2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD First Test With the introduction of the new 2016 Mazda CX-9, six-cylinder engines have officially vanished from the automaker’s U.S. lineup. The last-gen CX-9 was powered by a V-6 that was relatively strong but much too thirsty compared to the new flock of crossovers with more efficient mills. Mazda rids itself of that heavy baggage with a fancy turbo-four for the 2016 CX-9, which the automaker says should match (or surpass) the elderly V-6’s performance but return much better fuel economy. Obviously some time at the track and Real MPG lab was in order. Sitting behind the CX-9’s handsome mug is a turbocharged 2.5-liter good for 310 lb-ft of torque and 227 hp when using regular octane gas. Horsepower jumps to 250 with premium octane, though torque stays the same. Thanks to the combination of a fancy exhaust setup and a small, quick-spooling turbo, peak torque arrives at just 2,000 rpm, providing the low- and midrange grunt that Mazda says is better suited for typical crossover drivers who normally don’t race their engines to redline. Another trick Mazda employed is a cooled exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) setup aimed at bringing down the engine’s combustion temperature, something that would otherwise necessitate a richer air/fuel ratio. (See our in-depth look at the CX-9’s engine tech HERE.) This results in improved fuel economy, and Mazda has claimed the CX-9’s real-world figures should actually surpass the ones from the EPA. It’s a bold yet sensible claim and one we have put to the test with our Real MPG crew. With that in mind, our CX-9 all-wheel-drive test car is EPA-rated at 21/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined. The Real MPG figures, however, were lower across the board—the CX-9 scored 18.7 mpg in the city (approximately 11 percent lower than the EPA’s number), and Real MPG highway/combined figures came in at 25.8/21.3 mpg, about 4.4 and 7.4 percent below EPA results, respectively. As they say, your results may vary, but in our testing of 25 other light trucks and crossovers running extreme downsized turbocharged engines, the degree to which CX-9 underperforms its EPA ratings ranks it in the bottom third of this class. And the V-6 CX-9’s Real MPG performance was closer to the EPA figures (15.5/24.1/18.5 mpg versus the EPA’s 16/22/18), so you should probably expect your mileage to improve by about half the EPA-predicted amount. It’s a better story at the track, where the eager engine launched the CX-9 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. That’s one-tenth of a second quicker than the previous-gen CX-9 we last tested and puts it within range of the Toyota Highlander (7.1 seconds) and Nissan Pathfinder (7.3 seconds). The Honda Pilot Elite, however, hustles ahead of the bunch at 6.2 seconds, and a Ford Explorer powered by the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 needs 8.2 seconds to get to 60 mph. The V-6-powered competitors show their strength in the 45 to 65 mph test, which simulates freeway passing maneuvers. Here, the CX-9 needed 4.2 seconds, and the Highlander, Pilot, and Pathfinder were all in the 3-second range. (Explorer was the slowest at 4.5 seconds.) Our test vehicle was a Signature model, sitting on top of the CX-9 lineup, which begins with the Sport and midlevel Touring and Grand Touring versions. With a sticker price of $45,215, our tester felt much more expensive than its MSRP suggests. The interior featured Nappa leather trim, ambient lighting, an effective head-up display, and an excellent 12-speaker Bose sound system. The overall design and quality rivals Audi, with touches like real aluminum and rosewood accents. There’s a lot of advanced technology, as well, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision prevention, and lane keeping assist. Read More http://www.motortrend.com/cars/mazda/cx-9/2016/2016-mazda-cx-9-signature-awd-first-test-review/ New 2016 Test Drive Features Technology "SUBSCRIBE NOW"