Mazda CX-9 2014 News

Sausages are sizzling, the hessian fences are up and those weird inflatable statues are flapping in the breeze: it's clearance sale time at new-car yards across Australia.

The import tariff on Japanese and South Korean cars will be completely removed from January 15 - bringing potential price cuts to almost half of all cars imported into Australia.However, the industry has warned buyers not to expect massive savings - cuts will be most likely between $250 and $1000 - because the 5 per cent tariff was on the landed cost of the car, not the higher recommended retail price.Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb claims there will be savings of up to $7630 on some Toyotas as 'an example of the real impact that families will see from these agreements ... for Toyota's biggest-selling models".Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.Don't get too excited. Toyota's biggest-selling model, the Corolla, drops by between $500 and $1050.The $7630 applies to the Prado Kakadu, which drops from $92,120 to $84,490. But only part of the price cut is due to the 5 per cent duty reduction.A Toyota spokesman says 'in some cases we've passed on more than the duty saving".Japanese brands Mazda and Subaru also trimmed prices but don't expect similar savings on South Korean-made vehicles sold by Holden, Kia or Hyundai, as all three have resisted moves to follow suit.Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says the company will scrap price increases it had planned for January and look at adding features. 'As new models arrive they may have additional equipment," he says.Hyundai will introduce extra equipment but the currency gap between the Korean won and the yen will make it more difficult to introduce significant savings. So far, Holden has also resisted price cuts on the Korean-made Captiva, Barina, Cruze wagon and Malibu.The Japanese Free Trade Agreement due to come into effect on January 15 follows the deal with South Korea from December 15.The deals are estimated to affect about 460,000 cars this year;. Toyota alone expects the changes will make about 100,000 of its cars cheaper.'Traditionally Toyota would have implemented the price reductions at the same time as the cuts to import duty start to apply," says Toyota sales and marketing chief Tony Cramb.'Instead, with the support of our dealers, Toyota has brought forward these price cuts to the start of the year." Three low-volume cars also will gain extra equipment.Some cars with Japanese and South Korean badges will have no new savings because they are made in countries such as Thailand (which signed free trade agreements with Australia in 2005), the US (agreements signed in 2010) or India (which has no agreement with Australia).Price cuts are expected on the Japanese-built Toyota Yaris, Prius and Corolla hatch, among other models. But prices will remain steady for the Corolla sedan and HiLux built from Thailand and the Kluger SUV manufactured in the US because of the existing deals.Mazda has trimmed prices on all Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5 and CX-9 vehicles, from $268 to $963 on vehicles which range in price from $20,000 to $50,000. But its cheapest car, the Mazda2, and the BT-50 ute will not get price cuts as they come from Thailand.Likewise most Hondas sold in Australia today come from Thailand. Meanwhile Subaru cut prices of some models by between $500 and $1000. The car industry has warned buyers that exchange rate fluctuations have had a bigger impact on prices than the tariff.'The Australian dollar has moved by 60 per cent over the past 10 years but car prices have remained relatively stable," says one industry insider.'Car makers ride the currency wave, plus you have the impact of the devalued Japanese yen. That has a bigger impact on (pricing) than the removal of the tariff." 

