Description
After three years on the market, Mazda’s largest SUV, the CX-9, went through a mild facelift that added some exterior enhancements and, more importantly, interior upgrades.
Built on the same platform as the Ford Edge and the Lincoln MKZ, the CX-9 followed a different design approach than its American siblings. Even if the vehicle was developed at a time when Ford Motor Company largely owned it, it had its freedom of choice regarding design language. Mazda kept its bio-design trend with curved panels and fluid lines, which were also shared by the Mazda 6 and the CX-7. Surprisingly, even though the market was shrinking due to the world financial crisis, the CX-9 sold well. Mazda saw a rise in the sales of the CX-9s in 2010 compared to 2009, a trend that continued until the 2013 facelift.
Mazda re-worked the entire front fascia of the CX-9 for the 2010 model year. The upper grille was adorned with a surrounding chromed trim. In contrast, its predecessor featured just a single horizontal shiny part on the upper side. Moreover, the lower bumper received a broad trapezoidal air intake crossed by a chromed horizontal slat. The same shiny elements were also noticed on the side scoops that housed the fog lamps. Last but not least, the new headlights completed the image of Mazda’s largest SUV.
From its profile, the CX-9 revealed its fresh styling cues and improvements. The door mirrors were completely new door mirror caps fitted with turn signals on their lower side. Like its predecessor, it featured a set of black, unpainted side sills that made the car look slimmer. Just like the 2007 model year, the 2010 version came with chromed trims around the windows line, while the B- and C-pillars were kept black. At the back, the raked forward tailgate kept the same shape, but the most significant difference was for the rear taillights, which featured a clear upper section for the reversing lights. Previously, those occupied the lower section.
Inside, the bolstered front seats were separated by a clean-designed center console that featured a few storage areas and a pair of cup holders. The driver fronted the same three-spoke steering wheel and the analog instrument cluster that featured a binocular style with the speedometer and tachometer flanking a narrow TFT display and, next to them, the fuel and coolant temperature gauges. One of the most significant upgrades brought by Mazda’s SUV was the audio system, which received standard Bluetooth connectivity. Mazda offered the CX-9 with up to seven seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. The middle and the rearmost rows could fold flat to expand the trunk space.
Under the hood, Mazda kept the same 3.7-liter V6 provided by Ford and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The automaker offered the vehicle with either a front- or an all-wheel-drive system and independent suspension in all corners.
