I don't think anyone has posted production photos of the CX-9 yet so here ya go!






It's built off the Edge/MKX platform and offers 7 passenger seating. While the styling is very similar to the CX-7, it's much bigger and features the 3.5L Duratec instead of the CX-7s turbo 4 cylinder. I like it!

 

Probably best looking crossover on the market.

 

I got to drive the CX-7 at the Mazda Speed event back during the Fall and it was pretty slick. If the CX-9 is similar in handling and getup, then it is definitely a win in my book

 

I test drove a CX-7 as well and thought it was fantastic except for the turbo lag. With the CX-9 having the D35, that shouldn't be a problem. The Red Carpet Option on my Escape is up in 2008 and if I decide to replace it with another SUV/CUV, the CX-9 is at the top of my shopping list!

 

Is it me, or does it look like the middle row seat is basically touching the 3rd row seat? That seat looks unusable for anyone over the age of 8.

 

There's not alot of room in the third row. It's basically made to fit leprechauns or munchkins (or small children). The third seat in a Honda Pilot is just as useless IMO.

 

When I was at the VA Beach auto show I came across a Kia Rondo. This tiny car has 3 rows of seat. Smallest car I ever saw in US with 3 row seating. It makes the CX-9 look massive.

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_sh...007_kia_rondo/

 

The CX-9 sounds great on paper, I hope it holds up in the flesh.

We've been looking at a MKX for my wife, but the steering is horrible on the MKX (way over boosted and has a on center notch), it really feels like it's floating all over the road and the brakes are real spongy. In addition the MKX is flat out not worth $6.5K more than an Edge. The Edge steers & rides better than the MKX (but it's brakes are equally crappy). The MKX is missing too many luxury amenities that are available on Lexus, Infiniti & Acura.

The CX-9 should have far better steering, handling & braking than the MKX. And for $3.5K less than the MKX you get everything available on the MKX (except heated seats) plus keyless entry - ignition, rear view camera, rain sensing wipers, Bose audio that's probably better than the MKX, manumatic transmission shifter, 20" wheels & a couple more things I've forgotten.

 

Heated seats are standard the CX-9 Touring and Grand Touring models.

 

oops, I meant to say "heated & cooled seats".

The CX-9 looks to me like a more luxurious vehicle:

MKX features over CX-9
Cooled front seats
8x passengers seat (4x on CX-9)
Trip computer (Miles to empty)
Vista Roof (CX-9 has regular sized moonroof)


CX-9 featuers over MKX
Keyless entry - ignition
HID Headlamps
LED tail lamps (I think only the middle light panel is LED on the MKX)
Rain sensing wipers
Back up camera
Manumatic Transmission shifter
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
More cargo room / 3rd seat
20" wheels (not sure I'd want them)
Bluetooth
Covered storage compartment (MKX's cargo organizer doesn't count).
Electroluminsecent gages

Hopefully I'll know how the CX-9 drives very soon. One of the local Mazda dealers says they'll have their 1st one in on Monday. It already shows up in the Mazda inventory listing.

 

That's why it's at the top of my list instead of the Edge or MKX.

If you get to test drive, let us know what you think. It may be awhile before I get the chance to try one out.

 

I looks really nice... and with all of those features, I can't see anyone not at least testing it out it they are in the market for a crossover/mid suv

 

The wife & I have test driven most of what is out there.
Here's how I rank them so far (all V6 - AWD models):

#1. Infinity FX-35
+++ Fast, handles great, fun to drive, keyless entry, great front seats, rear view camera, memory tilt - telescope wheel, lots of front seat leg room, great manumatic that RPM matches on downshifts, good brakes, excellent HID headlamps, almost all the amenities.
----- Total gas hog (needs a 6 speed trannie with a tall OD to get highway MPG up to something acceptable - it turns 2,700 RPM @ 70 MPH), smallest cargo / rear seat space, slimy Infiniti dealers, rides a bit rough, too much engine noise.

#2. Cadillac SRX
+++ Very good handling, very good ride - has the best tradeoff in ride & handling of everything we drove, good cargo space, huge moonroof, comfortable front seats, 07 interior looks great almost meets Lexus quality.
---- Highest MSRP, no keyless entry, no backup camera, too much road & wind noise @ highway speeds, exterior is butt ugly, needs more power or 6 speed trannie, lots of problems, electrical - turn signals that quit working audio systems that die, total electronics failures, moonroof jams (on the demo we drove the moon roof jammed, it took 5 tries to close it, steering wheel does not telescope, manual wheel tilt, but has power adjustible pedals.

