Test Drive Mazda CX-9 since 2007 SUV

Chief Caliber

My God! .. how is it huge! Or is it? .. On the one hand, Mazda, on the other CX-9. Well, yes it does not matter, dimensions are important. If you approach the inspection to practically try, for example, smeared the snow from the roof (yes, during the dough there was still snow), you will understand that there is not enough growth! But I'm not a small, not a low meter seventy two: CX-9 just nine centimeters below me! The width is almost two meters (1936 mm), and the length of the length is 5089 mm (taking into account the lining under license plates) there was nothing like in the class of crossovers, even the Audi Q7 is shorter than three millimeters!
From states with love
With its large-caliber crossover, Mazda made his debut in 2006 on the New York Motor Show. Why did we not know about it (more precisely did not know everything)? Yes, because in the summer of 2007, when sales of this 7-seater car began in the North American market, no one could think that they would see it in Russia. Americans, of course, are obsessed with a mania of giantism: you're in America, son, we have all the biggest! First, in the title I wanted to mention 9 millimeters (having in mind weapon caliber). But then I remembered that in the USA did not prefer the 38th, and the 45th (11 millimeters). And therefore decided that the main caliber is more accurate, especially since the CX-9 is the largest car in the Mazda line.
The author of these lines had to sit at the ramp of real mastodonts, the size of only a few inferior to KAMAZ. But CX-9 is a completely different story. A completely different song. This is an opera aria against the cowboy jackets of the Midwest. Of course, who likes what. But I'm more like the opera.
I believe that the solution to supply CX-9 to Russia was made after the sale of Mazda CX7's younger sister began. The eldest is longer by almost 40 centimeters (without one millimeter), and the wheelbase is more than 12.5 centimeters. But we know, they also do not get scared with dimensions.
In one touch
So what am I talking about? Oh yes! I stand in front of the driver's door CX-9 and, like a boy, trying to look inside through a slightly toned glass. Why?! I have a key! More precisely, not the key, but a Smart-Card. But it is not necessary to get it out of your pocket: just pressing the button on the handle. Inside the door slightly audibly clicks the central lock can be included.
In my opinion, an anodized pipe, which should play the role of the threshold, here is completely nothing to protect against the bumps. Despite the solid dimensions, sitting in the interior easily. The chairs are covered with skin, quite successful in shape and provide good lateral support. Adjustments, of course, electric. You can follow.
But why the Japanese did not have enough energy to make them leather entirely? Fasting the edge of the pillow, I found out that it ends with a strip of fabric, and at the bottom of the incomplete apron of cheap plastic.
However, the salon is also plastic.
It is pleasant for the eye, but unpleasant for rumor. Plastic overlays under wood and aluminum are made very good, but plastic, it is plastic. And the bagel of the steering wheel, too, in my opinion, almost reaches thinner. True, it has keys to control the cruise control and audio system, but they do not receive the gearbox.
Drive hides the dashboard with a simple trip-computer. The main color is red. Aggressively. That's just if the sun is in the eye or just at the rate, the instrument readings are not read. Like the display of climate control system. True, the situation with the devices can be corrected enough to include dimensions: the panel is immediately illuminated by gentle blue, against which the red looks simply charming!
On the center console under the display, the control unit of the media system, the CD changer on 6 disks, venneers of separate climate control, everything seems to be well and thoughtful, but where, sorry, LCD screen TOUCH-SCREEN? Why can't I adjust the degree of heating of the seats, which is turned on by one key? And why are huge, with a wonderful review, perfectly protected from dirt mirrors do not develop an electric drive?
Still, it costs 1,799,000 rubles!
The selector of the machine stepped: inconveniently switch, but do not miss. And it is possible to switch gear manually. What a little strained the lever of the parking brake across the left foot. God forbid you will try and press at full speed! Although, most likely, there is protection from the fool.
In general, I agree with those colleagues that stuck earlier me that the salon of this crossover was not created, but was built as an architectural structure.
2x2x2.
Another difference from the American Salon Shexfint! Rear, it seemed, a full-fledged sofa, however, the middle roller will not allow anyone to sit comfortably. The second row, of course, is fully regulated. And in the trunk two more seats. Children's, of course. They are easy to hide in the floor, and then the trunk volume will grow noticeably.