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

New-car prices will hit new lows between now and the end of the month as Japanese brands push to reach their sales targets before the end of the Japanese financial year, which is March 31.March is typically the second-biggest month of the year for new-car sales behind June, the end of the Australian financial year. The good news for car buyers is that the heavy discounting from the Japanese companies also brings down prices across the industry as rivals try to compete.The profit margins on some cars are so slim that dealers claim they only make money on window tinting -- and finance if arranged through the dealership. Last year, the Toyota Corolla and Nissan Pulsar had their prices wound back by 20 years to $19,990, and others followed.The Japanese Government has for the past 12 months artificially devalued the Yen to boost exports and keep their car factories running at full capacity. Car companies and dealers refused to comment on-the-record about the "D-word" -- discount -- but a search across the industry found some sharp deals on popular cars.The cheapest models from Japanese brands are the Suzuki Alto ($11,990 drive-away) and the Mitsubishi Mirage ($12,990 drive-away), both about $3000 off their full recommended retail prices. Despite their bargain prices both five-door hatchbacks come with the latest safety features, including six airbags and stability control.Meanwhile Suzuki has the cheapest small car below $20,000 with a built-in navigation system: the special edition Swift Navigator is $16,990 drive-away, about $3500 off.Nissan's website says its Pulsar small car is $22,315 drive-away but we found several dealers prepared to sell one for $18,990 drive-away, more than $3000 off. "We'll sell you a car but there's nothing in it for us," said one Nissan dealer who did not want to be named. "That's a white car with manual transmission and standard-issue number plates." Automatic transmission typically adds $2000, metallic paint adds up to $550 on some brands and, in NSW, premium number plates cost about $60 more than standard-issue plates.The only people not celebrating the sharp new-car prices are the dealers. "It's not uncommon to not make a dollar on the car," said a Mitsubishi dealer. "We hope to make it back on accessories, finance or when the customer comes back to get the car serviced."Car dealers typically get a commission of about $1200 on the finance on a $20,000 car -- if the finance is arranged through the dealership. "That's more than the profit on the car," said another dealer. Buyers might also get lucky if the dealer is a few cars short of their monthly sales target."Sometimes you'll rip up a car (sell it below cost) in the last one or two days of the month, just to get over the line," said one multi-franchise dealer principal with more than 20 years' experience in the trade. "That sale could mean the difference between getting a big bonus from the factory, or nothing."The biggest discounts are on the dearest cars. The Nissan 370Z sports-car is now $59,990 drive-away, it was $72,000 plus on-road costs the same time last year, a saving of about $15,000. The Nissan Leaf electric car is now $39,990 drive-away, compared to $51,500 plus on-road costs when it was launched two years ago, a saving of about $14,000 off the full RRP. The Mitsubishi Pajero GLX-R 4WD wagon is now $54,990 drive-away -- it is normally $60,000 drive-away -- but dealers we spoke to said there was at least a further "$1000 to $2000 wriggle room" left in this deal.For those looking for a family sedan the locally-made Toyota Camry can be bought at a discounted price of $29,990 drive-away with Toyota's 1 per cent finance, about $3000 off the full RRP -- and more than $3000 off the repayments at market interest rates. This deal is unique because, customarily, low interest rate offers apply only to the full RRP of the car, which is how the car companies fund the deal.In most cases it is cheaper to arrange your own finance and haggle hard on the price of the car. But Toyota has bucked this trend by offering a low interest rate as well as a drive-away price on the Camry to keep the struggling Toyota factory at Altona running.Meanwhile the Mazda CX-9 Luxury SUV normally sells for $52,980 plus on-roads, but it is now $51,990 drive-away, a saving of about $5000 off the full RRP. But as with the Mitsubishi Pajero deal, Mazda dealers say there is still a further $1000 to $2000 to negotiate off the luxury version of the Mazda CX-9 if buyers sign on the dotted line by the end of the month.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Honda is banking on a taller body, seating for eight and a swag of new features to boost its new fifth-generation Odyssey people mover closer to the top of the Australian people mover segment.Honda Australia director Stephen Collins expects the more van-like model to be “right up top of the shopping list in this segement,” despite price increases of $3,890-$4700 across the two-grade lineup. Helping to justify the price rise is the availability of an eight seat layout for the first time and new features like powered sliding rear doors, a 7-inch multimedia screen, auto parking function, a 360 degree camera, blind-spot and cross traffic alerts and LED headlights.The new model rides on a marginally 30mm longer footprint with 70mm added to the wheelbase, but the packaging improvements are gained mainly from a significant 150mm increase in overall height. With sales expectations of a 160 unit monthly average, a 1920 unit annual figure would nearly double the 1001 examples of the fourth-generation Odyssey Honda sold in 2013.This would still be some way off the 2847 examples Kia sold of the segment-leading Grand Carnival in 2013, but sales of this model are likely to taper with an all-new version due toward the end of the year. Honda’s projection should topple the ageing and commercial-based Hyundai iMax that sold 1455 units last year, and comfortably retain its lead over the once-dominant Toyota Tarago that sold 960 units in 2013.Honda claims the Odyssey is most likely to be cross-shopped against seven-seat SUV’s like the Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger, but their respective 12,668 and 4184 unit 2013 sales results are not likely to be significantly dented by the new Odyssey. Toyota’s Kluger is being replaced by an all-new model next month, but replacements for the ageing Tarago, iMax and the CX-9 SUV are still some time away, so the Odyssey’s new kid on the block status is likely to last at least until the new Grand Carnival arrives.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

