Long story short ...it's pathetic. Now for those who care to read the explanation, please continue below.
Little background. I own 2 subarus, 2011 outback and 08 Legacy GT SPEC B. The latter one was tracked both in the summer and on frozen lakes in Wisconsin so I have pretty good understanding on how AWD works.
Spec B has viscous center differential and Torsen LSD on the rear axle. Outback has much less sophisticated AWD with viscous center and open rear diff. Spec B is biased more toward the rear axle and is absolute dream to drive both in dry and on snow/ice. Rear comes around very nicely depending on the amount of gas input and is very controllable once you understand it's idiosyncrasies. Outback is not as fun but still very capable. What is common for both these cars and any subaru recently produced, is the fact that AWD is always engaged. I believe technical term Subaru literature uses is "drag". There is always minimal drag on the rear axle. Some sources estimate it to be 5-10% depending on many factors, model, year car included. Even on the highway, cruising at constant speed, you will have AWD engaged. I find this to be very reassuring and definitely improves stability and safety. It definitely stabilizes car in turns when on power and obviously makes all the difference in slippery conditions. When I was switching from front wheel drive to AWD subarus couple years ago I noticed that in snow/ice at very low speed, even when you are off gas and kind of cruising through the turn in residential areas, Subaru will track nicely and will hold it's line very nicely where in same conditions FWD car would plow forward and simply understeer badly whenever front wheels loose traction. Comparable tires, same conditions .....no comparison,period. Now is 2nd scenario when we use more speed in turn and rather defensive driving technique, Subaru will understeer and plow forward like any other car. Finally most fun and effective scenario >>> on power through the turn >>> that's when that AWD system shines. Usually simple approach is to hit the gas in the beginning of the turn to initiate rotation and than back off the gas a little to neutralize. All that equals very controllable low traction turns at any speed in any conditions.
So that's the feedback I came with to today's slippery Mazda cx 9 test drive. I am searching for 2010 GT model to replace one of my subarus since 3rd kid is on the way. While winter in Chicago was gracious so far, it finally hit us pretty hard. Snow, very low temps and all those cx 9s sitting at dealership's parking lots on mediocre all season tires, ready to be tested
So I took 08 GT model for a spin today. Absolutely LOVE those cars. Built quality, comfort is spot on. That 08 model with 100k miles rode like new car and other than very weird seat position and extremely short seat itself...I was in love with the car....until the AWD test. So first test presented itself unintentionally. I was puling out of the driveway and had to merge with the traffic quickly. Car had bridgestone duelers all seasons on and road was very slick so I expected little slippage but with AWD I didn't really anticipated any issues. Used to subaru AWD which basically just goes instantly in any but most slippery conditions, I hit the gas ....wow ...lol.....surprise surprise.....Looooong front wheel spin, traction control kicks in, power is cut off and I am slowly ...way too slowly rolling into the main road. My first reactions was ....ok I really though I was test driving AWD trim but apparently i was wrong. Ok, so finally found a perfect test site. Couple frozen patches in the parking lot enables me to put front wheels on very slick surface and rears on semi dry pavement with decent traction. I slammed the gas ....and the same scenario: front wheels spinning, power cut ...then ....wait for it, wait for it....and wait some more ....rear axle finally kicks in with abrupt and obvious transfer case engagement. Turned of traction control...same thing minus power cut and even more brutal rear axle engagement. I would say 1 second or so delay between front slippage and rear wheels engagement. WOW !!! That's just BAD, really bad. AWD is such an afterthought in Mazda cx 9. I can't imagine that such delay could do any good in controlling any slippage in real world emergency situation...say on the highway at higher speeds. I am really hopping that I found a bad fruit and that next AWD CX 9 I test tonight will be more capable.
This whole experience doesn't change my mind about these cars, I am still getting one and I was expecting little bit less capable AWD performance anyway but I was not ready for this. I am now REALLY appreciating simple, yet so capable AWD system in my subbies. CX 9 is basically a FWD vehicle with an AWD that kicks in when it decides that there is some slippage on front axle. That's fine but why it takes it so long to figure this out ??? 30 year old control board with couple transistors slapped to it, is capable of making that decision and basic calculation pretty much instantly....Why CPU in car released in 2007 can't do that instantly ???? Perhaps issue is strictly mechanical???? Viscous couplings/differentials are known to have little delay in engagement but that's exactly what sits in both of my subarus and the moment you hit the gas, all 4s are spinning without hesitation...even in lesser subaru outback.
It's just silly how incompetent mazda's AWD is. I am wondering how it works after that initial delay. As long as it stays on, I can live with it easily. When going uphill on slippery surface, keeping that momentum is everything but even if initial delay causes you to loose all that momentum.....engaged AWD should do the work, in most situations.
yes, I know rubber is everything and I am the most vocal advocate of winter tires you will ever meet still......good rubber needs help and keeping momentum is SO important in any poor traction situation. Love the car but I am now questioning if I should even invest more in AWD trim.
