As the saying goes, there is always room for improvement. In the motor industry, minor improvements often come in the form of performance, handling and design. So when the Mazda design, engineering and product marketing divisions sat down to discuss minor refreshes for the 2010 CX-9, they quickly realised just how challenging the task would be.

The big brother of the CX-7 available in SA, has been something of a hit in the US. So as it moves into its fourth year of production, the three-row crossover SUV gets an exterior and interior facelift, added options and reinforced safety features.

As is the case with other recent vehicles in the Mazda lineup, the 2010 CX-9 receives a "Nagare"-inspired exterior and interior. Wrapped from front to rear with subtle design cues that express the "embodiment of motion," the exterior of the CX-9 gets the new Mazda family face which includes a bolder five-point grille, radiator grille, front combination lamps and fog lamps; new 20-inch and 18-inch wheel design; larger, more aerodynamic side mirrors; and rear combination lamps that mimic the same Nagare-inspired texture as front lamps.

Inside, new appointments freshen up the interior, while maintaining the basic styling theme of the outgoing model. So you get more chrome accents; new fabric seating surfaces; piano-black insets on steering wheel and around audio display; smooth leather and subtle stitching on seating surfaces; and new double-lid design centre console.

Power comes courtesy of a 204kW 3.7-litre V6 engine coupled to a six-speed Sport AT automatic transmission with manual-mode. Front-wheel drive is standard, with Mazda's Active Torque All-Wheel Drive optionally available. Also used in the CX-7 crossover SUV, this system adjusts to changing traction needs by monitoring wheel slippage, steering angle, yaw rate, lateral acceleration and available driveline torque. In normal driving, 100-percent of the driving torque is delivered to the front wheels. During aggressive acceleration or when one front wheel is on the verge of slip, a controlled percentage of the available torque is directed to the rear axle.

To live up to the Mazda "Soul of a Sports Car" philosophy CX-9 has independent suspension on all four corners.

And since the car is likely to be used mostly for ferrying people, they haven?t skimped on safety features.

Roll Stability Control (RSC) uses both body-roll rate and wheel speed sensors to determine when corrective action is necessary. A momentary torque reduction, combined with an automatic brake application, assists in restoring the CX-9 to an even keel.

The four-wheel ventilated disc-brakes include ABS and EBD systems, and when excessive wheel slippage is detected, a Traction Control System (TCS) automatically reduces driveline torque to help restore traction. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) reduces driveline torque and automatically applies one or more brakes to minimize under- or over-steer during emergency manoeuvres.

And the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system supports the driver when changing lanes on roads and highways.

Protection is provided by sensor-activated side-curtain airbags which extend from the first to the third row. Pretensioner devices automatically remove slack from the belt system immediately after a moderate or greater frontal collision and load limiters are incorporated to provide some give as the occupant moves forward. The CX-9's front headrests incorporate new design features, which are designed primarily to reduce neck injuries during rear impacts.

Only in America though — in SA where bigger isn't considered better, we've got to stick with CX-7.