Mazda is pushing upscale with the launch of the seven-passenger CX-9, a new crossover vehicle scheduled to reach showrooms next month.
Last year, Mazda's sales in
The CX-9 uses some of the same components as the Mazda6 and the new Ford Edge but has its own unique look and feel, said Robert Davis, vice president of product development and quality at Mazda North America.
The CX-9 was designed with three rows of seating to separate it from the slightly smaller CX-7, which has only two rows of seats and was introduced last spring amid a chorus of generally favorable commentary. Mazda's new crossover is powered by a 3.5-liter, 263-horsepower V-6 and is the largest vehicle ever developed by Mazda.
Hiroshi Takeshita, one of the senior engineering executives responsible for the vehicle’s development, says the CX-9 is one of the few vehicles the company has developed specifically for the North American market. The new three-row crossover also will be one of the most expensive vehicles ever sold by Mazda in the
Chris Hill, the CX-9 vehicle line manager, said the crossover basically completes the Mazda lineup in the
Advertising for the CX-9 will begin next month just as the vehicles begin arriving in Mazda showrooms from
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