Earlier this month, the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) held its 26th annual Texas Truck Rodeo. Our team here at our Mazda dealership near Lakewood, NJ was thrilled to learn that the 2016 Mazda CX-9 had been named the CUV of Texas! Keep reading to find out more!

Over the course of the two-day event, more than 70 vehicles were evaluated in 17 competitive categories. Nic Phillips, Texas Auto Writers Association President, had this to say about why the 2016 Mazda CX-9 earned the CUV of Texas award:

Mazda’s all-new CX-9 earned class-leading marks from our judges particularly in exterior styling, premium interior features, the performance of the new SKYACTIV®-G 2.5T powertrain and overall personal appeal in the highly competitive full-size SUV category. Mazda’s CX-9 is a combination of sleek style with exciting, driver rewarding dynamics and family efficiency which makes for an award winning package, one that carried the CX-9 to be our runner-up for the overall CUV of Texas award.

In the ten years that the Mazda CX-9 has been on the market, it has changed the face of the full-size CUV segment from being solely about utility and capability to now being about style, comfort, refinement, impressive performance, and more! The 2016 Mazda CX-9 fully utilizes the Mazda brand’s KODO—Soul of Motion design program. It also offers innovative technologies, premium and authentic materials, and an engaging and dynamic ride.

The CUV of Texas award comes on the heels of the announcement that the 2016 Mazda CX-9 had been named to the shortlist of nominees for the 2017 World Car of the Year honor. To find out more about the 2016 Mazda CX-9 and everything that it has to offer, head on down to Lester Glenn Mazda to speak to a member of our team today!