 hasa few tricks up its preverbal tailpipe to help you avoid thosecircumstances. Starting with Mazda's dynamic stability control and atraction control system that is engineered to work in harmony withthe active torque split AWD that has at its heart a 3.7L V6 DOHC24-valve engine that is controlled by the 6-speed sport automatictransmission and the lucky duck who gets to adjust the 3-spoketilt/telescopic steering wheel of the Mazda 9 will enjoy a veryresponsive SUV that offers superior handling and unmatchedperformance, including EPA fuel economy estimates of 16 mpg/cityand 22 mpg/highway. The soft touch has been reserved for the interior of the 9 andincludes a 3-zone automatic climate control system that washes thecabin in total comfort because no matter how comfy the seats if youare hot you are not happy! The optional moon roof/Bose packageadded $2,255 to the total MSRP of $40,050 and was well received.Nothing enhances the driving experience more that a great soundsystem and cool breeze blowing through your hair. The 9 is sizedright for most. Michael Bernstein contributed to this review Editors Note: I evalulated the Mazda CX-9 a couple of years ago in San Diego andwas pleasantly surprised at how well it compared to my wife's Lexus450h in looks, comfort, convience, power and handling. The 7passenger CX-9's interior was large, and its third row was morethan suffucient to transport grandkids, luggage and beach gear atthe same time. I am an expert from personalizedfridgemagnet.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Magnetic Photo Frames , Magnetic Kids Toys Manufacturer, Magnetic Nail Art,and more.
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