The 2013 Mazda CX-9 received a fresh face, with a new five-point grille anchoring the re-sculpted front end.By Larry PrintzSome vehicles are glamorous, meant to evoke envy from your friends and neighbours; others live out their lives in quiet competence, delivering exactly what’s expected of them without fanfare, just quiet admiration.The CX-9 seven-passenger crossover SUV is the latter. People won’t envy you — unless they know just how good the CX-9 is.For 2013, the CX-9 received a fresh face, with Mazda’s handsome new five-point grille anchoring the re-sculpted front end. Inside, there’s a revised infotainment system.Originally developed from the same Ford Motor Company platform that underpins the five-passenger Ford Edge, the CX-9 shares more. Both crossovers use the same 3.7-litre double-overhead-cam V-6, which develops 273hp, matched to a six-speed automatic transmission and either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.The CX-9 has enough power to safely navigate pokey parkways and crumbling highways, although fuel economy is disappointing, measuring a mediocre 17 mpg. In contrast, handling is a pleasant surprise. Ride motions are well controlled, but not overly firm. Cornering behaviour reveals minimal body lean, and the steering returns some feedback, instilling driver confidence. While this vehicle is a bit too large to live up to Mazda’s zoom-zoom image, it is agile enough to be very enjoyable to drive, while delivering a quiet, compliant ride.How perfect is that? Very.And, if you have a toy to tow, you might be happy to know that all CX-9 front-wheel-drive models can yank 2,000 pounds of trailer. The Towing Prep Package — optional with front-wheel drive, standard with all-wheel drive — bumps the rating to 3,500 lbs.Styling aside, the CX-9’s cabin carries over unchanged.The three ascending trim levels are Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Even base models come with a generous amount of standard gear, including cloth seats with optional front-seat heaters, tri-zone climate control and Bluetooth connectivity. Stepping up to the mid-level Touring adds the sort of gear most buyers appreciate, including leather seats, eight-way power driver seat with power lumbar support, auto on/off headlights, blind spot monitoring, rear backup sensors and a rearview camera. The top trim level gilds the lily, but doesn’t seem essential.A new 5.8-inch information screen is standard on all CX-9s for 2013, while the audio system has added HD Radio and Pandora to its arsenal of entertainment options. It resides in an instrument panel that’s blessedly simple to use.The CX-9’s cabin space is decent, although it doesn’t seem as generous as its overall size suggests. Front passengers might find the centre console a bit too wide, while the second-row seats are a little low — not unusual for crossovers. But they do slide forward, adding space in the third row for cargo or people, although the sloping backlight impedes cargo-hauling ability. The CX-9 does offer generous headroom, however.The CX-9 starts at $29,785 (in the US), with the test vehicle, a fully loaded Grand Touring model with all-wheel drive, coming in just under $40,000.At that price, you’ll be getting a vehicle that quietly goes about its business without calling undue attention to itself. That may be about to change. Given the CX-9’s agile handling and newfound dose of style, this crossover may finally earn the notoriety it deserves, even if it will never be glamorous. — The Virginian-Pilot/MCT* Price and technical specifications may vary in locally available models