How big is the biggest Mazda? With an overall length of almost 200 inches it is at least a foot longer than the Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander or even the new five-passenger Ford Edge, with which it shares some components.

With a standard three rows of seats it can carry seven adults (think 6-footers) thanks to a third row designed with adults in mind.

The surroundings are handsome and while it was easy for a 5-foot 6-inch woman to climb into the CX-9, the seating position is high enough that one looks over at, not up to, drivers of SUVs.

The CX-9 is available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, providing a nice option for those who worry about snowy travel in hilly areas.

In addition, Mazda gets credit equipping even the least-expensive model with important safety equipment. This includes electronic stability control which help the driver maintain control, and air curtains, which provide head protection in a side-impact crash.

Power comes from a refined, new 263-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 designed by Ford and built in Ohio before being shipped to Japan where the CX-9 is assembled. It works with an impressive six-speed, Japanese-made automatic transmission that can be shifted manually if the driver is interested in some frisky motoring.

The CX-9 responds quickly to the driver's requests, feeling surprisingly enthusiastic about travel on a serpentine two-lane. But the price is a stiff ride on a rough surface.

So, if the CX-9 isn't an SUV and it is not a minivan, what is it? It is another example of what industry insiders often refer to as a "crossover" vehicle. This is one of the fastest growing segments in the industry because crossovers can provide better fuel economy, ride and handling than truck-based SUVs.

Mazda officials also stress that the CX-9 is not just a longer version of the CX-7, the two-row, five passenger crossover introduced last year. The mechanical underpinnings are different and the structures of the two are not related.

Who might like the CX-9? Anybody who needs the people-carrying capacity of a mid-size SUV or a minivan but wants something with a sporty look and the road manners to back it up. That description fits a lot of us.