When I first sat in the new Mazda CX-9, I was impressed by the upscale ambiance of the interior. Then I test drove one, and it didn’t measure up to my expectations.

The difference, in a word, was trim. I sat in the CX-9 Grand Touring at the Detroit show. Then I drove the CX-9 Sport.

To get a better sense of how my impressions could differ so greatly, I went back and forth between the two at the Chicago auto show. And took some photos.

Mazda CX-9 Sport door panel:

Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring door panel:

The two main differences: pleather instead of cloth on the panel insert, and a strip of some of the most attractive fake wood I’ve come across instead of a strip of “piano black” trim. The Grand Touring also adds a wide strip of aluminum-look trim. Both have a comfortable armrest.

Mazda CX-9 Sport instrument panel:

Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring instrument panel:

The same trim differences can be seen here. The Grand Touring also has a nav screen, though this doesn’t do as much for me aesthetically as it does for some people.

I’ve never been a big fan of fake wood. Or even the real stuff. What business does wood have in a car interior? But in this case it has been executed well, and it does a lot to liven up and richen the interior ambiance. The impact of the trim is even more apparent in a cross-car shot:

One unrelated note on the Mazda CX-9 interior: to provide a sporty driving position, it has an unusually high center console for a crossover. The driver’s seat is not even visible in this photo. Compared to the typical SUV, the shifter is higher and further forward. The same view in the upcoming Hyundai Veracruz, which has a much more conventional interior:

Hyundai joins the increasingly long list of manufacturers using brown leather to liven up an otherwise black interior. Mazda does this with the Mazda5, but not with the CX-9 at this point. Something for them to consider.