By the way: for the third, there is a total of 267 liters of useful space at a different sedan much more. But if you fold the third row, the volume of the luggage compartment will grow more than three times to 928 liters! And if the second row is folded to 1911 liters when loading from floor to the ceiling.
Naturally, there is very spacious in the cabin: and how otherwise, with such dimensions? The width at the level of the front passengers is 151 cm, the second row is only less than 2 centimeters. The third meter has 44, which is very and very good.
Nalaskaya beast
Rotate the handle that replaces the key and from somewhere from under the hood, it is difficult to restrained roar. ATTENTION: Under the hood, the MZI V6 engine is 3.7 liters and a capacity of 277 hp! Now you understand what zoom-zoom is? By the way: I have already explained somehow, where this slogan came from, but I recall again. Japanese boys, playing in the machine, mimic the sound of the engine not p-r-p-r-p or lzhzh, and zoom-zoom. Type embodiment of a children's dream. Well, check, check
But while I admire the types of dead traffic jam on the Moscow Ring Road: as it turns out, three cars at 15 kilometers on the opposite side (Moscow drivers usually interfere with winter, spring, summer and autumn, lack of sun and sun in eyes, rain, dry weather , Snow and frost can be interfered for a long time. This time it was a bright sun). So my side slowed down to stand at it. And these 15 kilometers we drove almost an hour
But I, in fact, not to the center, but on the contrary. To the Kaluga region, in the village of Vorsino. It is 80 kilometers from Moscow, and the pic hour has not yet begun.
So the reason to check what we are capable!
So, immediately at the Moscow Ring Road in the floor! CX-9 thinks exactly one tenth of a second, and then jerk! Of course, this is not a sports car, but in 10 seconds until hundreds we acted. The machine creates a very gentially adjustment, and the sequential valve timing system (Sequent valve Timing S-VN) optimizes the torque based on the engine speed. Somehow, the figure 6 is highlighted on the trip-computer screen, the speedometer arrow is 150 km, and the turnover is only two thousand! But the maximum speed is only 181 after 222 at Audi Q5 well, silent, silent
By the way: excellent sound insulation dispelled the myth that the Japanese do not pay due attention to the wheeled arches. Everything is fully checked in the country track!
Handling like Mazda. Those. canceled. Ahead here is the proven racks MacPherson, behind a multi-dimensional suspension. A little harsh, but the drive is worth it. Wound ninth to low-profile 20-inch studded rubber, so turns can be passed with a whistle. But do not lose attention. The brake pedal seemed to me soft, with a delayed reaction: waited for a more acute response to sharp braking. And the stern suddenly led away in the direction yes, you must be careful. Although security systems in the machine are full and ABS, and EBA, and EBD, and TCS along with the DSC dynamic stabilization system. Plus a lot of pillows.
With a satisfactory asphalt, we turn on the broken settlement: to the railroad passage even there, and here it is not a road for him, it is a large-scale grater. Just a week before that, my lightweight sedanchik here 10 kilometers per hour did not take a childish. And CX-9, it seems that these bumps do not notice at all how even a large river wave notices.
Off-road qualities I did not venture the Saturday, the matter in the evening. All potential tractor drivers are already drunk-drunk.
Another myth about the voraciousness of Mazda CX-9. How truthful is he? It is difficult to say I did not find how to output fuel consumption on the trip-computer screen or the central display. But judge for yourself: 203 kilometers of the CX-9 path burned about 30 liters of fuel in active mode. That is, 15 liters are 100 kilometers (taking into account the useless combustion of AI-95 in traffic jam on the Moscow Ring Road). In the Mazda documents, mixed consumption is listed within 13 liters per hundred quite real digit. I am sure if I rode only outside the city, consumption would be less than the manufacturer declares it within 10 liters. But in the city already 18! Considering that the tank is relatively small 76 liters, they will often refuel.
Which Contra?
At first glance, Competitors at Mazda CX-9 are a bit of the super-noncompact crossover.
However, Mazda itself brings a list of rivals, which includes Audi Q7, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Volkswagen Touareg, Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Land Cruiser 200, Honda Pilot and Nissan Patrol. In size, they are similar, but at the price of this series of Mazda CX-9 middling. She, of course, is not Patrol in the off-road plan. With it, at all on off-road it is necessary to carefully, especially with the cargo: the ground clearance decreases by a third, with solid 21 centimeters to dubious 14.
But still, this car has already found his buyer in Russia. Who loves more and jogging. Even on the road from Moscow, I overtook me exactly the same white liner. His driver looked at me, I am him.
We were satisfied with each other.
 
Dmitry Semenov
 

 

A source: Magazine Automotive News [May 2009]