Features

When you test cars for a living, it's easy to fall for them from the driver's seat. Testing a new Mercedes or even a new Toyota can be great — until you see the price. Yes, we get sticker shock, too, especially because the test cars we get are often loaded with every option.

The i Touring Plus trim is interesting because it's not offered with any options. For $23,750, you get an automatic transmission, a moonroof, a power driver's seat, 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth, a backup camera, a USB port, and a blind spot monitoring system. That's a heavy dose of features, especially the blind spot system, which can be a $1,500-plus option on other cars — and they're usually of the luxury variety.

    See also:

    Exterior
    The CX-9 manages to avoid the chunkiness of many SUVs, in part because of its angular nose and carlike grille. The crossover's shoulder line rises as it heads rearward, and the sides are free of c ...

    Mazda CX-9 2007 review
    Even though the Mazda Tribute — a version of the Ford Escape compact SUV — has been on sale for years, SUVs don't come to mind when I think of Mazda. Instead, I see Miatas and RX-7s &mda ...

    Interior
    The cabin seats five, with textured fabric upholstery in Sport models and upgraded fabric with red piping in the Touring. The stereo display sits within a circular cutout, a cue shared with the Ma ...