Mazda increases power of its biggest vehicle

Not even a year after its debut, Mazda's biggest and heaviest sport utility vehicle, the CX-9, has a new, more powerful V-6 engine and a new safety feature.

Thank goodness the sleek styling, large wheels and tires, across-the-board, five-star safety rating and pleasing interior remain.

The CX-9 is a so-called crossover SUV with a ride that's more car-like than truckish. It has seven standard seats arranged in three rows and contrasts with the smaller, five-passenger Mazda CX-7.

The CX-9 also is the priciest vehicle in Mazda's lineup, with a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $30,065 that even tops the starting price of the Mazda RX-8 sports car.

The $30,065 retail price is for a base CX-9 Sport model with front-wheel-drive and is a hefty $5,720 increase over a base, 2008 CX-7 that has similar outer styling but comes with a 244-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine and five seats. Mazda's other SUV -- the entry-level, 2008 Tribute -- starts at less than $20,000.

The CX-9 pricing is in the ballpark of other new crossover SUVs with three rows of seats from non-luxury-nameplate brands. For example, the 2008 GMC Acadia with similar horsepower -- 275 horses from a V-6 vs. the 273 horses from the CX-9's new V-6 -- starts at $29,990. Toyota's revamped-for-2008 Highlander SUV with 270-horsepower V-6 starts at nearly $28,000.

Crossovers are the big trend today as consumers turn away from traditional truck-based SUVs because they are perceived as too heavy, too gasoline-hungry and too truck-like in their ride.

Still, with a minimum curb weight of 4,312 pounds, the 2008 CX-9 is no lightweight. In fact, the CX-9 with two-wheel-drive is only 115 pounds shy of a two-wheel-drive, 2008 Nissan Pathfinder with seven seats and 212 pounds lighter in weight than a two-wheel-drive, 2008 Ford Explorer with seven seats.

Honestly, the weight was among the first things I noticed when I started driving the CX-9. For decades, Mazda was known for its fun, little, sporty cars. The CX-9 has a decidedly different personality.

This is not to say the CX-9 feels sluggish. It's just that the solidity, mass and size of this nearly 17-foot-long SUV are palpable. Indeed, drivers early on have to consciously remember not to cut turns too tightly or a rear wheel is likely to smack the curb.

Fuel economy isn't much better than that of some seven-passenger, traditional SUVs. The highest federal government rating for a 2008 CX-9 is 16 miles a gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The 2008 Pathfinder with V-6 has the same highway rating and is rated with only 1 mpg less in city driving.

The CX-9 comes with one engine choice: A new, 3.7-liter V-6, larger than the 3.5-liter double overhead cam V-6 that was in the 2007 CX-9. Horsepower is up 10 to 273. Torque -- or that "oomph" that's felt when a driver accelerates -- is increased by 21 foot-pounds to 270 at 4,250 rpm.

Mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission with shift-it-yourself capability, this engine performed well in the test vehicle. I bounded ahead of other cars when I wanted to snag an opening in traffic, and I merged easily onto highways. Best of all, there was a smoothness to the ready response.

I did notice weight shifting from one side of the CX-9 to the other on twists and turns, despite the fact this SUV comes with rather firm suspension settings. Road vibrations came through readily in the test vehicle but were not overly harsh. Steering was accurate and pleasing.

The styling -- set off by either 18- or 20-inch wheels -- is attractive on the CX-9, save for the big fish-mouth look below the front bumper. In the back, the CX-9 styling reminds me of Volkswagen's Touareg SUV.

The interior has a nearly European, well-crafted appearance, which was nicely highlighted by electroluminescent gauges and standard leather trim in the test CX-9 Grand Touring model whose starting retail price was $33,990.

Driver and passengers sit up from the pavement and have good views out -- except that the rear metal pillar aft of the rear-door windows blocks driver views of oncoming traffic as he or she backs out of a mall parking spot.

A new safety option, a blind spot monitor, is designed to alert a driver to vehicles next to and behind the driver's peripheral vision. But this feature in the test car gave off alerts so often I started to ignore it.

Seats in the test CX-9 had a firm, supportive feel, though some of them could have used a tad more thigh support. Legroom is in line with the competitors. Front-seat passengers get the most -- 40.9 inches -- while third-row passengers get only 32.4 inches.

The CX-9 isn't a big towing vehicle. Standard towing capacity is just 2,000 pounds. With an optional towing package, this rises to 3,500 pounds.

The optional Bose audio system with surround sound provided awesome tunes. But I also enjoyed the strong engine sounds when the radio was off and I accelerated strongly.

But the CX-9 can rise quickly to luxury-car prices. The test model topped out at nearly $40,000 and still didn't include a moonroof or all-wheel-drive.