Report: Next Mazda CX-9 Will Get a Turbo Four in 2016
A report states that the next Mazda CX-9 will likely launch in 2016 and move to a turbo-four engine.
It’s looking like the next couple of years could yield near-comprehensive changes to the Mazda vehicle lineup. Following up the overwhelmingly-popular redesign of the Mazda3 and Mazda6, plans are already in place for a new generation of Mazda2, and a redesigned Miata is just ahead on the horizon. So what of the CX-9 CUV, which has remained largely unaltered since its 2007 launch? According to Car Advice, the next CX-9 is set to be revamped by 2016, and there are more than a few big changes in store.
Perhaps most obvious is that the new CX-9 will move away from the Ford-sourced V6 engine, with Mazda global head of sales and marketing Masahiro Moro indicating that the next generation will run on a turbo four.
“I think that turbocharging technology has improved a lot,” Moro told Car Advice’s Matt Campbell. “But obviously a question is whether we put in two more cylinders or use turbocharge, which is cost-effective and [offers] better performance. That’s always a good question for engineers.”
Moro added that the CX-9 is unlikely to get a diesel powertrain anytime soon, given the fact that it’s most successful in the United States market where drivers are as reluctant to make the transition to diesel as they are to stick to fad diets.
It should also be noted that while the next CX-9 will likely only be powered by a turbo four, Mazda will not move entirely away six-cylinder engines. Rather, the brand will need time to manufacture one in-house, as well as determine which vehicles are the foremost contender for a V6/flat-six.
With an anticipated 2016 launch, we may be a long way off from hearing anything more about the CX-9. Until then, we’d like to know: what changes would you recommend to improve the new CX-9?
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