gwilliams6

Best Mid-Size SUV: Mazda CX-9 ? 2017 10Best Trucks and SUVs ? Car and Driver

zoom44

Because it is just that awesome

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

The engine also made Ward's 10 Best.

gwilliams6

Wards 10 Best Engines | Seven Turbos, Three Hybrids Share Honors | 2017 content from WardsAuto

Yes here is the link to that 2017 Ward's list

Quote from Ward's: "Putting a 4-cyl. engine into a 7-passenger CUV doesn’t usually send a thrill up the leg of automotive journalists, but Mazda worked some real magic with the new Skyactiv 2.5L.

Direct fuel injection and an ingenious cylinder-head design allowing scavenging of exhaust gases to boost power and efficiency help this engine deliver excellent low and mid-range torque like a big V-6, and it had some of us checking under the hood of the new second-generation CX-9 to make sure it wasn’t.

Mazda has built its “zoom-zoom” brand image on new, technically savvy Skyactiv engines over the past several years, but this is the first one applying forced induction.

The automaker claims an industry first with its Dynamic Pressure turbocharger, which uses a butterfly valve in the exhaust plumbing to create more pressure at low engine speeds, helping the turbo spool up more quickly and mitigate lag.

Mazda advertises two output levels for this 2.5L 4-cyl. – 227 hp with regular unleaded and 250 hp with premium 93-RON fuel, for the driver who occasionally wants a bit more jump."

gwilliams6

I only had two gripes when I checked one out at my dealership.

The center console is way too wide, causing leg interference to a straight path to the gas pedal for my long legs. I and my long legs can fit easily in my RX8, a Mazda3, a Mazda6, and a CX-5, but not comfortably in this new larger CX-9, go figure ? ( I am 6ft, 4in.)

Second gripe. no cd player available in any trim. Sure I have an mp3 player, but I love the better sound quality of the uncompressed music on cds, and I have hundreds of them. Mazda does not think any CX-9 buyers will miss the cd player, they are wrong. Older, mature buyers who can actually afford this vehicle still have cd collections.

Those both are dealer-breakers for me in this expensive vehicle, oh well. Many luxury SUV competitors still offer cd players in some trims, and have less leg interference from their center consoles.

Seems sometime Mazda can't get away from its Japanese sensibilities and ergonomics when planning a world vehicle.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

I'm happy to see the CD player gone, more and more companies are doing it and it makes sense going forward.

gwilliams6

Maybe it makes sense for you, but many luxury SUVs still offer it as an option for customers who still have extensive cd collections and care about the better sound quality of cds vs any mp3, pandora, or streaming radio. This CX-9 will compete in that market with other brands that still offer it.

So yes some folks that only play mp3s or stream audio will be fine with the change, but other buyers may be put off by the exclusion.For many people it does not make sense. Not everyone wants to be forced to give up their higher quality cd music collections when they travel in their vehicles. Mazda just needs to offer a choice and it doesn't in the CX9. Most other Mazda models still can be had with a cd player. The Mazda MX-5, Mazda3, Mazda6,Mazda CX-3, and Mazda Cx-5 still offer it. If by not offering a choice it causes Mazda to lose even a few sales in a crowded, highly competitive SUV market, then it was a stupid decision for Mazda.

FYI, I have aux inputs in my Mazdas and also have Sirius Sat radio in both cars, but i still like to frequently listen to my collection of better quality cds when I travel.

Love_Hounds

Copy your CD tracks to a lossless codec FLAC, ALAC, WMAL, et cetera. Done.

gwilliams6

You can come to my house and copy over the more than one thousand cd albums in my collection, from all the way back from the very first cds. I will just keep driving cars with cd player options thank you.

Love_Hounds

I lost my first hard drive with my ~300 CDs a few years ago and didn't have a back up, only took a few weeks to get them all copied onto a new hard drive. Now the first thing I do when I get a new album is put it in the 'puter. Also, you carry a 1000 CDs with you? Now that I have all of mine in a digital format, I can.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

gwilliams; if you haven't converted your CD's to digital media that's just because your'e stuck in 1999.
windows media player will seamlessly do it for you.
then install google music and watch it upload all your albums for free onto your account. (It allows 50,000 songs)

In the next couple of years no one is going to have CD players in their cars as the companies that manufacture the devices are scaling back production.

gwilliams6

You might be right that no one will make them in the future , but my point is that as long as other current luxury SUV competitors offer cd players as an option (and many do, check for yourself), Mazda's CX-9 will lose some luxury SUV buyers who might be looking for a reason NOT to switch to Mazda's CX-9, despite its great driving dynamics.

Never stuck in the past, but I also don't throw away good music from any era, past and present. I have thousands of mp3s, but I still buy cds, and have new and old vinyl . In my other life I was a concert promoter on the side, and came from a musical family, played violin and oboe myself. I make music a part of my life every day.

I have a busy life teaching Journalism to young university students and photographing and filming for clients across America. I don't need to spend the time converting thousands of cd's just so I can play them in an CX-9. I still have working cd players at home and disc drives in my computers and both my Mazdas. And I do have satellite radio in both Mazdas. I have all the media and conversion programs and computing power for any type of media conversion, that is no issue.

No big deal folks if you want to buy a car without the option of a cd player. Enjoy ! I will continue to enjoy my music my various ways, you enjoy your music your ways. Be happy everyone !

I wish the CX-9 great success in the marketplace, it is a great vehicle ,but it isn't for me on a couple of levels. I want my cars to perform, but I also care that the ergonomics are right for me.

Mazdaspeed RX8 ver2

Not going to lie, i love the new CX-9. The lady and I picked up a signature and have no issues or problems with it whatsoever. You can always use the aux cord to hook up the CD player I do have the agree the center console being too wide, i may end up modifying an extra mazdaspeed pad i have for the rx8 and set it up on the cx9. We held off getting any CUV until this came out, it works out with our mazda family of cars. Next purchase now will be trading in the speed6 for the miata RF.

wannawankel

So true but it has been hard to find the sound quality for any music on streaming. I resort to both listening to GPlay and to listening to DDD-encoded CDs depending upon my mood. I also have AAC and FLAC music on a standalone SanDisk player but some quality is lost through either my bluetooth repeater or the AUX in jack.

gwilliams6

Jedi54, I am sure there will still be cd players for cars available from sources like crutchfields from many makers over the next years. Cd players are NOT going to be gone from the car aftermarket, even if new car makers phase them out as standard equipment. I put a new JVC din-size one into my other Mazda, an older Protege and along with cds it has all the latest IHeart,pandora,USB, bluetooth, aux input, sat radio capabilities, as do most aftermarket flat panel audio/video systems.

Are-Ex-Eight

iTrader: (1)

As an owner of a 2016 CX-9 GT...it well deserves the recognition. I am very pleasantly surprised by this 7 seater.

Mazdaspeed RX8 ver2

Holy crap you've had so many cars

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

^^ Yeah but some of those are questionable picks.