So important is the Australian market to Mazda that the 2012 Sydney motor show saw the global debut of the revised CX-9 model. The Japanese marque with a reputation for quality is going gangbusters in Australia at the moment, having recently moved into third place overall in the sales race. The Mazda3 has been the number one selling car several times in the past 12 months.The most obvious feature of the latest version of the Mazda CX-9 is the huge grille that transforms it from looking like a sensible people mover into a standout model with plenty of road presence. But there’s a lot more to the large seven-seat Mazda than simply it’s bold new frontal look.It has been upgraded inside and out and carries minor refinements to the engine and its ancillaries that are said to have reduced its fuel consumption. For example, the Mazda usually only charges its battery when the load is off the engine, such as when it’s slowing down or running downhill, thus avoiding fuel use when that can be done.The previous Mazda CX-9 did like a drink, we are yet to carry out a road test on the latest update to the CX-9, so will measure the consumption for ourselves. The infotainment system in the big Mazda SUV has been upgraded and now features the latest audio, navigation and speech-recognition systems in what Mazda calls it’s HMI (Human Machine Interface).Mazda Australia is very strong on safety, so the CX-9 has had electronic stability control and rollover protection to help prevent crashes since its introduction in 2007. The suite of safety features has been greatly expanded, particularly in the crash avoidance field. Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and High Beam Control (HBC) anticipate danger and help the driver avoid it.Though it’s technically a Japanese vehicle, Mazda CX-9 is aimed at the American market. This will suit Australian buyers as we tend to lean more to the American automotive culture than to the Japanese one. This is a large vehicle with good interior space and plenty of punch from a large 3.7-litre V6 engine. Mazda CX-9 can certainly be used in light-duty running on forest trails, perhaps even at the beach, but almost all owners will use it as a spacious people mover.There's room for seven adults without them being overly cramped, though four adults and three children is more realistic. The centre set of seats can slide back and forward to let you vary the amount of legroom available in this seat and the third row seats. With the centre seat in its rearmost position there's almost limo-like legroom.The third row of seats fold flat very simply to give a useful increase in luggage space. Even with the seats in use there's still space for a couple of fair-sized suitcases. Though it’s similar in overall dimensions to large 4WDs like the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser the Mazda looks smaller and less intimidating. However, parking it in tight spaces can be tricky at times. To its credit, this big Mazda has a good turning circle for its class and this can be a real help.Suspension and steering haven’t been altered in the new model. Though Australian imports have slightly more dynamic settings and firmer steering than the American models, the CX-9 is still relatively soft. In previous road tests we have commented that steering feel isn’t bad for a big people mover and there's little understeer until it’s going quite hard at bends. We will check this out when we carry out a full road test. 

The CX-9 is a big crossover sport-utility SUV featuring a distinctive sporty appearance, a high quality cabin, the flexibility of three-rows, and sharp driving dynamics.The revised CX-9 carries over the utility and dynamic driving performance of the current model while adopting Mazda's ‘KODO Soul of Motion' design theme at the front and rear. Enhancements inside further the feeling of quality and refinement.Equipment upgrades include the infotainment system featuring the latest audio, navigation and speech-recognition systems based on an intuitive HMI (Human Machine Interface).In addition, new and advanced active safety features such as Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and High Beam Control (HBC) anticipate danger and help the driver avoid it.The new-Look CX-9 carries over the MZI 3.7-litre V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission from the current model. 

