2008 Mazda CX-9 Sport utility vehicle of the year
DETROIT -- Motor Trend magazine says it has selected the 2008 Mazda CX-9 as its sport utility vehicle of the year.
The award from a field of 11 finalists is to be featured in the magazine's Nov. 6 edition, Motor Trend said in an announcement prepared for release Monday.
"We wondered if it would be possible for Mazda to inject its sports car DNA into their first-ever three-row crossover -- a crossover that happened to be one of the largest in the lineup," said editor-in-chief Angus MacKenzie.
He said tests showed that the CX-9 was "arguably the most enjoyable sport/utility to drive, and a great reminder that SUVs can be as exciting as any car."
The Mazda CX-9 has a base price of $35,250 and was listed at $41,540 as tested. It has a 3.7-liter, 273 horsepower V-6 engine and goes from zero to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. It weighs 4,633 pounds, seats seven, and is rated at 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 mpg highway.
The other finalists were the Buick Enclave, Hyundai Veracruz, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Patriot, Land Rover LR2, Nissan Rouge, Saturn Vue, Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Highlander and Toyota Land Cruiser.
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Print | posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:21 PM