Mazda CX-9

SPECIFICATIONS

1. A 3.7L V6 makes 273 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque with FWD and AWD options. 2. Fuel economy is 17 MPG city and 24 MPG highway (FWD) and 16 MPG city and 22 MPG (AWD). 3. Pricing starts at $29,785 and tops out at $40,415 for a fully loaded AWD Grand Touring model.

PREVIEW

Somewhere in the mountains of Colorado, road-test editor Mike Schlee and I came to the conclusion that the Mazda CX-9 is surprisingly capable. Outfitted in Sport trim, the large crossover didn’t run out of breath at high altitude and moved about capably in harsh terrain. Thinking that maybe the altitude was playing tricks on us, we decided to take it for yet another spin in familiar territory.

The conclusion is very much the same, the CX-9 is surprisingly good… when viewed in a vacuum. True, everything else as of late that’s been coming from the Hiroshima-based automaker has been quite good. What’s surprising is that the CX-9 is far from new. Updated for 2013, the changes are relatively minor.

While the vehicles driven during out time competing in the Mazda Adventure Rally were budget-oriented Sport trim models, the tester in our hands back at home is a fully-optioned Grand Touring model. The GT trim adds leather seating, navigation, parking sensors, bi-xenon headlights, a power lift gate, memory seating and 20-inch wheels to the seven-seater, plus our model also features all-wheel drive.

EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR

For 2013 the CX-9 gets a refreshed exterior look too, which uses the same Kodo design language that was established with the CX-5. The bigger vehicle doesn’t wear the new threads as well as its stable mates, likely because the other models were designed from the ground up to suit the new look, while the CX-9 is just paying lip-service to the new language through a facelift.

Still, there are plenty of details in the CX-9 that give off a premium feel, from the classy new front-end look, to the Alcantara-like seat inserts. The driver will certainly appreciate the rear-view camera and blind-spot assist, but the new infotainment system is a bit clunky to use. In particular, the navigation component is unintuitive, confusing and needs a significant amount driver attention to set up properly, which means making changes on the fly can be downright dangerous.

Even with three-rows, the CX-9 doesn’t offer an uncomfortable seat throughout the whole cabin. Adults seating is available in the third row and offers more legroom than the Hyundai Santa Fe, though less headroom than the Nissan Pathfinder. Polite passengers in the second row can slide their seat forward to give up more legroom to those sitting behind them. Taking the CX-9 fully loaded with adults about four-hours out of the city without a break in driving resulted in few complaints from passengers, a feat that few large crossovers can lay claim to.

UNDER THE HOOD

Available only with a 3.7L V6 which makes 270 hp, the CX-9 isn’t a trailblazer in this segment. Easily the most uninspired part of the car, the Ford-sourced engine could use a bit more grunt. While the transmission is responsive, the car just feels lethargic.Taking the scenic route shows off the direct-feeling steering feel, while the chassis responds well and the suspension is well sorted… if a little stiff. Remembering that the Sport model didn’t feel as choppy, it’s likely the Grand Touring trim’s bigger wheels are contributing to the bumpy ride.

Lacking in grunt, the CX-9 won’t win any fuel economy contests either. Achieving 19 MPG combined in our tests, up one from the official rating. While that’s a bonus, those numbers are down from the competition at 20 or even 21 MPG combined.

Furthermore, when it comes to towing, the CX-9 is rated to tow 3,500 lbs. when properly equipped, far from the 5,000 lb. rating of the Pathfinder.

Read Full Review

2014 Mazda3

SPECIFICATIONS

1. The 2014 Mazda3’s base engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that puts out 155 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. 2. The car’s optional powerplant is a 2.5-liter engine. It delivers 184 hp and 185 lb-ft. 3. An entry-level Mazda3 sedan stickers for less than $18,000, including shipping and handling fees, while five-door models start at a little less than 20 grand. 4. Four-door 2.0L models with the automatic transmission return up to 41 MPG on the highway.

PREVIEW

Since it went on sale in 2003 the Mazda3 has become a vital product for the Japanese automaker. In fact over the last decade they’ve delivered more than 3.5 million of these compact cars. It accounts for 30 percent of the brand’s sales around the world, which means nearly one out of three Mazdas sold is a 3.

But now the company is in a bit of a tough spot. How do you improve a wildly successful product without alienating existing customers or driving away other potential buyers? The answer is carefully, very carefully. The devil really is in the details.

EXTERIOR

Technical achievements aside, the first thing anyone notices about a car is its styling, and the 2014 Mazda3 is dressed in a striking body that looks more premium than should be allowed in the compact class. It wears the brand’s KODO design theme, which is Japanese for “soul of motion,” or so we’ve been told.

The most noticeable aspect of its styling is the way the car’s visual weight has been shifted back; designers call it “cab-rearward” styling. The new Mazda3 has a long hood and almost rear-wheel-drive proportions. It’s a very attractive small car and one that looks far more expensive than probably anything else in the C-Segment.

