Mazda

Review: 2011 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring

"Zoom-Zoom" is a little corny for a corporate slogan, but it accurately captures Mazda's emphasis on sporty driving. You expect fun from the two-seat MX-5 sports car, but when even the 2012 Mazda5 minivan offers up more fun than you'd expect, it's clear that "Zoom-Zoom" actually means something.

The same goes for Mazda's big CX-9 three-row crossover. Its fun-to-drive nature helped it win against five newer competitors in a test by a major enthusiast magazine. The thing is, it's a fair bet that a good chunk of crossover buyers are more interested in how the CX-9 can handle three car seats than how it handles a twisty mountain road. Does the CX-9's fun-to-drive nature interfere with its family-friendliness? Only a week behind the wheel of a 2011 Mazda CX-9 would tell.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.0

Review: 2012 Mazda Mazda5 Touring

Americans have a problem with portion control. Take bagels, for example. Just 25 years ago, they were smaller than your average cruller. Today they're loaded with eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese and butter, and usually bigger than your head.

Our minivan portions have increased, too. That same 25 years ago they were small, four-cylinder, five-passenger wagons. Today, most minivans are as long and wide as a Chevy Tahoe. Where'd the "mini" van go?

It's at the Mazda store, in the form of the 2012 Mazda5. This bite-size family hauler seats six, but without a lot of extra mass. The question is, does this compact people hauler make sense in the Land of the Giants? Only a week behind the wheel of a 2012 Mazda5 would answer that.

Quick Specs

Family Friendliness: 8.1