Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. For an American (like me) it's interesting to see an Australian perspective on these crossovers, each of which is typically classified as a "midsize" SUV by American standards. Some thoughts. The US spec CX-9 is nearly identical to the Australian version. Same engine and drivetrain. Almost all of the same features. Though I don't have exact figures on sales in Australia my impression is that the Mazda brand is considerably more popular there than here in the US. That appears to be especially the case for the CX-9. In fact, the CX-9 has been the worst selling mainstream midsize SUV (19th out of 19) in the US ever since the current generation was introduced in 2017. In 2020 it was even outsold by eight "luxury" SUVs. The good news, such as it is, is that 2020 sales of the CX-9 in the US were basically flat at slightly over 27,000 units but that did nothing to overcome its dismal pattern of declining sales ever since its introduction. The US version of the Palisade is a different story, altogether. No diesel version offered in North America. The sole engine and drivetrain option is a 3.8L naturally aspirated V6 petrol with an 8 speed conventional AT. (That's not unusual. In the wake of VW's "dieselgate" the limited appeal of diesel engines in the US for passenger cars disappeared altogether. That killed not only VW's diesels but that of other brands as well.) Furthermore, the V6 running the Atkinson cycle is offered in both FWD and AWD versions, a choice apparently not available in Australia. Unlike the CX-9, the Palisade and its closely related KIA cousin the Telluride (built and available only in North America) have enjoyed huge success in North America. In 2020 Palisade sales were three times (!) those of the CX-9 in the US. The combination of Palisade and Telluride sales in 2020 (157,000 units), was nearly 6 times that of the CX-9. (The combined sales of the Korean twins would have been even greater if not for the result of COVID-19 in terms of production delays of the Telluride in the US.) The basis for the disparity in sales isn't difficult to explain. Americans, perhaps more than Australians, value interior space in midsize 3 row SUVs. On that score the CX-9 sits at the bottom of the category while the Palisade (ironically slightly shorter than the CX-9) is near the top. The CX-9 provides a total of 135.1 cubic ft of passenger volume; the Palisade offers 155.3 cf. The cargo space in the CX-9 is 14.4, 38.2, and 71.2 cubic ft behind the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st rows respectively. The Palisade counters with 18, 45.8, and 86.4 cubic ft. In fact the total cargo space of the CX-9 is not only small considering the oeverall length of the vehicle; it's less than a Honda CR-V! Like this video review, American automotive journalists have long praised the driving "feel" and handling characteristics of the CX-9. But reviewers have largely ignored or minimized the incredibly inefficient packaging of the Mazda. In the US at least, most consumers haven't made that mistake.
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