LOS
ANGELES, CA - Motor Trend announced
that the Mazda CX-9 is Motor Trend's
2008 Sport/Utility of the Year.
The CX-9 reigned supreme out of a diverse
crowd of 11 contenders, one of the highest
quality fields Motor Trend has seen
since it started evaluating sport/utilities.
A category once reserved for a few off-road
specialists, the sport/utility or crossover
class now offers a vehicle for practically
any driver, from almost any automaker
Mazda's victory, however, was a unanimous
decision by the panel of judges.
"We
wondered if it would be possible for
Mazda to inject its sports car DNA into
their first-ever three-row crossover-a
crossover that happened to be one of
the largest in the lineup," said
MacKenzie. “The editor in chief
of Motor Trend After three days of testing,
that question was answered in full.
It was arguably the most enjoyable sport/utility
to drive, and a great reminder that
SUVs can be as exciting as any car."
To
judge contenders for the award, Motor
Trend's editorial staff conducted exhaustive
off-road, street and track testing,
and carefully considered essentials
such as driving performance, safety
and features. Sport/Utility of the Year
is not a comparison test. Each contender
was evaluated against three simple criteria:
superiority (engineering, design, utilization
of resources); significance (its impact
on the market), and value (what buyers
get for their money versus the competition).
Sport/Utility
of the Year is only open to all-new
or substantially upgraded vehicles that
have gone on sale in the 12 months from
November 1 of the previous year. Motor
Trend looks for the pick of each year's
crop of new SUV's, and does not revisit
vehicles that have been on sale for
the past few years.
CruiserSport/Utilities and Crossovers:
Here to Stay
MacKenzie
noted that this year's winner, as last
year's, demonstrates the car-like refinement
and handling that have become common
in the sport/utility category. SUVs
have evolved well beyond the mere off-roading
capabilities they were originally intended
for, to the point where only four of
this year's 11 vehicles come with "rock-crawling"
transmissions. Today, functionality,
versatility and a commanding view of
the road suit are qualities that American
customers demand from sport/utility
vehicles.
"Make
no mistake, the sport utility or crossover
is enmeshed in the American psyche,"
said MacKenzie. "Despite concerns
over the economy and rising gas prices,
more than two million SUVs rolled off
dealer lots in the first six months
of 2007 alone.
"The
Mazda CX-9 spins the traditional 'ute'
in a new direction," said MacKenzie.
"It's a sleek, elegant, sophisticated
vehicle that is comfortable going to
midtown, the market or the mountains."
www.motortrend.com
