Mazda CX-9

Mazda has left no compromise in making the overall cabin of the CX-9 appeal in a premium way. One can choose from three different full leather upholstery options – Black leather, chroma brown Nappa leather, and silk beige leather.

The driver’s cockpit of the Mazda CX-9 looks quite simple with the three-pod layout for the instrument console and a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel. However, apart from the driver’s cockpit, the rest of the dashboard offers a very rich sense of luxury with its three-layered layout. While the upper layer has been finished in a theme of black, the middle layer gets a free-mounted touchscreen infotainment system.

The central layer at the bottom gets a fine brushed aluminium finish above the AC vents positioned in the middle. The Mazda CX-9 is being pitched as a seven-seater crossover, however, the third row of seats is best suited for kids only, due to limited knee room on offer.

Compared to the full-sized tough-looking SUVs priced similarly to it, the Mazda CX-9 rather follows a much sleeker approach when it comes to exterior design. However, the well-contoured lines and curvier design language make the Mazda CX-9 look very beautiful, and the impression only gets stronger with the large dimensions of the crossover on offer.

The long and curved front bonnet of the Mazda CX-9 looks as sleek as that of a modern sedan, however, the high stance gives it an SUV flavour. This long bonnet terminates with a wide front grille, which looks like that on every other Mazda on sale – except, here it is in its largest form, with chrome garnishes extended well over the full LED headlamps. The lower portion of the front bumper too is well garnished with a sleek looking chrome bar, which stretches around the tiny fog lamps and air vents on the corners of the bumper.

From the sides, thanks to the curved design profile, the Mazda CX-9 looks very elegant and poised. The crossover does not get any sharp character lines on the side profile, however, the rounded wheel arches, as well as simple looking door panels, add to the overall classiness. The elegance quotient is further enhanced by the chrome touches on the door panels as well as the window shoulder line.

At the rear, the Mazda CX-9 gets a sharp-looking tapered windscreen, which is well accompanied with a roof spoiler. The LED tail lamps on the far edges of the boot lid too look very impressive with their sleek layout.

The Mazda CX-9 comes fitted with Macpherson struts at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear, which are tuned softly in order to translate into comfortable ride quality. The ground clearance is not too high by SUV standards but is decent enough to make it good enough to handle mild off-road turfs.

A 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine has been employed for the Mazda CX-9, which is currently the biggest and most powerful petrol engine produced by Mazda. Here in the Mazda CX-9, this engine makes 231 PS of maximum power output and 420 Nm of peak torque output. A 6-speed automatic gearbox is common to both variants, but while the Signature variant gets an all-wheel-drive configuration, the Sport Touring gets a front-wheel drive system.

The flagship Mazda CX-9 crossover gets all prominent bells and whistles when it comes to safety, such as front, side, and curtain airbags, traction control, dynamic stability control, ABS with EBD, around view monitor, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring system, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist system, driver attention alert, smart city brake support, and adaptive cruise control.

For those who want some intimidation in the visual appeal from their SUVs, the Mazda CX-9 might not fit your needs. Instead, what it offers aplomb is sheer classiness and elegance, with a swerve design, rich interior cabin, and supremely comfortable ride quality.