Celebrate the Century
Think about everything that’s happened in 2020. A year chock full of historic events we’ll one day be regarded as people who lived through such ~unprecedented times.~ It’s not unlike that degree of awe we might regard someone from the 1930s with. It’s hard to imagine being born into a world so drastically different from which we are used to now – let alone survive that long. But unlike people and our way of life, the evolution of the car has pretty much stuck to the same formula since inception – utilizing an engine to generate power which is sent to the wheels. But despite our different courses of evolution, the bond between a driver and the car they love remains unchanged. In 2020, Mazda celebrated their 100th anniversary. An entire century of getting people where they need to be – and for many of their customers, an entire century of driving fun. Mazda paid heritage to their roots with a slew of special edition models, featuring some subtle touches harkening back to the company’s early days. The CX-9 may be showing its age, but the big crossover can still throw down at this 100-year party.
Ever heard of the Mazda R360? It was manufactured in the 1960s. So not exactly 100 years ago. But Mazda credits it as their first automobile. The spritely little coupe was a rear engine kei car, featuring a 356cc two-cylinder engine, four seats and a choice of a 4-speed manual or 2-speed automatic – and most importantly, a competitive price. The little car proved popular, dominating the micro car market in Japan. It looked great and (reportedly) was a blast behind the wheel. And this thing was built in Hiroshima – barely 20 years after the city was decimated by nuclear warfare. Talk about industrious. The 100th Anniversary models Mazda offers pay tribute to this little champion, featuring a number of aesthetic callbacks, like a white and red colour scheme, 100th anniversary badges and special wheel caps.
History lesson aside, let’s take a look at the car itself. We’ve said it before and we still believe it to be true – Mazda punches well above its weight. The clean, elegant design of the CX-9 has aged remarkably well. It was first introduced in 2015 and compared to similar vehicles on the road, the CX-9 doesn’t look outdated inside or out. To us, this is minimalism done right. The 100th Anniversary colour scheme inside adds a new layer of fresh style and proves the CX-9 still has appeal.
But like your favourite singer from the 80’s who maybe can’t quite hit those notes anymore, the CX-9 does show its age elsewhere. The backup camera for instance, is, well, quite dated. The resolution is certainly not up to modern standards, and the static guide lines feel pretty old fashioned. It’s also frustrating how iffy Android Auto and Apple Carplay are handled by the infotainment system – and less than ideal that they are not standard. However, if you’re willing to forgive that, what you get is a very usable interior. In many 3-row SUV’s, the back row is rarely a nice place to be. But that’s not the case here. Since row 2 is replaced with two actual seats instead of a bench, accessing the back is a breeze. Now you might not want to be back there all day, but for shorter trips, it’d be hard to complain. And for those times it’s not in use, you can fold them down quickly for expanded trunk space. Even without the beautiful Garnet Red leather interior, the inside of the CX-9 is a very nice place to be.
Powering this anniversary on wheels is a 2.5L 227-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Despite the car’s hefty weight, this little engine has a lot of might behind it. During our trial, we never had any sense it was struggling to haul that weight. The suspension even handles body roll in corners remarkably well. Mazda uses this powerplant in a few other vehicles and we’ve never felt let down by it. While Mazda has shown off some electrified efforts, they have said they remain committed to internal combustion, and the combination of power and efficiency you get with the CX-9’s engine lends credence to that commitment.
The CX-9 100th Anniversary model is the company’s flagship people-carrier – and as such, it’ll cost a premium. A standard CX-9 comes in just under $40,000. The former top-of-the-line trim, Signature, comes in at just under $54,000. For about $1,500 more, you get this – the Anniversary. The difference between those two is largely cosmetic. But it is limited edition. The CX-9 is a great vehicle and a great choice. But if you crave a little more exclusivity and a whole lot of style, you’re invited to Mazda’s birthday party. As Mazda themselves say, it’s a once in a lifetime celebration. Unless you plan on living to 2120.
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