Luxury Mazda CX-9 pushes premium brands

Updated family SUV promises to be the brand’s most luxurious car yet, giving customers first-class transport without eye-watering prices.

Mazda’s premium push has reached new heights with its most expensive model.

The range-topping CX-9 family SUV is now available with a six-seat option that brings business class seating to rear passengers.

Pitched as a cut-price alternative to decadent European SUVs, the new Mazda CX-9 Azami LE costs almost $77,000 drive-away – some $31,000 more than the entry-level CX-9.

Mazda’s CX-9 represents one of the best family SUVs on sale.

While it looks largely the same on the outside, a reworked cabin layout makes the top-end CX-9 more luxurious than ever.

Mazda’s flagship is now available with a $4500 “LE” trim that replaces the CX-9 Azami’s three-seat rear bench with a plush pair of “captain’s seats”.

Captain’s chairs separate the CX-9 Azami LE from regular models.

The centre chair makes way for a fixed centre console with cup holders and USB charging points.

Electric tilt and slide adjustment combines with three-stage heating and ventilation to spoil back seat customers. Three-zone climate control adds to the appeal, as passengers can tailor the car’s temperatures to their own preferences.

The revised CX-9 looks sharp inside and out.

Finished in a choice of quilted nappa leather in walnut brown or pure white tones, the option makes the Mazda feel closer to Range Rover than mainstream alternatives.

Flip-up third row seats are accessed through a one-touch button system using electric motors to slide and fold middle chairs so folks can climb through to the back.

We spent a week with the Mazda and were impressed by the luxury on hand – it really does feel a cut above mainstream rivals.

Mazda’s family SUV is quiet and comfortable on the road.

The middle seats are spacious and comfortable, with a good amount of legroom and storage to help you settle in for a long drive.

But third-row passengers lose out, as there is little space for their feet under the bulky new chairs, and the electric sliding mechanism is frustratingly slow compared to manual alternatives.

Electrically folding chairs require a degree of patience.

The new six-seat layout crowns the CX-9 range – you can only have it with all-wheel-drive and luxury goodies such as a 12-speaker Bose stereo, 20-inch wheels and hi-tech LED lights missing on cheaper versions.

It has the same 170kW/420Nm 2.5-litre turbo engine and six-speed automatic transmission found in regular models.

The CX-9 remains one of the better cars in its class to drive, with a smooth engine and well-resolved ride that make it a better bet than cheaper alternatives.

The Mazda CX-9 impresses on the road.

And the six seat option pushes it into genuinely luxurious territory.

Though it’s not cheap, the CX-9 Azami LE undercuts the entry-level BMW X5 by about $39,000 - and the German car misses out on leather trim, wood veneers, a premium stereo and many other desirable extras at $116,000 drive-away.

For folks prepared to look past the badge, the top-end Mazda might represent a discerning choice.

Mazda CX-9 Azami LE

Price: About $77,000 drive-away

Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol, 170kW/420Nm

Warranty/Service: Five-year/unlimited kilometres, $1905 for 5 years

Safety: 5 stars/ 6 airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control.

Thirst: 9.0L/100km

Cargo: 810L (four seat mode)

Spare: Space saver

Originally published as Luxury Mazda CX-9 pushes premium brands