In the market for a new car, and want to know which are the safest? Check out Mazda's lineup, because out of the six models it offers in North America, no fewer than four have received Top Safety Pick + ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Included already on the rigorous list are both the sedan and hatchback versions of the latest Mazda3, the Mazda6, and the CX-3 crossover. And now the flagship CX-9 has joined them as well.
In developing the new CX-9, “We wanted to create a vehicle that could delight couples or shuttle families with the same effortlessness,” said Mazda's North American R&D chief Masashi Otsuka, who oversaw the CX-9's development under his previous role in Japan. “Now, we are proud to say that the IIHS has recognized CX-9 for its safety, highlighting the achievements of our engineering team.”
The vehicle scored top marks in all five of the crash tests, and passed the stringent new headlight test with its standard LED units. That was enough to seal a Top Safety Pick rating, with the coveted Plus honor tacked on thanks to its available front crash avoidance system.
The only other vehicles classified by the IIHS as “midsize SUVs” to have scored the top prize are the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota Highlander. The Acura MDX and RDX, Audi Q5, Buick Envision, Lexus NX and RX, Mercedes GLE, and Volvo XC60 also earned the top award in the midsize luxury category.
Starting at $31,520, the new CX-9 sits at the top of Mazda's range, alongside the MX-5 RF that starts all of $35 higher. The rest of the Japanese automaker's lineup carries starting MSRPs in the teens or twenties.
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