A sporty-looking crossover seating seven in three rows and earning five-star crash ratings seems a bit like having your cake and eating it, too. Hip soccer moms rejoice at the Mazda CX-9, introduced last year, but entering 2008 with a more-powerful engine. The roomy crossover seats seven comfortably, with easy access to the adult-size third row via larger doors and a second row that slides and flips forward easily. The second row split-folds 60/40, reclines, and slides back and forth to add more legroom or cargo space. The third row splits 50/50. Both rows fold flat, expanding the 17-cubic-foot cargo area to an oversized 100 cubic feet.

The 2008 CX-9 features the rear suspension from the Mazda 6, sport-tuned to take advantage of the new 3.7-liter, 270-hp V6 that gets 273 ft-lbs of torque with a 6-speed shiftable automatic. It is available in either front-wheel or automatic all-wheel drive. The base Sport model comes with 18-inch wheels, power features, cruise control, a rear spoiler, and dual exhaust pipes. The Touring trim adds power seats and leather upholstery, while the Grand Touring receives larger 20-inch wheels, remote start, rain-sensing wipers, xenon lamps, memory settings, and flashier chrome trim. New for 2008, the Grand Touring gets a blind-spot warning system. The CX-9's high safety marks are due to ABS brakes, stability control with rollover protection, and dual front-side and head curtain airbags for all three rows.

The sport-tuned suspension adds extra road grip and precise performance, which drivers love. But the 2008 CX-9 is also practical for families, with two cupholders and a bottle holder per row, not to mention 39 inches of second-row legroom. There's little for CX-9 owners to complain about, and the biggest downside seems to be the 16/22 mpg estimates and the lack of a power liftgate and radio data. Otherwise, they rave about the manual mode response of the powertrain, the easy access to the third row, and the spacious interior.