The 2008 Mazda CX-9 is the largest Mazda. With exceptional spaciousness, safety and style, it combines the fun of crossover vehicles with the comfort and safety of traditional family vehicles. The build quality is solid, the performance and handling strong, the styling eye-catching, the cabin attractive and roomy with easy access to the third row. The CX-9 comes in three trims - Sport, Touring and Grand Touring.

The 2008 Mazda CX-9 derives power from a new, refined 3.7-liter V-6 that produces 273 horsepower. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. All trim levels come with either front- or all-wheel drive. The suspension is tuned the same for each model, with a small ride and handling change coming in the Grand Touring, which gets 20-inch wheels instead of the standard 18-inch. The EPA fuel economy for the 2008 front-wheel-drive model is rated at 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The all-wheel-drive CX-9 gives 1 mpg less.

The 2008 Mazda CX-9 is a large, seven-passenger crossover sport utility vehicle. The Sport trim comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, and a CD player with an auxiliary audio jack. The Touring features two-tone leather seating, heated/powered front seats, Bluetooth, and heated side-view mirrors . The Grand Touring comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, a blind-spot warning system, rain-sensing wipers, keyless ignition, memory driver seat presets, wood cabin accents and special blue cabin illumination. It comes standard with three rows of seats and can carry seven adults. Folding third-row seats and a sliding second row create a surprisingly roomy cargo space.

All trims come standard with anti-lock disc brake; stability control with rollover sensor; front-seat side air bags and full-length side-curtain air bags. A blind-spot warning system is standard on the Grand Touring. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing, it scored a perfect five stars in all front and side crash tests.