2016 Mazda CX-9
Mazda is a brand long known for putting
a special emphasis on driving dynamics. However, it wasn’t until recently that
the company made fuel economy a focus with its Skyactiv high-compression
engines. The last holdout in Mazda’s lineup from using this technology has now
joined the club with the 2016 CX-9 fullsize crossover. The second-generation
CX-9 features a turbocharged 2.5L I-4 making 250 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.
That’s slightly less horsepower but more torque than the outgoing 3.7L
naturally-aspirated V-6.
Fuel economy on the
two-wheel-drive model increases from 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway to 22 mpg
city and 28 mpg highway, major increases of 5 mpg and 4 mpg respectively.
All-wheel-drive models improve from 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway to 21 mpg
city and 27 mpg highway, even bigger increases of 6 mpg city and 5 mpg highway.
With the CX-9’s change to an I-4 engine,
Mazda’s engine lineup is now all four-cylinder, from the entry-level Mazda3
sedan and hatch through its sedans and crossovers. Mazda still claims it has
plans to bring its Skyactiv-D diesel to the U.S. market. However, the engine
has been repeatedly delayed because the optimal balance between performance and
economy has remained elusive.
