TEST DRIVE: 2014 Mazda CX-9

I’ve always believed that when it comes to reviewing a family-focused vehicle as part of the Enviro Dad Test Drive, the best way to truly judge it is to run it through experiences that are typical with families and also push the vehicle to it’s functional limits.

It’s easy to put together a review based upon some typical driving around city streets and highways, then combine it with a couple of demonstrations in a controlled environment.  Many reviewers take this approach and I’ve been known to take this approach on occasion myself.  But every so often I find myself in the situation where I have a family-focused vehicle to review and a perfect situation to review it in.  Such was the case with my time behind the 2014 Mazda CX-9 7 passenger intermediate SUV.

Through proper planning I was able to secure the CX-9 during the week of my family’s annual camping trip.  Each summer we visit one of the hundreds of great Provincial Parks in the province of Ontario, where I call home and lately I’ve seized the opportunity to review a family vehicle at the same time, but in a unique set of circumstances.  Last year our camping trip was done in a Honda Odyssey and the review turned out to be both appropriate and well received.

So recognizing a good formula when I see it, our camping trip was once again integrated with a family car review.  This year our destination would be Awenda Provincial Park which is located on the shores of Georgian Bay, near the Town of Penetanguishine and about 2-1/2 hours northwest of Toronto.  Given the spectacular surroundings we’d find ourselves in, there really was only one way to conduct the review and that would be to use video instead of text.

The 2014 Mazda CX-9 is a stylish and generally versatile family-focused vehicle that seems prepared and generally well suited to meet the needs of most families.  In so far as camping is concerned, it likely would meet the needs of families not requiring use of the 3rd row for passengers with relative ease.  However in our case where at least part of the 3rd row is required for passengers, it wouldn’t be able to handle the load on its own.  Fortunately the CX-9 does have a roof rack option available and thus it would be easy to incorporate a roof box such as the Thule Sonic box that was supplied to me by Mazda Canada.  This isn’t unusual though with vehicles in this category as cargo space is often sacrificed in order to accommodate a 3rd row of seating.

The CX-9 is not the most fuel efficient vehicle in its class, but that could easily be improved upon if and when Mazda decides to integrate it’s Skyactiv technologies to this vehicle.  Should that occur, my sense is that the CX-9 would then have the potential to be a true dominant player in a segment that while not overcrowded, has plenty of formidable contenders.

BY THE NUMBERS (Out of 10)

LOOK/DESIGN                    –           9.0

DRIVE                                   –           8.5

THE GREEN FACTOR         –           7.0

THE FAMILY FACTOR       –           8.5

TECHIE STUFF                     –           8.0

VALUE                                  –           8.0

(MSRP as Tested $48,090)

OVERALL SCORE               –           8.0