Only 2 ½ weeks away is the 2017 Denver Auto Show, one of the most long-standing and heavily attended annual attractions in the Rocky Mountain region. It will open on Wednesday, April 5, at the Colorado Convention Center.
Heading toward the Colorado Convention Center and the big Denver Auto Show after a week in my possession was the roomy, stylish CX-9 SUV crossover, which represents Mazda as its flagship model.
The CX-9 in snowflake white pearl metallic is one of more than 500 new cars, trucks and SUVs showing the finest exterior finishes seen in an automotive setting.
At 200 inches in length, the ’17 CX-9 is an imposing sight, from its big grille out front to the sharply sloped rear window with spoiler over the top. It is a seven-passenger carrier with three rows of seating.
I found favor with the CX-9 in its original form, a 2007 model, which on a cold, icy New Year’s Eve delivered us safely to a party, displaying excellent grip from its all-wheel-drive system.
A major innovation in the new one is scrapping of the old V-6 engine in favor of a Skyactiv-G turbocharged 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, a challenge considering the 4,325-pound curb weight of the CX-9.
Mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with sport and manual-mode shift capability, the 227-horsepower (310 lb.-ft. torque) 4-cylinder isn’t particularly powerful at the low end of the torque thrust but delivers very adequately through the midrange performance.
The CX-9, which is rated at 20/26 miles per gallon of regular-grade fuel, averaged 22.6 in my travels.
With added insulation beneath the floor of the new one, its elegant interior is quiet. The Mazda CX-9 competes with the Chevy Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Flex, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.
Safety improvements such as front side-impact airbags and air curtains, roll-stability control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-departure warning are included in the $43,610 sticker price for the Mazda.
The CX-9 review model was the well-equipped Grand Touring. Other trim levels are the less-expensive Sport and Touring and the upper-end Signature.