Mazda's new seven-seater CX-9 combines performance and personality to make it a stand out.
At its heart is a new engine that is the star turn.
It was developed to try to emulate the performance feats that diesel derivatives can achieve; in others words creating a neat mix or performance and economy.
With the bulk of the CX-9s bound for buyers in the United States, where take up of diesel engines is dawdling, Mazda's solution was to develop a small and efficient 2.5-litre turbo-boosted four-cylinder petrol engine that really does deliver.
We'd rank this as one of the best engines Mazda has cobbled together. Its expressive motor hunkers down when you give it a tickle up.
There's some smart stuff in the turbocharger, which helps deliver exceptional performance.
In simple terms, it fires up quickly and can therefore deliver the power without any lag.
So, much like a turbo diesel, it provides extremely good low-down torque.
Mazda has succeeded in creating an attention-seeker with the CX-9 and with a price band that adds to the appeal.
Want to know more?
Read our full Mazda CX-9 review here.
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