Mazda breaks new ground

The CX-9 might help keep Mazda high on the top 10 sales chart. Photo / Supplied

Mazda has entered the large SUV market with the seven-seater CX-9, a vehicle it once said it would never bring into New Zealand.

"I've always been reluctant to bring it in," said Mazda NZ managing director Andrew Clearwater. "My perception of a large SUV has been that of a truck-based vehicle, not a car-like crossover like the CX-9.

"But Mazda dealers have been hassling me for ages about the CX-9 and every argument I put forward I lost. We've had steady enquiry for the CX-9 over the past few years and we're pleased to be able to meet that demand."

The all-wheel-drive CX-9 and its 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine comes in at $59,990, sits above the smaller but identically styled four-cylinder CX-7 (available in both four- and two-wheel drive) and goes up against segment rivals like the Ford Territory and Toyota Highlander.

It's a new segment for Mazda. "It represents about 10 per cent of passenger car sales and it seems to be a recovering segment, largely due to the popularity of SUVs," said Clearwater.

The CX-9 might also help to keep Mazda high on the top 10 sales chart. Its traditional strength lies in the light-car segment, which has declined over the past year or two as the private buyer dropped out. Blame the recession.

"The private buyer has defected from the small car into the light SUV segment and lifestyle vehicles," said Clearwater. "They want more flexibility in a vehicle."

Mazda has made strong sales progress on the local scene, up 70.4 per cent on volume over eight years.

Back in 2002 it was seventh on the charts, with total sales of 3707 vehicles for a 4.4 per cent share of 83,743 units. Last year it finished in fourth place, selling 6316 vehicles for a 7.9 per cent slice of an 80,453 market.

"We have achieved this result on the back of what might be regarded as a fairly compact model range," said Clearwater. "But in reality, with the launch of the CX-9, we are now represented in all the major passenger car segments except for the traditional large car market."

The CX-9 is halfway through its life-cycle. It was launched in 2006, has won more than 20 global motoring awards (including the North American SUV of the year in 2008) and sold more than 70,000 units. The model going on sale here at the end of this month is the mid-life update.

Clearwater says arriving late into a new segment is a challenge he is looking forward to. "We have proven this isn't necessarily a barrier to gaining market traction as long as your product is competitively specified, has a styling edge and is well priced."

"We have certainly seen this with CX-7, with the two-wheel drive version giving us real impetus through last year with sales of 570 units. It resulted in us outselling some of the more established players. We have taken the lessons learned and applied these to specifying and positioning the CX-9 accordingly."

Mazda's research showed many of its customers wanted a lifestyle vehicle bigger than the CX-7 but not necessarily with seven seats.

The carmaker has obliged with a list of "bigs": its biggest-ever SUV, riding on its biggest-ever wheels (20-inch), sitting on its longest-ever wheelbase (2.875m), and powered by its biggest-ever engine.

The CX-9 gets the carmaker's familiar family face - a five-point grille with chrome surround. The inside is familiar, too, neatly put together and offering a vast 1900 litres of load space with the rear and middle seats folded down.

The 3.7-litre V6 is based on a Ford engine used in an American Lincoln and Mustang. Mazda reworked it in Japan to suit the two-tonne CX-9. It delivers 204Kw at 6250rpm and 367Nm at 4250rpm and is mated to a Aisin six-speed automatic gearbox. Mazda calls it Activematic.

Drive goes to the front wheels under normal conditions but can be automatically split 50:50 front and rear on dodgy surfaces.

Around 90 per cent of engine torque is on tap between 2800 and 5800rpm.

Mazda claims town-and-around fuel economy for the CX-9 of 11.3 litres/100km (25mpg) and a CO2 exhaust emissions rating of 270 grams per kilometre.