INTERIOR

The car’s interior has also been significantly redesigned. At first glance it looks rather plain, but spend a few minutes appraising the cabin and you’ll come away impressed.

The materials are very upscale, the assembly quality is unbeatable and the overall design is understated and elegant. This is a compact car that’s really grown up, as it should be. Mazda’s designers have not been benchmarking the competition; they’ve been much more ambitious than that.

Vehicles from companies like BMW and Audi have been their focus and it shows. There’s very little to complain about inside the 2014 Mazda3, with two exceptions.

The car’s navigation screen looks like a total afterthought, almost like they ran out of space and couldn’t properly integrate it into the dashboard so they just stuck the display on top of the center stack and called it a day. The whole arrangement looks like an iPad Mini propped up above the air vents.

UNDER THE HOOD

That standard powerplant is far from “entry level.” It produces 155 horsepower with 150 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are very close to what today’s Skyactiv-powered Mazda3 delivers but engineers have significantly fattened up the midrange output so it’s more pleasant in everyday driving.

But just because it delivers more torque doesn’t mean the engine can’t rev. It’s smooth running and isn’t afraid to spin at high RPM, especially when paired with the manual gearbox.

The 2014 Mazda3’s optional powerplant is again a 2.5-liter four-banger. Like its smaller sibling it too has been reinvigorated. Horsepower clocks in at 184 while torque one ups the ponies, literally. The engine delivers 185 lb-ft of twist.

Two transmissions are available, both of which have six forward speeds. A responsive automatic will undoubtedly serve as the go-to gearbox for North American customers, but a snappy-feeling manual is available for folks in the know. At launch the stick shift will not be available with the larger engine, though it will become available at a later date.

Read Full Review

2014 Mazda3

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Pricing starts at $19,740. Our “Touring” five-door model costs $25,890. 2. Officially rated at 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, we achieved a wintery average 28.7 mpg. 3. A 2.5L four-cylinder makes 184 hp and is mated to a six-speed automatic.

PREVIEW

As someone who makes a living reviewing cars, I like to think I can influence my wife’s car purchasing decisions. But that isn’t the case.

Amanda is a car person through and through, most likely a by-product of listening to me ramble about all things automotive for the past 10 years.

Although a bit of power under the hood is appreciated, it’s the comfort, usability, easiness to drive and overall value that interest her more.

INTERIOR

Inside, initial impressions were much the same. She found the center stack to be laid out in an easy-to-use design and the steering wheel mounted buttons were simple enough to operate. The rest of the interior finishes and dashboard were alright as, in her words, “nothing wowed me, but nothing offended me either.” The placement of the cup holders and the staggered height of them were an issue though.  Being 5’2”, her seat was set too far forward to make proper use of the cup holders. She had to continuously reach back to grab her coffee mug and found two didn’t fit that well because of the offset height difference between the cup holders. 

The far forward position of the front seat also rendered the center armrest unusable as it was located too far back. In addition, the center console doesn’t have much space, which meant the passenger seat soon became her mobile storage unit since the center console and doors also lack any real capacity.

And that brings us to the seats. In short, she didn’t like them due to her stature. The concave nature of the seat arched her back uncomfortably. No matter how she adjusted it, she couldn’t find a comfortable position.

But there were some redeeming qualities inside. The GPS system received a lot of praise. Being a self-proclaimed “directionally challenged” individual, she appreciated the straightforward and advanced notice during route guidance. Entering a destination was equally effortless and the large display screen meant much of the map could be shown at once. There were two instances, though, where we had issues with the GPS system. At one point, the screen froze completely while the voice continued giving verbal directions and another time the entire system shut down and rebooted itself. 

The quick defrosting front and rear windows were useful during cold mornings and the hatch of the Mazda3 easily carried a week’s worth of groceries easily. The rotating dial between the front seats that controls most of the 3’s functions was easy enough to operate, but slower to respond than similar systems found in MINIs and Audis.

UNDER THE HOOD

The power and composure of the Mazda3 on city streets and highways was appreciated, but Amanda found the gas and brake pedals to be a little too sensitive. The new Mazda3 is designed to be efficient and even during a week of near-wintery weather that included a lot of “warming the car up,” she still returned a fuel economy average of 28.7 mpg.

The specific model in question would be the Mazda3 S Touring five-door that lists for $25,890 after destination charges. That may seem like quite a bump from the base hatchback’s price of $19,740, but our test car did come with navigation, leatherette seats, a sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels and the larger 2.5-liter 184 hp four-cylinder engine.

Like pretty much everyone else who has laid eyes on this car, Amanda loves how the new Mazda3 looks. In fact, she claims it is the nicest looking compact hatchback currently on the market and I can’t argue with her.

Read Full Review