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Front Comfort
Crossovers appeal to all types of drivers, who just happen to come in all different sizes. The vast majority should be comfortable in the 2007 Mazda CX-9 with its ample head, leg, and shoulder room, not to mention the wide, padded center armrest, padded door armrests and sills, and the sporty steering wheel that manually tilts and telescopes. We should mention that it’s just the column that tilts – allowing the wheel to tilt would provide an added element of comfort. The seats are large and supportive, and in keeping with Mazda’s zoom-zoom character, beefy side bolsters keep body motion to a minimum. Our loaded Touring model also included effective heated seats, though we would have preferred more than one setting.
Rear Comfort
Second row passengers are treated like royalty in the CX-9. The split bench is soft and comfortable, there are copious amounts of head and foot room, and the sills and armrests are padded. Three large, adjustable head restraints are provided, as are rear climate controls and two cupholders in the fold-down center armrest. If anything, the seat could be positioned higher, which would prevent knees from rubbing against the soft front seatbacks. Third row access is easy thanks to the tilting and sliding second row bench. With the second row positioned all the way back, third row leg room is woefully insufficient, but OK when the second row’s moved up a bit. Headroom is always tight; head restraints offer admirable adjustment.
Interior Noise
Just one week prior to our time in the CX-9, the all-new Hyundai Veracruz fell under our care. Hyundai aimed at meeting or beating Lexus in terms of interior noise, a feat it succeeded in achieving. Mazda has not set the same goal, and it shows (or sounds, as the case may be). From wind noise to tire and road noise, the CX-9 is far from the quietest offering in the growing large crossover segment. Part of our dissatisfaction was due to the concrete highways we suffer with in Southern California, but even on smooth pavement we found ourselves raising the decibels for normal conversation. On the plus side, the engine sounds reasonably refined even at full revs, and squeaks and rattles were almost non-existent.
Loading Cargo
Check out the majority of three-row crossovers and you’ll notice that using the third row means giving up any usable cargo space. Not so with the CX-9, which thanks to its bowed rear shape maintains some usable space even with seven passengers on board. The liftover height is higher than shorter folks will appreciate, yet the tailgate opens barely high enough to clear our five-foot-eight-inch tall editor’s head. The tailgate includes a handle, and a power function is in the works. Lowering the seats requires a pull of a strap and handle, after which you get a nearly flat load floor. There are four tie-down points, and a plastic bumper pad prevents expensive gouges and scratches to the painted surface.
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