Although major carmakers maintain an international presence, they don’t always treat their markets equally. The most obvious discrepancy is in terms of features for a given model, where developing markets often have to contend with a watered-down set of standard equipment compared to their more well-off peers.
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Mazda is no exception to this setup. With its North American operations being the biggest outside of Japan, it stands to reason that its mainland customers are privileged in terms of the models it offers (the Mazda3 turbo is one such example). Now, there’s even more reason for us to eye the American market with more than a tinge of envy, as Mazda introduces the Carbon Edition for the 2021 CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda6.
It’s not as if these models weren’t already drop-down gorgeous in stock form. The Carbon Edition ups the ante where desirability is concerned, and in a market where Mazda sustained a 5.5 percent drop in sales so far this year, it’s a necessary measure to stop the slide. Just what does the Carbon Edition entail anyway? It combines exterior and interior aesthetic tweaks that make a Mazda that much more unique, the better to stand out in a sea of eager competitors.
The blacked-out side mirrors and wheels give off an almost menacing look
The look builds on the distinctive Polymetal Gray exterior body color, accompanied by gloss black accents on the exterior mirrors, along with aluminum alloy wheels rendered in a black metallic finish. It’s a little more subdued than what’s normally seen on a regular Mazda, but it does bring out the sleekness even more.
There’s more to come on the interior, featuring red leather seats set against black honeycomb trim, rounded out by red accent stitching. All Carbon Edition Mazdas will come with a touchscreen unit offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, patched to a Bose premium audio system. No changes will be made on the mechanical aspects, but most of Mazda’s i-Activsense suite of safety features will be present. Driver-assist tech such as Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop and Go, as well as Smart Brake Support, will form part of the standard equipment.
The exterior color scheme even somehow offsets the CX-9's bulk
Mazda has yet to finalize specific features and pricing for the three special models, and that’s for the North American market. If you feel like our market likewise deserves to be graced by their presence, you might want to start drafting that petition to Mazda Philippines. Who knows?
Get your fill of the most anticipated wheels only at Philkotse.com.
Know more about Mazda CX-9 2024
The Mazda CX-9 is a midsize seven-seater crossover. For the Philippine market, the CX-9 has a total of two variants. The Mazda CX-9 Philippines price ranges from Php 2,790,000 to Php 3,040,000.
Under the hood, the CX-9 uses a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine. At maximum, it can make up to 228 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque. All trims come standard with a six-speed automatic gearbox with a gear lever manual mode. Only the top-spec Exclusive variant comes with all-wheel-drive, while the rest has front-wheel-drive.
Size-wise, the CX-9 is 5,075mm long, 1,960mm wide, and 1,747mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,930mm and a ground clearance of 220mm.
Locally, the Mazda CX-9 competes against the likes of the Ford Explorer, Kia Sorento, among others.
Mazda CX-9 Launch
The CX-9 2024 was first introduced globally at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2015. After nine years, the second-generation crossover was released to replace the V6 engine with its current 2.5L turbocharged gasoline engine.
In the Philippines, the Mazda CX-9 was officially launched at the 2017 Manila International Auto Show. It initially came out in one variant which is the Signature AWD, while the Sport variant was marketed in 2018.
In 2023, the entire CX-9 variant lineup was updated with the introduction of the mid-spec CX-9 Black Edition trim. The top-spec trim is now the Exclusive, and the entry-level variant is the Touring.
Mazda CX-9 Exterior
The crossover sports Mazda’s signature Kodo design philosophy, making it considerably one of the most aesthetically pleasing SUVs in today’s automotive market. Its styling It features a longer hood with a more prominent grille and sleeker headlamps.
Furnished in the CX-9 Signature AWD variant are Adaptive LED Headlamps, LED Running Lamps, LED Front Fog Lamps, LED Rear Combination Lamps, and an Electric Glass Sunroof. It rides on 20-inch alloy wheels or 18-inch alloy wheels depending on the trim.
Mazda CX-9 Interior
Inside, all trims of the CX-9 Philippines are provided with leather seats, a seven-inch LCD meter cluster, dual-zone automatic climate controls, and a push-to-start button.
All trims also come with a 60:40 split second row and a 50:50 split third row. In total, it can seat up to seven occupants.
Technology & Safety
All three variants of the new CX-9 are equipped with a 9.2-inch touchscreen LCD Monitor. It is capable of connectivity through two USB ports, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The top-spec Exclusive trim then gets a 12-piece speaker system, but all trims also come with a wireless phone charger.
The Mazda CX-9 comes with extensive safety features that include ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and BA (Brake Assist), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Smart Keyless Entry System, Push Start and Stop button, Front and Rear Parking Sensors, and a 360° View Reverse Camera.
Advanced active safety features on this model include lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert, driver attention alert, and radar cruise control.
Platform & Chassis
The 5-door SUV is based on the SkyActiv platform. The suspension comes in the form of a McPherson Strut in front and a Multi-Link suspension at the rear. Stopping power comes from Front Ventilated Discs and Rear Solid Discs through an Electric Parking Brake.
Engine & Drivetrain
Powering the CX-9 2024 is a 2.5L SkyActiv-G PY-VPS Turbo Inline-4 Gasoline engine that produces 227 hp, 420 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed SkyActiv-Drive Automatic Transmission. Power is sent to all wheels for the Exclusive variant, and to the front wheels for the Touring and Black Edition variants.
In the Philippines, the Mazda CX-9 may come in eight different colors. These include Sonic Silver, Soul Crystal Red, Machine Gray, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Titanium Flash, Polymetal Gray, Jet Black, and Snowflake White Pearl.
Compared to its rivals, the Mazda CX-9 offers more of a wagon-like configuration than an SUV-like configuration. This will please those who do not like SUVs. Beyond that, it is largely on-par with its competitors in terms of tech features, all the while providing a premium but analog driving feel. And lastly, it carries a sleek but quiet design unlike most of its rivals.
Mazda CX-9 Pros & Cons
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Mazda CX-9 FAQs
1. Is the Mazda CX-9 a SUV?
The Mazda CX-9 is classified as a midsize crossover, to be exact.
2. How many seats does the Mazda CX-9 come with?
The Mazda CX-9 offers 7 seats for all of its variants in the Philippines.
3. Is the Mazda CX-9 diesel of gasoline?
All CX-9 variants offered for the Philippine market run on gasoline engines only.
4. Where is the Mazda CX-9 assembled?
The CX-9 is assembled in the Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan yet not being sold in Japan for it's too big for Japan’s annual road tax.
₱ 2,490,000 - ₱ 2,990,000
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