#3. Acura MDX
+++ Good handling, almost all the amenities, great NAV system, comfortable seats, backup camera etc.
---- Lots of torque steer, AWD system defaults to FWD, step on the gas and it re-destributes power but system is too slow so you get a jolt of torque steer before it corrects. Feels like a slug off the line. Typical Honda total lack of low end power, then a big jolt of power @ 3,000 RPM, ride on the stiff side, don't like the new 07 styling.

#4 Ford Edge
+++ Great price / value, D35 is reasonably strong, new 6 speed trannie works well, AWD system works well (no sense of torque steer), acceptable handling & steering, is very quiet, feels real solid, Vista Roof is nice, Seats are reasonably comfortable, tons or rear seat room.
---- For $37K fully loaded it lacks basic amenities like 1 touch up-down front windows, Home Link (easy to add though), crappy manual lumbar adjust, Steering is too light and vague, too much body roll, mushy brakes, a bit short on driver's seat leg room.

#5. Nissan Murano
+++ Good price / value, very good handling, sporty feel, good acceleration and good ride. Has most of the amenities of vehicles costing $10K more, keyless entry-ignition, rear view camera, adjustible pedals, etc. Good fit & finish, attractive exterior styling.
----- Didn't like the CVT, if you just mash the gas it works great, but when you're on and off the gas there is a big delay as the trannie tries to figure out what ratio to go to before you get any power back. Small diameter steering wheel and very high steering wheel effort. It was stiffer than I liked, my wife flat out said "no way will I drive this thing, I'll be in the hospital after a month." Ugly, ugly, ugly interior styling, tray dash with popped up gage pod looks really ugly. Interior material quality looks very low brow, way below any Ford I've driven recently. Edge interior is much more attractive.

#6 Lincoln MKX
+++ Like the Edge, very quiet and sold feeling. Adds more amenities like 1 touch up-down front windows, cooled seats, power lift gate
---- Overpriced, $6,500 more than an Edge is insane. Looks & feels downscale from Lexus, Infinity, Acura. Steering is way over boosted, no steering feel, strange on center steering notch, too soft & floaty ride, medeocre handlng. Lacks the amenities of it's luxury class competitors, No HID, No keyless entry, No rear view Camera, No Bluetooth, etc. a bit short on driver's seat leg room.

#7 Lexus ES-350
+++ Fit and finish is top notch. Suprisingly powerful new Toyota 3.5L V6, very comfortable seats, almost all the amenities,
---- Worst vehicle dynamics of almost anything I've driven. To keep it going straight on the highway requires constant steering corrections, Trying to take any sort of curve at a decent speed requires constant steering wheel correction, impossible to point at an apex and have it go where you want. Suprisingly harsh shifting 5 speed auto, Try to make a quick lane change and it felt like it's going to flip over. Bounced like a hobby horse on bumpy roads (probably due to its very short wheelbase), Now I know why all the soccer moms drive these things so insanely slow holding up traffic. Totally inadequate driver's seat leg room. As hard as Toyota tries to cover its lowely Camry roots they kept poking through.

 

Maybe you sould try Nissan Murano. Its pretty much same as FX35, but cheaper.

 

They're not as alike as you think they are. The Murano is FWD and FX35 RWD so the driving dynamics are very different.

 

They're both available with all wheel drive.

 

True but the AWD Murano has a front wheel bias. Again, that gives a much different driving experience vs. the FX35. Also, the Murano is only available with a CVT which (from what I've read) really makes it feel sluggish.

 

I always though they're pretty much same vehicle (like Edge and MKX). I guess I was wrong.

 

I did too until recently.

 

same here.

I just saw some adds on the train today for the CX-9, I was surprised it's already out. The adds had 7 people in a bobsled and then seven people going off a ski jump together.

I'm not sure how I feel about the 9 and the 7 being so similar. I heard they were actually designed by two separate groups who weren't really aware of what each other were doing. I'm totally down with family resemblance and everything, but I have a seriously hard time telling the difference between these two, at least in pictures.