Yorkregion.com - Leisure - HEADLINE: Mazda CX-9 named Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year
HEADLINE: Mazda CX-9 named Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year
By: ROBINSON/BEINTEMA AUTOFILES
Motor Trend Magazine has named the Mazda CX-9 crossover SUV its 2007 Sport/Utility of the Year. Beating one of the toughest fields in recent memory, the CX-9 was, according to Motor Trend editor in chief, Angus MacKenzie, the judges' unanimous decision. It topped 11 other contenders.
The Mazda CX-9 was designed and engineered specifically for the North American market and consumer.
It is powered by a 273 hp 3.7-litre V6 engine and a six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission with manual-shift mode. The vehicle seats up to seven passengers in three rows, and offers cutting-edge safety technology, including front, side and three-row side-curtain airbags, ABS, dynamic stability control, traction control and roll-stability control, all as standard equipment.
To judge contenders for the award, Motor Trend's editorial staff conducted exhaustive off-road, street and track testing, and carefully considered essentials such as driving performance, safety and features.
Sport/Utility of the Year is not a comparison test. Each contender was evaluated against three simple criteria: superiority (engineering, design, utilization of resources); significance (its impact on the market), and value (what buyers get for their money versus the competition).