Mazda's Sexy CX-9

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That's a tad faster than the '08 Highlander, which I clocked at just under eight seconds, and decidedly faster than the Enclave, which GM says can do 0 to 60 in 8.2 seconds and which I clocked at a pokey 9.6 seconds.

On dry pavement, the CX-9's ride is amazing. The steering gives you a remarkable feeling of connection with the road. The suspension is sport-tuned without being as hard as in other sporty SUVs, such as the Acura MDX (BusinessWeek.com, 2/13/07). The CX-9 handles bumpy backroads without jolting and jostling its occupants.

The CX-9 isn't a heavy-duty off-roader, but ground clearance is a respectable 8.1 in. I drove it in snow and on ice under some very nasty conditions and it handled amazingly well. If you put snow tires on the CX-9, as the owner's manual suggests during wintry weather, this thing would really plow through the muck.

The CX-9's interior looks upscale, even though the faux wood trim looked a bit too obviously fake (the real wood trim in expensive luxury cars usually looks fake to me, too). The black leather in my test CX-9 GT was very nice, and a number of striking design elements take the interior out of the ordinary. Examples include brushed metal bars along the sides of the center console and across the doors, and the faux-wood-trimmed struts that curve down off the dash and integrate with the trim on either front door. The latter look like flying buttresses on European churches.

However, what I really like about the interior is how simple it is. The center stack is uncomplicated, as are the controls on the steering wheel and dash. I didn't once have to crack the owner's manual to figure out how something worked. It's obvious how to operate the entertainment system because the little remote control that comes with it is exactly like one of the simpler ones you get with a TV. The remote and the wireless headphones that also come with the system actually work exactly as they're supposed to, which isn't always the case with these systems. Ditto for the navigation system.

One technological advance I'm not enamored of is the CX-9's Blind Spot Monitoring System, which as in Volvos I've test-driven (BusinessWeek.com, 10/29/07) is too sensitive. It's frequently activated by trees and even snowdrifts along the side of the road.

Unlike some people-haulers, the CX-9 can genuinely seat seven adults in comfort. The front seats are well-bolstered on the sides and very comfortable. The second-row seats are split 60/40, and both sections move backward and forward separately, giving you a lot of latitude in adjusting the leg space available to rear-seat passengers.

Sliding the second-row seats forward also makes it relatively easy to climb into the third-row seats. I'm 5 ft. 10 in. tall, and I had plenty of knee space in the third row, even with the second-row seats way back. Head space, however, is tight.

The CX-9's hauling capacity is voluminous. Even with all three rows of seats up, the CX-9 has 17 cu. ft. of luggage space in back. That expands to nearly 50 cu. ft. with the third-row seat folded down, and about 100 cu. ft. with both rows of rear seats down. That's more than the '08 Highlander's maximum 95 cu. ft., but well behind the 115 cu. ft. that the Enclave (and its sister models the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook) provides.

Buy It or Bag It?

If driving fun and a stylish exterior aren't big priorities, there are numerous less expensive alternatives to the CX-9, including (dare I even suggest it) Chrysler's fancy new Town & Country minivan (BusinessWeek.com, 11/26/07), which sells for an average of around $30,000.

If you absolutely want a crossover SUV, the CX-9 is one of the pricier offerings. Its average selling price of $34,743 is $761 above the average for the segment, according to the Power Information Network. (PIN, like BusinessWeek, is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies (MHP).)

The number of crossover vehicles on the market is rapidly expanding, but the two rival models I'd be sure to consider are the Buick Enclave and Toyota Highlander. The new Enclave is more expensive ($38,504 on average, according to PIN) and less fun to drive, but also plusher inside. The '08 Highlander is much improved over the previous Highlander, and its $32,040 average price is considerably lower than the CX-9's.

Other good and less expensive crossovers include the Enclave's sister model, the $33,117 Saturn Outlook, the $32,733 Subaru Tribeca (BusinessWeek.com, 6/11/07), and the $31,073 Ford Edge.

However, if pep and handling are important, the CX-9 has the advantage. Dollar for dollar, it may be the hottest crossover on the market.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.