This must be the time for crossovers. The Mazda CX-9 came to me in the week between storms, so I managed to test every system it came with. Mazda made that easy to do because they sell two versions of the CX-9, the GS and the GT. There are a few options that you can add, but the body style stays the same.
I’ve decided that one colour a crossover shouldn’t be painted with is white. It makes the vehicle look so much larger than it really is. You actually have to get in and look around before you realize that this is just an average-size seven-seater vehicle. Reminds me of opening the door on a freezer when you think you’ve got the 23 cubic-foot model and it turns out the inside is only 18 cubic feet. There is still plenty of room for everything you need, but your perspective changes.
Body Basics
My test unit was a pretty-close-to-the-top-of-the-line GT model with all-wheel drive, standard on the GT and optional on the GS. The most obvious giveaway that this was a GT were the 20-inch wheels. Mazda does not believe in excess badging so when you try to figure out who has what, you need to look real close. Xenon headlamps are another clue, but only if fog lamps and mirror-mounted signal sights are present as well.
All four doors open wide for ease of entry and exit. When in a parking lot, the doors still open wide enough to allow you to get in; you just need to be a bit more careful of your surroundings.
Rear Loading
Getting your stuff into or out of the back is normally fairly easy. As a liftback, the tailgate needs little room to lift up. Basically, if you can stand behind the CX-9, the back hatch will open. This turned out to be a pretty handy feature when grocery shopping and the person who pulled into the space behind me decided to use part of my space.
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| Priced from $37,995 to $51,645, Mazda makes the CX-9 easy to like and easy to drive. (Photo: Charles Renny/Auto123.com) |
I’ve decided that one colour a crossover shouldn’t be painted with is white. It makes the vehicle look so much larger than it really is. You actually have to get in and look around before you realize that this is just an average-size seven-seater vehicle. Reminds me of opening the door on a freezer when you think you’ve got the 23 cubic-foot model and it turns out the inside is only 18 cubic feet. There is still plenty of room for everything you need, but your perspective changes.
Body Basics
My test unit was a pretty-close-to-the-top-of-the-line GT model with all-wheel drive, standard on the GT and optional on the GS. The most obvious giveaway that this was a GT were the 20-inch wheels. Mazda does not believe in excess badging so when you try to figure out who has what, you need to look real close. Xenon headlamps are another clue, but only if fog lamps and mirror-mounted signal sights are present as well.
All four doors open wide for ease of entry and exit. When in a parking lot, the doors still open wide enough to allow you to get in; you just need to be a bit more careful of your surroundings.
Rear Loading
Getting your stuff into or out of the back is normally fairly easy. As a liftback, the tailgate needs little room to lift up. Basically, if you can stand behind the CX-9, the back hatch will open. This turned out to be a pretty handy feature when grocery shopping and the person who pulled into the space behind me decided to use part of my space.
 |
| Getting your stuff into or out of the back is normally fairly easy. (Photo: Charles Renny/Auto123.com) |