AIMS: New Mazda CX-9 to get Sydney global premiere

MAZDA has chosen the Australian International Motor Show for the global debut of its facelifted CX-9 large crossover SUV next month, with its world CEO and chairman Takashi Yamanouchi set to fly to Sydney to do the honours.

The plans for the high-profile reveal were announced by Mazda Australia today, along with a selection of photos of the new-look wagon that will go on sale locally before the end of the year.

The annual Australian show was selected for the event because of the high standing of Mazda in general and the CX-9 in particular in this market, where the Japanese company is the leading full-line importer.

The new-look CX-9 – which gets a fresh face based on Mazda’s new Kodo design language that first appeared on the smaller CX-5 SUV – will be unveiled alongside the all-new Mazda6 sedan and wagon in their Australian debut.

Mazda is the second manufacturer to confirm a global debut at the show, with fellow Japanese company Lexus recently announcing it will premiere an all-wheel-drive sportscar concept at the Sydney show that starts at the Darling Harbour exhibition centre on October 18.

Last year, Mazda staged the world debut of the dual-cab version of its BT-50 ute at the 2011 AIMS held in Melbourne in July.

Mazda Australia public relations manager Steve Maciver told GoAuto today that the decision by Mazda head office in Hiroshima to unveil the new CX-9 in Australia was “huge” for the local Mazda arm.

Left: Mazda CEO and chairman Takashi Yamanouchi.

He said Australia was about the third largest market globally for CX-9, only trailing much bigger markets such as the United States.

“Australia has been selected because of the potential for the new CX-9 to do well here, as well as our very strong market position globally for Mazda,” he said.

Mazda enjoys a 9.3 per cent market share in Australia – well above any other major market for the brand.

So far this year, Mazda Australia has sold 3002 CX-9s, up a whopping 33.2 per cent over the first eight months of last year.

The new CX-9 not only gets some design changes at the front and rear but also gains some new high-tech features such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights.

As well, the infotainment system gets voice-recognition control, as well as the latest sat-nav and audio systems.

The CX-9 carries over the 3.7-litre V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission – the sole powertrain on offer in the seven-seat SUV.

For now, it misses out on Mazda’s latest SkyActiv powertrains that are being rolled out in new Mazda models such as the Mazda3, CX-5 and – from early next year – the all-new Mazda6.

The CX-9 is expected to get all the new technology – including the matching SkyActiv chassis treatment – when the all-new model comes around in about two years.

The current model made its Australian debut in late 2007, giving Mazda an answer to large family SUVs such as the Toyota Kluger and Ford Territory.

The vehicle has been given a number of tweaks since then, including the introduction of a front-wheel-drive version in June last year, alongside the original all-wheel-drive layout, that not only reduced the price of entry but also delivered fuel consumption savings.

While the CX-9 global debut is significant for the Mazda Australia, the new Mazda6 that will also appear at the Sydney show will have a much bigger impact in showrooms.

The ground-up redevelopment of Mazda’s mid-sized sedan was unveiled at the recent Moscow motor show, with the wagon version set to make its world public appearance at next week’s Paris motor show.

The new-look CX-9 is due in local showrooms late in the year, while the Mazda6 will follow up in the first quarter of 2013.

Also in the pipeline for Mazda is a facelifted MX-5 roadster that will be launched at the Sydney show.

For the technically minded, Mazda will display one of its new SkyActiv-D diesel engines at the Sydney event, along with a board revealing its SkyActiv technologies.