DEALER FOCUS – Car Sales Express
From family SUVs and 4x4s to sedans, hatchbacks and utes, Car Sales Express offer a diverse range of options for those seeking quality pre-owned and near-new vehicles from familiar brands.
Located at Car City Ringwood, and now with a second dealership in Kilsyth focusing on JDM imports, Car Sales Express are committed to making your car buying experience simple, transparent and enjoyable.
The stock at Car Sales Express changes regularly, so if what you’re after isn’t in the showroom today, there’s a chance it’ll be coming soon. And if there’s something in particular you’re looking for, Car Sales Express will work with you to help secure the car of your dreams.
Certified pre-owned vehicles, five-year warranties, no obligation test drives and nationwide delivery are all available from Car Sales Express.
Finance is available (in partnership with Ezilend), offering a range of competitive loan plans and great rates. The experienced Car Sales Express team can guide you through the process - from initial application to final signature - making each step easy. Contact Car Sales Express to find out more.
Car Sales Express buy cars, too. Simply provide some basic details on your vehicle (make, model, year, odometer, condition) and some photos via the website, and Car Sales Express will get back to you with an offer. Once a price is agreed, they will handle all the paperwork, including vehicle disposal and finance payouts, followed by final settlement in your preferred method.
Car Sales Express, Lot 21, Car City Victoria (415-473 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood).
Open 8:30AM to 5:30PM Monday to Friday, 9:00AM to 5:00PM Saturday and 10:30AM to 5:00PM Sunday.
LMCT: 12074
CONTACT US
To get in touch with Car Sales Express, click HERE.
4x4 FOR SALE
Here’s a vehicle currently available at Car Sales Express:
2018 Mazda CX-9 Touring
- 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine
- Six-speed sports automatic
- On demand AWD
- Seven seats
- Well appointed
It became such a regular feature on Australian roads that it’s hard to believe Mazda’s CX-9 large SUV only arrived here in 2007, with just two generations offered before it was replaced by the more premium CX-80 and CX-90 a little over two years ago.
In its brief time on the Australian new car market, the CX-9 became a family favourite, offering spacious seating for seven, powerful engines and a high level of standard equipment. On the upper grades, the spec level arguably elevated the CX-9 above the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento (the main rivals) and made it comparable with SUVs from European brands. A reasonable price was another reason for the CX-9’s popularity.
The first generation (TB) CX-9 was replaced with the second-gen (TC) in 2016. This adopted Mazda’s KODO design language (the final vehicle in the range at that time to be updated), with the wheelbase increased for better interior space. Cryptically, Mazda said their primary aim with the TC CX-9 was to “enhance the various aspects of [customers’] lives”.
The release of the TC saw a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine replace the 3.5- and 3.7-litre naturally aspirated V6 offered previously. While the 2.5 turbo had slightly less power, fuel economy was improved by as much as 25 per cent. At the same time, the six-speed automatic was updated to a SKYACTIV-Drive sports unit.
In total, more than 50,000 units of the TC CX-9 were sold locally before it was discontinued.
In 2018, CX-9 buyers had four grades to choose from, with Sport the entry level, then graduating up through Touring and GT to Azami at the top. All grades could be had in FWD or ‘i-ACTIV’ AWD form, but the 2.5 turbo and a six-speed automatic was the only drivetrain offered – no diesel, no hybrid and no manual trans. The engine produces a healthy 170kW at 5000rpm and 420Nm of torque at 2000rpm, with claimed combined fuel consumption of 8.8lt/100km
Standard appointments, wheel sizes, interior trim and exterior cosmetic changes defined the grades, but styling was common across the range, making it hard to pick one CX-9 from another.
That styling was well received when new and still looks good today, with the bluff front end that’s common to most SUVs broken up by a shield-shaped grille, narrow headlights and sharp creases in the lower bumper. Coupe-like styling included a sloping rear window and sharply defined side glass.
For a CX-9 Touring like the example featured, the first thing to note is that it’s a big vehicle – 5,075mm long, 1,969mm wide and 1,747mm high. Factor that in if your garage space is small. Also be aware that the turning circle is a significant 11.8 metres.
As the CX-9 was designed to be a suburban family hauler, not a tow vehicle – and certainly not an off-roader – towing capacity is just 2,000kg braked, with a caveat that Mazda’s own towing kit is required to achieve that figure. Reflecting its role as a suburban SUV, the spare wheel in the CX-9 was of the space saver type.
The 222mm ground clearance and limits of the i-ACTIV on-demand AWD system mean that tackling rugged terrain isn’t recommended. Gravel roads, muddy fields and mildly challenging off-road trails shouldn’t be a problem, though.
Seating for seven is in the 2-3-2 configuration, with all seats in leather. Heated and power adjustable front seats were standard, with electric lumbar adjustment for the driver. Unlike some other seven-seat SUVs, second-row legroom was excellent in the TC CX-9, with the third-row seats reasonably comfortable for adults. An upgrade that came in 2017 made it easier to access that third row, too.
Second row seats could be reclined, with both second and third row seats foldable to maximise luggage space. With all seven seats occupied, luggage space was reasonable at 230 litres. Folding the third row increased that to 810 litres, then an impressive 1,641 litres with the second row folded, but it should be noted the second-row seats don’t fold completely flat.
This vehicle has roof racks fitted for additional luggage capacity.
Beyond the already mentioned leather seats (with leather steering wheel and gear knob trim, too), other standard features on the CX-9 Touring included an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, auto headlights, auto wipers and a proximity key. This was in addition to items shared with the entry-level Sport grade, like push-button starting, three-zone climate control, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, satnav, a six-speaker sound system, DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth, LED headlights and 18-inch alloys.
Above the Touring grade, the GT and Azami added things like front parking sensors, 20-inch wheels, a 12-speaker sound system, and more safety tech.
Safety equipment on the Touring grade was still extensive, with six airbags (including head airbags for all three rows), ABS, ESC, EBD, AEB (forward and reverse). traction control, rollover stability control, trailer sway control, a hill holder, blind spot sensor, forward collision alert, driver attention detection and fatigue warning, rear cross traffic alert, and collision mitigation with pedestrian detection. This was all part of the ‘i-ActiveSense’ suite and translated to a 5-star ANCAP rating.
The infotainment is Mazda’s MZD Connect system, with touchscreen functionality, augmented by a rotary dial control to scroll through menus. Connecting to the system via Bluetooth and making calls or streaming music is easy. The age of this vehicle means there was no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto functionality (this came shortly after this 2018 model), but this has since been retrofitted.
Other notable features include LED head, tail and fog lights, power windows, an abundance of in-cabin storage, 12V socket, power mirrors, selectable driving modes, an electric park brake, and a 74-litre fuel tank (91 RON fuel).
Finished in Snowflake White Pearl Mica, and with just under 124,000km on the odometer, this Mazda CX-9 Touring presents well inside and out. Visit Car Sales Express at Car City Ringwood for more details, or click HERE.
To see other used vehicles from Car Sales Express, click HERE.
