It has been 7 years since Mazda introduced to the world their concept of what a crossover should be, and after receiving minor facelifts over the years, it still feels like a proper road-going all-rounder for any family. This is indeed shown in the increasing number of CX-9s on Dubai roads, and so we were eager to find out for ourselves the reason behind the popularity of this vehicle in the UAE.

Exterior

2014 Mazda CX-9 Front Styling

The CX-9 is designed to be simple and subtle yet pleasing. Mazda knew their target market is the average commuting family who are not fond of flashy cars and like to blend in with the crowd. We believe that’s the reason why we never noticed so many CX-9s before testing it ourselves.

Comparative Analysis

Comparing it to competitors like the Pilot and Pathfinder, the CX-9 looks much better with its overall curvy shape and little resemblance to the older Acadia. Mazda aimed to fit this SUV in line with their other models by offering a new grill for the 2013 iteration. The result is an understated vehicle with bland colors, looking ordinary, and sometimes that is not definitely a bad thing.

Interior

2014 Mazda CX-9 Interior Space

The CX-9’s key selling point, we believe, is the interior space. We can vouch for that by saying it is quite roomy for 7 adults to sit comfortably – even in the third row. Pull down the third-row seats and you have got decent luggage space.

Interior Features

Cabin made of hard plastics
Full-option trim with electric leather seats
Heating option for long drives
Auto headlamps
Rear view camera
Navigation
Bluetooth connectivity
Rain-sensing wipers
Climate control

Overall, the interior checks all the points on the practicality list. The only drawback we felt was that speedometer markings could have been a bit bigger in font size to be read easily.

Drive

2014 Mazda CX-9 Driving

This area was surprising while testing. The car doesn’t feel like a 7-seater behemoth at all. The steering is so nimble that you feel like you are in a small sedan eager to squeeze into tight spots in traffic without any fear of crashing.

Performance Overview

The 3.7 V6 is smooth while cruising and gives ample torque once you hit the pedal without scaring you. However, the concern comes when it is time to slow the car down as the brake pedal felt too soft and squishy. We are used to hard brakes and expecting the car to stop intuitively within a certain distance. In this case, we had to press the brake harder to achieve that distance as soft pressing did not provide any response.

Fuel Consumption

Moving on to fuel consumption, it was ordinary as we were expecting better. We averaged 18 l/100 km while driving mostly on the highways. This is the segment, we believe, in which Mazda can improve. Other than that, the car is fun to drive and feels more like a sporty hatch rather than a crossover.

Verdict

This is the biggest Mazda to drive, and it holds true to the Mazda lineage – an understated, affordable Japanese car. It is roomy, comfortable, and doesn’t look ugly – a perfect mommy’s car.

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