Sunday Drive: Mazda CX-9 and Ford Endura

Friday, 17 May 2019

**FORD ENDURA TITANIUM

Price:** $69,990.

Powertrain: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel, 140kW/400Nm, eight-speed automatic.

The CX-9 boasts all of Mazda's latest design cues, making it a sharp looking thing.

Fuel economy: 6.7 litres per 100km.

**MAZDA CX-9 TAKAMI

The Endura has a more muscular stance than the CX-9, enhanced by the fact it doesn't have to provision extra headroom for a third row of seats.

Price:** $67,895.

Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol, 170kW/420Nm, six-speed automatic.

Fuel economy: 8.8 litres per 100km.

Many vehicles of the Mazda CX-9 and Ford Endura's ilk sacrifice driving performance and handling for family-friendly functionality. Yet a week in which these cars were driven on common routes suggests one can claim a genuine driver choice tick.

Diesel versus petrol. Probably not a lot of cross-shopping between these two.

Could it be Endura? While more substantial than styling suggests and now running a smaller-capacity, lower oomph engine AND being presented in plush-first Titanium trim rather than in the now-alternate sportier ST format, it nonetheless sits more squarely than the Mazda, runs fatter rubber and, with five chairs in two rows, against seven in three, is more huge hatchback than kindergarten run car.

**READ MORE:

The Endura's interior has loads of tech, but is a bit dowdy and old-fashioned.

* Mazda CX-5 Takami, come and join the class

* Was the wait worth it for Ford's Endura SUV?

* New CX-9 completes Mazda's product blitz**

And yet hope of this car demonstrating as an XXL Focus is quickly dispelled. A lovely ride and on-board refinement are meritorious, yet it nonetheless seems less than fully interested in taking joy from our roadscape.

A matter of heritage? For sure, regardless that it's not quite born in the USA (but next door, in Canada), Endura emphatically expresses all-American ambience. Yet those who damn it for this should also be aware CX-9 was also primarily formatted for Trump's home territory.

And yet, while matching Endura's placid highway-rolling feelgood, the Mazda evidences as the more preferable when venturing onto secondary, corner-heavy roads. True, it's not going to show up an MX-5 for ballerina-like moves, yet in this environment, sharper steering, better-controlled body movement and a more feisty drivetrain makes it more involving, and less likely to cause passenger discomfort, by a country mile.

In addition to being a bit less certain in its demeanour, what impinges on Endura's conduct is its width. It's enough of a lane-filler that very minor direction changes trigger the lane-keep assistance. This girth also makes impact in urban driving and when parking.

Is performance comparison warranted? Diesel is the primary choice in this sector so it would seem unlikely anyone set on following form would be swayed by this Mazda mill.

Ford's powerplant is fairly okay. Acceptability rests on understanding that pluses over the deposed biturbo 2.7-litre V6 turbo zone on quietness and economy. That this 2.0-litre replacement patently works harder to haul this 2.2 tonne mass yet still burns less fuel is commendable. It just asks for more zest. Whatever glory the 2.0-litre wins, it won't be for being gutsy.

The CX-9's unit benefits from SkyActiv tech that, long story short, acts to imbue diesel-like lean burn, low-down torque traits. Sure, it's not as lean as the Endura engine, but with 20Nm more under its belt and almost 300kg less to heft it certainly is more lively and the low rev muscularity makes it feel big-hearted. A transmission offering two fewer forward gears to work with isn't as smart as Ford's eight speed, but mostly is just as smooth and difference in decision-making between Normal or Sport mode is more coherent.

In terms of the overall cabin environment, both are roomy and comfortable, though if you prefer firm seat backs and bases, go Mazda. There's no point bleating about Endura's seat count; they're as adamant about this car never going to three rows as Mazda is about CX-9 regressing to two.

Takami trim adds extra plush to an interior that is already pretty swish in ambience and design in the donor Limited. It gets a different TFT display, an overhead console, a 360-view monitor, ambient lighting, front seat ventilation and a windscreen de-icer. But really the big buy in is rosewood trim and Nappa leather in an orange hue that'd mandate a no-Sharpies rule.

Endura also dresses in cow, in mark-disguising black, and also wants for little. Titanium level pickings over and above the cheaper ST Line run to a massive panoramic glass roof with power shade, heated second-row seats, power tailgate with handsfree operation, a premium 12-speaker audio and a rear entertainment system.

In terms of active safety aids, Ford steps up with added functions include post-collision braking (basically, in event of an accident in which the airbags deploy, the brakes will automatically lock), evasive steering assist and a park assist (though, again, an earlier set-up than the Focus has). Hiroshima has a bit less, yet ticks core requirements and achieves easier operability.

Exterior styling favours the Ford, but in all other aspects it lags. While Mazda's environment isn't without flaw – the MZD Connect interface is dated now – and you could argue about a Takami fitout being relevant for a family bus, fact is CX-9 has more polish and more successfully delivers genuine premium-ness.

And that's something only big dollars can buy? Well, yes, it's a flagship. Yet it still costs $2095 less than the Endura.

Slam dunk.