2022 Mazda CX-9

This vehicle offers six sleek trims: Sport, Touring, Touring Plus, Carbon Edition, Grand Touring, and Signature. The base model starts us off with 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, power side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals, a bright-accented front grille, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a body-colored rear roof spoiler. You can also choose between two standard paint options — Deep Crystal Blue Mica and Jet Black Mica — for an elegant overlay. Premium add-ons include a Gloss Black or Titanium Gray Metallic front grille, LED fog lights, Satin Chrome aluminum roof rails, a power rear liftgate with hands-free control, and 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. What's more, the list of topcoats now features Sonic Silver, Polymetal Gray, and Soul Red Crystal for a polished, metallic finish.

All Mazda CX-9 trims have the same engine: a SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter turbocharged unit that's capable of producing 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, or 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque with 93 octane fuel in tow. A six-speed automatic transmission complete with manual-shift and Sport modes is also included in the standard suite.

This SUV comes with standard i-ACTIV all-wheel drive, including off-road traction assist, plus diagonal hydraulic disc brakes, suspension stabilizer bars, and all-season tires. Furthermore, it's able to haul up to 3,500 pounds and reach an unladen ground clearance of 8.8 inches. Lastly, it delivers a driving range of 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

This seven-seater offers 35-plus inches of headroom, 53-plus inches of shoulder room, up to 41 inches of legroom, and a maximum cargo capacity of 71.2 cubic feet. It also features stylish amenities such as tri-level heated front seats, push-button start, cargo area boxes and underfloor storage, HD radio, and a 10.25-inch full-color infotainment display. There are quite a few upscale items available as well. These include a power-sliding glass moonroof, genuine Santos Rosewood accents, ventilated front seats, traditional leather or Nappa leather upholstery, and second-row captain's chairs, which reduces the total seating capacity to six. Also up for grabs are a navigation system, a three-month trial to SiriusXM satellite radio, a wireless phone charger, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.

The 2022 Mazda CX-9 has received some notable accolades since its debut, including a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick Plus title from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It pairs these with state-of-the-art technologies such as blind-spot monitoring, hill launch assist, lane departure warning, radar cruise control with stop-and-go, and smart brake support with collision warning and pedestrian detection. Optional upfits, on the other hand, range from a 360-degree view monitor to front and rear parking sensors to a smart city reverse brake support system. An intuitive Active Driving Display with traffic sign recognition is also on the market.