The 2016 Mazda CX-9 picks up on the latest take on the Kodo design language.
Mazda has been offering us plenty of hints lately about its future design direction, but now it’s time to get down to business as it rolls the new CX-9 people-mover onto the stage at the L.A. Auto Show.
Adopting the latest interpretation of its Kodo design language, the 2016 Mazda CX-9 avoids the traps of a minivan, showing that three-row functionality can also be visually appealing. The new model also adopts the SkyActiv design philosophy, which translates into a big bump in fuel economy while also enhancing ride and handling, Mazda claims.
“The focus was on authenticity,” it declares, “an experience rather than simply another commodity conveyance.”
(Click Here to check out the Mazda Koeru concept.)
The CX-9 first appeared on the scene nine years ago and was one of the first mainstream models in its class to offer three-row seating. Like the original, the second-generation Mazda CX-9 is targeting a mix of buyers, whether they’re parents ferrying young kids to school and soccer practice, or couples who simply want the added space.
The new CX-9 takes its cue from the recent Mazda Koeru concept crossover.
Mazda claims it wanted to refine their experience, not only by enhance mileage and functionality but by reducing noise. It notes it has installed 53 pounds of sound-deadening material in the floor alone. Road noise, at 60 miles per hour, has been nearly cut in half.
That’s all the more telling in light of the SkyActiv design philosophy which has lightweighting as a key pillar. Mazda engineers have even redesigned their lugnuts in order to squeeze out a few grams wherever possible. Overall, the new people-mover is 198 pounds lighter than the outgoing Mazda CX-9.
That and a new engine design have resulted in an estimated 20% improvement in fuel economy for the 2016 Mazda CX-9, which the maker says should prove one of the most mileage-minded models in its class when final EPA numbers are released.
The engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four. Mazda notes it is the world’s first turbocharged powerplant capable of varying its exhaust pulse depending upon engine speed. That helps improve boost at low RPMs to reduce annoying turbo lag.
“It works similarly to when one might place his or her thumb on a garden hose, creating a strong amount of pressure through a smaller outlet,” Mazda explains.
The new model also adopts the SkyActiv design philosophy, which translates into a big bump in fuel economy while also enhancing ride and handling.
The new engine produces 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, significant numbers for a powerplant of that size.
(Click Here for the latest from the LA Auto Show.)
From a philosophical perspective, Mazda likes to talk of “jinbai itai,” which translates into English as “horse and rider as one.” It produces the sort of driving dynamics that are personified by the latest-generation Mazda Miata. The maker claims that carries over into the big CX-9, something we’ll try to verify when we get to drive the production model.
From a visual perspective, the 2017 Mazda CX-9 picks up on the theme introduced earlier this year in the form of the Koeru Concept. Shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it was intended to evolve, rather than supplant, the brand’s familiar Kodo design language which translates as “soul of motion.”
The new CX-9 adopts a "heads-up cockpit" design for its interior.
There are clear elements of the Koeru in the new CX-9. The people-mover features a long hood, a swept greenhouse, large wheels and a short overhang.
Inside, Mazda has opted for a design it calls a “heads-up cockpit,” with gauges and controls positioned to minimize distraction and to help keep a driver’s eyes on the road. The familiar, five-point Mazda grille is flanked by standard low- and high-beam LED headlamps.
As one might expect, the new Mazda CX-9 will add plenty of family friendly safety features, including radar cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward warning, brake assist and blind spot monitoring as part of the brand’s new i-ActiveSense safety suite. It joins makers like Toyota and Honda in packaging a variety of different systems together at a more affordable price.
(Mazda hints of new rotary-powered sports car with RX-Vision Concept. Click Here to check it out.)