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2021 Mazda CX-9 gets new tech, Carbon Edition

Mazda announced early Tuesday that the 2021 CX-9 is getting a nip-and-tuck styling update along with some updated tech, including a new 10.25-inch infotainment system powered by the latest version of Mazda Connect.  Mazda may have oversold things a bit by saying the 2021 CX-9 styling is new in the strictest sense. We only have this photo and Mazda's press release to go on, but from what we can tell, the changes are effectively relegated to trim elements available with certain option packages or trim levels, and mostly at the higher end. The fundamental shapes of the 2021 CX-9's body panels remain identical to 2020's, while changes include a new grille and wheel design on the Signature model. The biggest changes come care of the Carbon Edition, which gets "Polymetal Gray" exterior paint, gloss black door mirrors, a unique gloss black front grille and 20-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, it adds red leather seats and black interior trim on the dash, door panels and handle bezels. In addition to the larger screen and updated infotainment interface, Mazda says the 2021 CX-9 will now offer wireless device charging, with a new pad incorporated into the cubby area forward of the gear selector.  The most exciting Mazda news for the coming model year might be the introduction of the turbocharged Mazda3, but here in Crossoverland, improvements to the CX-9 are both welcome and necessary. Mazda's stylish three-row is attractive and great to drive, but compromised in terms of practicality for those very reasons. Look for the '21 CX-9 to hit showrooms later this year.  Related Video:    

Consumer Reports digs Mazda3, disses Jeep Cherokee

Consumer Reports has just rendered its verdict on two of the more important cars to launch this year - the Mazda3 and the Jeep Cherokee. Considering the value a "Recommended" rating carries with the public and the viciously competitive markets these two cars compete in, Consumer Reports' view could have some impact on their initial success.
For Mazda, that's a good thing. CR spoke quite highly of the Zoom-Zoom brand's compact sedan and hatch, testing both models, and citing the excellent fuel economy and snickety-snack manual shifter as high points. Downsides to the 3 included a ride that is agile but "nervous," a bit too much noise and a cramped back seat. Still, the 3 was good enough to earn its place in the ranks of the "Recommended."
The Jeep didn't fare quite so well, with CR calling the polarizing CUV "half-baked." Although both engines were tested, the magazine called the 2.4-liter four-pot underpowered and its nine-speed automatic unrefined and unresponsive. That's particularly damning, considering the 9AT's role in future Chrysler products, including the extremely important 200. Overall, the Cherokee missed out on the coveted "Recommended" rating.

United States drivers buying fewer Mexican-made cars

Crossovers and pickup trucks are not only growing in market share, they're also more profitable than cars. A crossover on the same platform as a sedan retails for thousands more, despite similar components. It's one of the reasons we've seen automakers rapidly shifting production of their sedans and hatchbacks to Mexico, where cheap labor preserves the thin profit margins on these inexpensive vehicles. But as the market continues to shift in the United States, Mexico is getting burned by its lack of product diversity. The country's auto exports, which are heavy on cars, suffered a 16-percent drop last month, Automotive News reports. In total, year-over-year exports fell from 233,515 to 197,020 last month, while year-to-date exports are down by 7.4 percent, from 922,029 to 854,118. The number one culprit? America – which usually accounts for 75 percent of Mexico's exports – and its appetite for crossovers and pickup trucks bolstered by cheap gas prices. While Mexico does build some light truck models – AN specifically calls out the Ram 2500, Honda HR-V, GMC Sierra, and Toyota Tacoma as export leaders – the vast majority of vehicles rolling out of its factories are sedans and hatchbacks. In fact, the three biggest drops in Mexican exports came from companies whose south of the border factories only build cars – Ford (Fusion/Lincoln MKZ and Fiesta), Mazda (Mazda3), and Volkswagen (Golf and Jetta). Mexican Automotive Industry Association President Eduardo Solis told AN the export shortfall will likely be sorted out sooner rather than later, thanks to a pair of new factories – a Kia car factory and an Audi SUV plant – that are coming online by year's end. The two facilities will add around 100,000 vehicles to the country's export totals, which Solis said should leave the industry on the verge of breaking another export record in 2016. But how sustainable will these record-breaking years be? Slapping an "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on a new German SUV won't be enough to change the fact that Mexico's product mix is tilted too heavily towards body styles that are not growing in volume. Mexico's record-breaking export years probably aren't at an end, but we'd argue they're certainly under threat. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Omar Torres / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Ford GMC Honda Mazda RAM Volkswagen Truck Crossover SUV Mexico