We racked up 9,000 kilometers in the CX-9 and had to send it back home. But during that time, this SUV changed some people's preconceptions that a big vehicle is clumsy, slow and fuel-thirsty. Actually, two of these three preconceptions changed, and the last one didn't.

Mazda succeeded at creating a mid-size SUV that is quite fun to drive.

It's been a while since the Mazda left us, and we're a little late on delivering this second report long-term report, we admit. But as they say, better late than never.

Surprise number one: good handling
Friends, family and colleagues all had their turn behind the wheel of the CX-9. They climbed their kids aboard, went on road trips and tested it in their daily commute while taking notes. And even though we had trouble with some people's handwriting, one thing stood out.

Mazda succeeded at creating a mid-size SUV that is quite fun to drive. The CX-9 offers a dynamic driving experience, something us journalists found hard to believe when the vehicle was first presented to us at the 2006 New York auto show. The big Mazda drew praise for its easy-to-drive demeanour.

A couple of people complained about banging their heads a few times while climbing in, due to the slanted A-pillars, which also produce blind spots up front.

The CX-9 got high marks for seat comfort front and back, and one person was particularly impressed with the SUV's driving position. The 3rd-row seat drew a lot of snickers, though, and one comment found in the notes summed up the evaluation of the rearmost bench: "Is this seat made for humans?"

Surprise number two: not slow
The 3.7-litre V6 develops 273 horsepower in the CX-9, and it was deemed more than sufficient for pulling this SUV around. Testers were surprised how quick this big Mazda jumps off the line, and passing power is plentiful as the 6-speed automatic manages the V6 well.

Although the all-wheel drive system in the CX-9 works without any involvement from the driver, a family in particular was glad to have chosen the SUV for heading up to the cabin on a particularly snowy Friday night. The CX-9 got them to their destination in utter confidence, and there was more than enough space inside to haul their gear for their stay.

The CX-9's AWD system is front-wheel biased, but sends up to 50% of available power to the rear wheels when slippage is detected. A front-wheel drive CX-9 is also available.

The 3.7-litre V6 was deemed more than sufficient for pulling this SUV around.