The Mazda CX-9 is a staple in the company's roster. As the auto company's largest unit available, the CX-9 model gives families and individuals all the practicality that an SUV offers, without sacrificing the brand's known athletic look.However long the redesign has taken, Mazda has surely made up for it with the new 2016 CX-9.
Auto Blog notes that the only engine available with the new design is a turbocharged four-cylinder, which is hooked to a six-speed automatic. In addition, all 2016 CX-9s come with 310 pound-feet of torque at just 2,000 rpm. While the downsized engine also consumes less fuel, the sacrifice is that the new CX-9 loses power as it reaches maximum speed at the end of its tachometer.
The publication goes on to say that the Mazda unit beats its competitors in terms of handling, as the unit drives smoothly even on broken pavement. While the engine has less horsepower, the loss of weight seems to make up for it and is most felt while driving along curved roads.
Robert Davis, the company's senior vice-president of U.S. operations, explained that a lot of the new elements added to the CX-9 actually come from the CX-5 and the Mazda 6, reports Market Watch . If one were to intricately look at how the parts of the vehicle are connected to the chassis, similarities can definitely be seen across the units. The only difference is that the parts are greater in scale with the CX-9.
The new version of the unit is almost 200 pounds lighter in comparison to its predecessor. Moreover, engineers have shorted the overall length by about 2 inches. The car is also built with, thicker floorpan steel and has an extra 53 pounds of sound-deadening material making it quieter than the previous model.
Davis explained why it has taken them so long to retouch the CX-9. "From a corporate priority, it just got stacked up last to be redesigned," he said. Simply put, Davis believes that the car was great to begin with and it hardly needed to have anything redone.
So far, it seems that development engineer Dave Coleman's goal of "ignoring competitive specs and focusing on the real world" will pay off.
