AUTOMOTIVE

Mazda to premiere the 2013 Mazda CX-9 at the Australian International Motor Show

September 25, 2012

The 2013 Mazda CX-9 (Photo: Mazda)

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Mazda has announced that it will be unveiling its 2013 CX-9 crossover SUV at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show, October 18 - 28. Highlighting a stouter “refreshed” design than the 2012 CX-9, the latest version has a more aggressive front that’s all bumps and forward-thrusting angles.

It’s the second of the latest Mazda cars to use the full range of the company’s SKYACTIV technologies to improve fuel efficiency. In addition, the 2013 CX-9 uses Mazda’s regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP, which uses capacitors to recover braking energy electrically rather than through flywheels.

Safety features includes a suite of assisted driving features such as Mazda’s Forward Obstruction Warning System, Lane Departure Warning System and a High Beam Control System that automatically dips the headlamps when a vehicle is sensed approaching in the opposite lane.

Under the bonnet, the 2013 CX-9 retains the MZI V6 3.7-liter petrol engine with a six-speed automatic gearbox putting out 273 bhp (204 kW) and 366 Nm (270 ft-lb) of torque at 4,250 rpm. Fuel consumption is rated at a modest 12.7 liters per 100 kilometers (18.5 mpg) city and 8.4 l/100 km (28 mpg) highway. Backing this up is a Macpherson front suspension and multilink rear suspension. The end result is 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a leisurely 7.9 seconds, but the top speed makes up for this at 225 km/h (140 mph).

Source: Mazda

About the Author

David Szondy is a freelance writer based in Monroe, Washington. An award-winning playwright, he has contributed to Charged and iQ magazine and is the author of the website Tales of Future Past. All articles by David Szondy

Tags

» Australia
» Cars
» Mazda
» Skyactiv
» SUV

4 Comments

12.7 liters per 100km is not modest. There are comparable SUVs that consume far less, using Diesel engines. And very few people driving these things actually need the vehicle's capabilities, towing, off-road and so on.

There's an interesting number in that context: Jeff Dukes from Purdue University did the math on how much ancient fossilized biomass is in a liter of gasoline, and comes up with a mind-blowing 23.5 metric tons per liter. (paper title: "burning buried sunshine")

A railroad car could carry the plant mass equivalent of four to five liters of gasoline, in other words.

Imagine how many railroad cars of fossil energy is in every tank of gas we carry in even the most puny ones of our gas powered vehicles...

BeWalt
25th September, 2012 @ 03:37 pm PDT

12.7 liters per 100 kilometers, yeah driving at 30k an hour, put your foot down and watch the gauge rapidly go down.

Denis Klanac
25th September, 2012 @ 07:30 pm PDT

I think they missed the point again, when the Ford Territory in Australia has a Diesel available which uses far less fuel and has all the same functionality and carrying capacity. The diesel engine I'm told is borrowed from another Ford subsidiary namely Volvo, so why don't Mazda (also a Ford company) borrow the same technology? There is another Ford option which has been used in the USA which is the Hybrid 4wd drivetrain from the Ford Escape (a.k.a Mazda Etude for the Australian market although not available as a hybrid in Aus???). I don't understand why they persist with the ICE technology alone, when its common knowledge that it's days are numbered and given the rising cost of fuels .... something has to give.

Donut
25th September, 2012 @ 09:53 pm PDT

The mileage is not very impressive especially when considering that VW (gizmag reported on this) is coming out with a crossover about the same size that will be a diesel/electric hybrid. About the same top speed 137 but a bit faster out of the gate. However, Mazda can't touch the mileage 157/gal and even if that's an Imperial gal we're still talking impressive mileage.

Edward Kerr
26th September, 2012 @ 12:08 pm PDT