Available in Classic and Luxury grades, the new Mazda front-wheel-drive models will offer increased choice for customers who require the flexibility of seating for up to seven but without the need for all-wheel-drive. The two front-wheel drive models are $4500 less than their all-wheel drive counterparts. All CX-9s continue to be powered by a 3.7 litre V6 engine mated to a 6-speed Activematic transmission. The CX-9 Classic FWD becomes the introductory model in the range and is equipped with an impressive list of features including 18-inch alloy wheels, auto headlamps, cruise control, three-zone climate control, power windows and mirrors plus a leather trimmed steering wheel and gear shift knob. Safety remains a priority with all CX-9s boasting a full complement of safety features including six airbags (offering protection for all three rows), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Roll Stability Control (RSC) and a reversing camera. Luxury model adds 20-inch alloy wheels, a power-sliding and tilt glass sunroof, heated power mirrors with 3-position memory and reverse tilt-down function, power adjustable leather seats with 3-position memory function and a premium Bose audio system with 10 speakers. The Luxury model is also available with a Satellite Navigation option adding a fully integrated 7-inch touch-screen satellite navigation system and Bluetooth with audio streaming. Prices for the new front-wheel drive models start from $44,425.

The CX-9 is due to hit the showrooms in December, the large SUV will boast a 3.7-litre V6 engine. In Japanese spec it produces 204kW of power at 6350rpm and 366Nm of torque at 4250rpm. The Mazda CX-7 uses a 2.3-litre four-cylinder but the turbocharged petrol engine gives 175kW of power. The CX-9 is built on a different platform, having a wheelbase of 2875mm and a total body length of 5074mm. Mazda says Australia will be the first market to get the 3.7-litre version of the CX-9. It will be available in two grades; Luxury and Classic. Prices are expected to start in the low $50,000s. The CX-9 will sit on 18 or 20-inch wheels, depending on the version, and have three rows of seats. However, reasonable luggage space will remain; even when the third seating row is in use; 480 litres, which is comparable to a decent-sized normal car boot. Fold the third seat-row away and there's 928 litres of space to play with. The second-seat row is split 40-60 and can slide forward and aft 12cm. Mazda adds a wide door opening for third-row passengers to step in behind the second-row seat. CX-9s being built for Australia have stability control, roll-stability control, touch-screen audio with reversing camera, six airbags, cruise control, power windows and three-zone, climate-control airconditioning with separate control for the rear. Mazda's 'active torque split' all-wheel-drive system is used. It will automatically adjust torque distribution to the front and rear wheels from 100 per cent front wheels to 50-50.    

Mazda's venture into the world of the crossover SUV has already taken on a local flavour with extensive Australian testing of the new CX-9. The seven-seater, a big brother to the sporty CX-7 launched late last year, has been undergoing engineering evaluation in Victoria ahead of its local launch next January.Mazda sent a prototype right-hand-drive engineering mule and a team of engineers to evaluate the V6-powered CX-9 under local conditions. The move was prompted in part by the decision to use Australia as the world launch market for right-hand-drive models.To be offered in two grades, the AustralianCX-9s, which have been extensively modified for right-hand-drive use, are expected to be priced between $55,000 and $60,000.Modifications include flipping the centre seat 60/40 split and middle row seatbelt mounting point to ensure the CX-9's interior works just as well in Australia as it does in North America, a market the cars were designed for.On the evaluation drive, which focused on powertrain, suspension and steering calibration and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the right-hand-drive mule was driven alongside a left-hand-drive North American specification car to benchmark the results.While final specifications have yet to be confirmed, the 186kW CX-9 will be generously equipped with a choice of 18-inch or 20-inchalloy wheels, dual zone climate control airconditioning, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, six airbags and active safety features such as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Roll Stability Control (RSC).