Exterior

The CX-9 manages to avoid the chunkiness of many SUVs, in part because of its angular nose and car-like honeycomb grille. The SUV's beltline rises as it heads rearward, and the sides are free of cladding. Sport and Touring models have 18-inch wheels, while the Grand Touring version wears 20-inch wheels. Available features include a power liftgate, high-intensity-discharge headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers and turn-signal repeaters in the side mirror housings. CX-9s have a four-wheel-independent suspension and front and rear stabilizer bars.

    See also:

    Safety
    All-disc antilock brakes, side-impact airbags, three-row side curtain airbags and an electronic stability system with Roll Stability Control rollover mitigation technology are standard. There's al ...

    Design - Refreshed Looks and a more aggressive Sports Appearance Package
    The European C-MAV segment is not renowned for products with eye-catching designs. In 2005, Mazda 5 bucked this trend by introducing a stylish, sportier exterior that stood out in the crowd of loo ...

    Driving Impressions
    The easy-to-drive Mazda3 handles more adeptly than most rivals. The automatic transmission delivers quick, smooth responses. Performance with the larger engine falls short of some sporty compacts, ...