At its core, CX-9 is a family vehicle, with three rows, space for seven passengers and storage for every which item a family may need.
To maximize comfort for front-row passengers and space for those in the second row, engineers went to great lengths to redesign the front seats with thinner seatbacks, yet make them more comfortable.
For the first time in a Mazda, low-rebound high-damping urethane is used in the seat backs of the front seats as well as the seat cushions. This material transmits desirable feedback from the road surface to the driver, while filtering unpleasant vibrations from rough road surfaces, helping to realize the CX-9’ high-class ride comfort. The same material is used in the cushions of the second row seats as well.
To get to the third row, Mazda’s engineers sought to make access so easy that even a child could do it with a single, simple lever. There are two LATCH/ISOFIX mounting points in the second row, with the right-side of the 60/40 split-fold seat having been designed to make it possible to accommodate a child seat staying in place while still allowing passengers third-row access.
At the rearmost of CX-9, the electronic module that raises and lowers the liftgate has been made more compact and 2.4 lbs. (1.1 kg) lighter and does not intrude upon cargo space. Two handy storage bins reside underneath the cargo floor for extra storage.
CX-9 has “family” covered in spades, but it also offers an ambience of elegance and sophistication for those times when morning school runs or sports practices aren’t a priority.
Front passengers are greeted with elegant white LED accent lighting throughout their cabin space, with a backlight accenting the raised console and a spotlight guiding the driver to the center instruments.
Coupled with its sporting driving feel, torquey, responsive engine and refined ride, CX-9 is just as good at whisking passengers away to a weekend cabin retreat as it is at kids- shuttling duties.
CX-9’s i-ACTIVSENSE suite1 features new and notable safety features, including:
- Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring (ABSM): Employing a 24 GHz radar on each side of CX-9, ABSM can detect vehicles closing in from as much as 164 ft. (50m) away.
- Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC): Operating at speeds between 30 km/h to 145 km/h (19 to 90 mph), MRCC uses millimeter wavelength radar to judge the relative speed and distance to the vehicle ahead. In accordance with the target speed set by the driver, the system automatically controls the engine and brakes to maintain the driver-selected vehicle speed and safer following distance, which is also adjustable by the driver. Because the driver does not need to operate the accelerator or brakes while using MRCC, the system relieves some of the burden on long drives. The radar sensor is capable of precise detection from a long distance, so its use allows the system to operate effectively in the rain, in backlit situations, and at night. It is also possible to turn off all of the system’s automatic functions and revert to conventional cruise control should road conditions make this more desirable.
- Lane-Keep Assist System (LAS) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Rather than keeping CX-9 centered in a lane between two lines as some systems do, which can cause an unnatural-feeling tug on the steering wheel, LAS, which is available in a Mazda for the first time in the U.S., helps ease CX-9 into turns. Meanwhile, LDW vibrates the steering wheel to warn drivers if they begin to stray from the lane. LAS will employ a progressive approach to assisting users to drive within lanes, but the system will deactivate after warning the driver if it senses he or she has taken his or her hand off the wheel.
- High Beam Control (HBC): HBC allows users to keep high beams on at all times, dipping them when necessary when a camera built into CX-9 detects headlights from oncoming vehicles or tail lights. The system automatically switches to low beams below 19 mph (30 km/h), when they are unnecessary.
- Smart City Brake Support (SCBS): Using an near-infrared sensor mounted to the windshield, SCBS operates between 2 and 19 mph (4 and 30 km/h) to apply the brakes in order to lessen the severity of an impending and inescapable collision at up to 20 ft. (6m).
- Distance Recognition Support System (DRSS) and Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW): Uses a millimeter wavelength radar to display the distance of CX-9 to the vehicle in front of it in a five-step display, encouraging the CX-9 driver to lessen his or her speed if necessary. If distance between vehicles decreases and evasive action is necessary, audible and visual Forward Obstruction Warning signals will indicate that evasive action is needed.
- Smart Brake Support (SBS): Operates at speeds above 9 mph (15 km/h) to automatically brake in the case of an impending collision.
