The Mazda CX-9 Is the Best Mid-Size SUV â€ 2017 10Best Trucks and SUVs

To everything there is a season. A time for roadsters, and a time for wagons. A time for joyrides, and a time for commutes. But if the time has come for a three-row family hauler, descend not into weeping and gnashing of teeth. Yea, fathers and mothers, there is one among the throng that can save us from the drudgery of suburban life. And we shall know it by the name Mazda CX-9 ^[1].

In a segment where some automakers are satisfied with delivering little more than anodyne shuttles, Mazda has created a trailblazing alternative to the status quo. The striking exterior is understated yet defined by interesting details, mimicking a formula more often seen in luxury offerings. Inside, the cabin is both airy and roomy while also being cosseting enough to feel like your own private refuge. Upscale materials and trim pieces such as the available rosewood accents are positively luxurious, everything is pieced together with uniformly tight gaps, and while the dash trim isn't leather, you won't care, so nice is the emulation.

Narrow pillars and a comparatively low seating position give the CX-9 great sightlines and a decidedly un-SUV-like sensation from behind the wheel. It feels a fraction of its size on the road, aided by the light and accurate steering we've come to expect from all Mazdas. Highway on-ramps and winding back roads aren't just easily dealt with, but become opportunities that can be reveled in. It's no Miata, but the CX-9 comes closer than anything else with seven seats. It's also a fuel-economy standout, with EPA highway ratings as high as 28 mpg.

At first glance, the CX-9's four-cylinder-only engine strategy—a 2.5-liter unit fitted with a lag-reducing Dynamic Pressure Turbo ^[2]—and modest 250 horsepower may provide ammunition for skeptics. But it's a perfect illustration of Mazda's willingness to invest in technologies and tuning that will benefit customers but don't necessarily translate well to marketing materials. It turns out that crossover drivers are pretty universally feather-footed, so Mazda traded off a big horsepower rating at high rpm for more low-end torque, in this case 310 lb-ft peaking at 2000 rpm, down where customers will frequently tap into it.

The CX-9 may not be the most capacious in its class—if that's what you're looking for, allow us to politely steer you toward our 10Best-winning van—and doesn't have all the latest, sometimes gimmicky features. So there are no power-folding rear seats, and the liftgate, which is power actuated on all but the base trim, doesn't open by contorting your hands into the shape of a grocery bag, or whatever the latest trend is. But there's still no other mid-size SUV to which we'd rather entrust the diverse duties of family life. Morning drop-off? Check. Impress the in-laws? Sure. Date night? The car is better dressed than you are. And there's no need to sell indulgences to foot the bill. Even in its swankiest guise, the CX-9 undercuts similarly equipped rivals by several thousand dollars. Call us disciples, evangelists, or fanatics, but we'll be the parents who arrive at every soccer practice with smiles on our faces.

2017 Mazda CX-9

VEHICLE TYPE:

front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE:

$33,000–$45,000

ENGINE:

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 250 hp, 310 lb-ft

TRANSMISSION:

6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

CURB WEIGHT (C/D EST):

4050–4300 lb

FUEL ECONOMY:

EPA combined/city/highway driving: 23–24/20–22/26–28 mpg

2017 10Best Trucks and SUVs: Return to Overview ^[3]

The Competition

As this year marks the inaugural 10Best Trucks and SUVs competition, we couldn't follow our usual 10Best procedure of limiting the invitees to the previous year's winners plus vehicles that are new or significantly updated. Therefore, we also invited some competitors based on our previous experiences, including (but not limited to) comparison-test results. As with 10Best Cars, a competing vehicle must have a base price of less than $80,000 and be on sale by January 31, 2017. Unlike 10Best Cars, our Trucks and SUVs awards are given out by category. Next year, we will invite the returning winners, new and/or significantly updated models, and the models that were unavailable for evaluation this year.

For the mid-size SUV segment, we invited the following:

Dodge Durango
Ford Edge
GMC Acadia
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Kia Sorento
Mazda CX-9
Nissan Pathfinder
Toyota Highlander/Highlander Hybrid*^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]