MrFatbooty

The new CX-9 7-seater SUV will be Mazda’s centrepiece at this week’s New York International Auto Show. The all-new SUV has been designed especially for the US market and shares its sharp styling with the smaller CX-7, which hits dealers this month. Power comes from a new MZI 3.5L V6 mated to a six-speed transmission, which drives the variable AWD system. The CX-9 promises class-leading space and an up-market interior not to mention heaps of practicality from the 7-seat layout. As with every Mazda the CX-9 has been engineered to deliver a fun and sporty driving experience.

thomas

i hate the hole crossover class of cars they need to be deleted

9600baud

x 10000

Oh well, as far as they go, this one doesnt look too bad.

MrFatbooty

If Mazda sells a bunch of these multipurpose transport pods, that gives them more wiggle room to keep coming out with cars like the RX-8, Miata and Mazdaspeed 6 and 3 (which'll be out soon).

Kai

Up. h:


What I am wondering: Mazda has a set history with RX and MX vehicles. RX denotes a Rotary engine, while MX denotes a piston engine.

WTF is with the CX? Does Mazda want to split the SUV line from the car line? That would be good for marketing, IMHO.

Schneegz

Why should crossovers be deleted? The ride on unit body chassis, which are lighter and more rigid than the ladder frame chassis of truck based SUVs. That makes them lighter than truck based SUVs, which yields slightly better gas mileage. It also makes crossovers ride more comfortably and handle better than truck based SUVs, and frees up interior space, which makes interior packaging more practical. They also offer all wheel drive. All those factors taken together make them ideal vehicles for families of 4 or more that live in areas that get snow every winter.

So, why not just go with a minivan? Minivans are the ultimate interior packaging vehicles, but how many minivans offer AWD? Not many. Furthermore, in the last Consumer Reports new car issue, the Honda Odyssey, for example, only got 2mpg more than the Honda Pilot. And the Pilot seats 8, just like the Odyssey, though admittedly not as comfortably. It also offers AWD, which the Odyssey does not.

So, if interior packaging and getting 2mpg more is more important to a consumer, he/she will go with a minivan like the Odyssey. If bad weather traction is more important to that consumer, then he/she will go with a crossover like the Pilot.

Since when is variety a bad thing?

MrFatbooty

Well the MX- cars have all been sporty of some sort, sedans getting the 323, 626, 929 designations previously and now just 3, 5, 6. I think CX- has something to do with "crossover.'

M Type X

Mazda needs another MX car, the Miata isn't enough.

Crossovers can be tolerated. Sure, they are mammoth tall wagons, but they aren't as bad as SUVs.