Any input from CX 9 AWD users will be very appreciated.
Little background. I own 2 subarus, 2011 outback and 08 Legacy GT SPEC B. The latter one was tracked both in the summer and on frozen lakes in Wisconsin so I have pretty good understanding on how AWD works.
Spec B has viscous center differential and Torsen LSD on the rear axle. Outback has much less sophisticated AWD with viscous center and open rear diff. Spec B is biased more toward the rear axle and is absolute dream to drive both in dry and on snow/ice. Rear comes around very nicely depending on the amount of gas input and is very controllable once you understand it's idiosyncrasies. Outback is not as fun but still very capable. What is common for both these cars and any subaru recently produced, is the fact that AWD is always engaged. I believe technical term Subaru literature uses is "drag". There is always minimal drag on the rear axle. Some sources estimate it to be 5-10% depending on many factors, model, year car included. Even on the highway, cruising at constant speed, you will have AWD engaged. I find this to be very reassuring and definitely improves stability and safety. It definitely stabilizes car in turns when on power and obviously makes all the difference in slippery conditions. When I was switching from front wheel drive to AWD subarus couple years ago I noticed that in snow/ice at very low speed, even when you are off gas and kind of cruising through the turn in residential areas, Subaru will track nicely and will hold it's line very nicely where in same conditions FWD car would plow forward and simply understeer badly whenever front wheels loose traction. Comparable tires, same conditions .....no comparison,period. Now is 2nd scenario when we use more speed in turn and rather defensive driving technique, Subaru will understeer and plow forward like any other car. Finally most fun and effective scenario >>> on power through the turn >>> that's when that AWD system shines. Usually simple approach is to hit the gas in the beginning of the turn to initiate rotation and than back off the gas a little to neutralize. All that equals very controllable low traction turns at any speed in any conditions.
So that's the feedback I came with to today's slippery Mazda cx 9 test drive. I am searching for 2010 GT model to replace one of my subarus since 3rd kid is on the way. While winter in Chicago was gracious so far, it finally hit us pretty hard. Snow, very low temps and all those cx 9s sitting at dealership's parking lots on mediocre all season tires, ready to be tested
So I took 08 GT model for a spin today. Absolutely LOVE those cars. Built quality, comfort is spot on. That 08 model with 100k miles rode like new car and other than very weird seat position and extremely short seat itself...I was in love with the car....until the AWD test. So first test presented itself unintentionally. I was puling out of the driveway and had to merge with the traffic quickly. Car had bridgestone duelers all seasons on and road was very slick so I expected little slippage but with AWD I didn't really anticipated any issues. Used to subaru AWD which basically just goes instantly in any but most slippery conditions, I hit the gas ....wow ...lol.....surprise surprise.....Looooong front wheel spin, traction control kicks in, power is cut off and I am slowly ...way too slowly rolling into the main road. My first reactions was ....ok I really though I was test driving AWD trim but apparently i was wrong. Ok, so finally found a perfect test site. Couple frozen patches in the parking lot enables me to put front wheels on very slick surface and rears on semi dry pavement with decent traction. I slammed the gas ....and the same scenario: front wheels spinning, power cut ...then ....wait for it, wait for it....and wait some more ....rear axle finally kicks in with abrupt and obvious transfer case engagement. Turned of traction control...same thing minus power cut and even more brutal rear axle engagement. I would say 1 second or so delay between front slippage and rear wheels engagement. WOW !!! That's just BAD, really bad. AWD is such an afterthought in Mazda cx 9. I can't imagine that such delay could do any good in controlling any slippage in real world emergency situation...say on the highway at higher speeds. I am really hopping that I found a bad fruit and that next AWD CX 9 I test tonight will be more capable. This whole experience doesn't change my mind about these cars, I am still getting one and I was expecting little bit less capable AWD performance anyway but I was not ready for this. I am now REALLY appreciating simple, yet so capable AWD system in my subbies. CX 9 is basically a FWD vehicle with an AWD that kicks in when it decides that there is some slippage on front axle. That's fine but why it takes it so long to figure this out ??? 30 year old control board with couple transistors slapped to it, is capable of making that decision and basic calculation pretty much instantly....Why CPU in car released in 2007 can't do that instantly ???? Perhaps issue is strictly mechanical???? Viscous couplings/differentials are known to have little delay in engagement but that's exactly what sits in both of my subarus and the moment you hit the gas, all 4s are spinning without hesitation...even in lesser subaru outback.
It's just silly how incompetent mazda's AWD is. I am wondering how it works after that initial delay. As long as it stays on, I can live with it easily. When going uphill on slippery surface, keeping that momentum is everything but even if initial delay causes you to loose all that momentum.....engaged AWD should do the work, in most situations.
yes, I know rubber is everything and I am the most vocal advocate of winter tires you will ever meet still......good rubber needs help and keeping momentum is SO important in any poor traction situation. Love the car but I am now questioning if I should even invest more in AWD trim.
Any input from CX 9 AWD users will be very appreciated.
