Since the introduction of the Miata in 1990, Mazda has understood one important thing: it's not just about building a vehicle, that vehicle has to become an extension of the driver. The idea of driving enjoyment has become the dogma behind each and every Mazda product. The CX-7, widely derived from the 2005 MX-Crossport Concept, perfectly embodies the idea of sport in the term "sport utility vehicle". In addition to devastating good looks for a third year running, the CX-7 boasts the technical prowess true the brand's dynamics.
The 2009 Mazda CX-7 is largely unchanged. This crossover SUV comes in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring models with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. All have a 244-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. Touring and Grand Touring have leather upholstery and heated front seats. Heated seats are newly optional on the Sport. Available for all are a navigation system with rearview camera, keyless access and engine start, and a wireless cell phone link.
Competition
Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Larger than Compact SUVs, Midsize SUVs offer a mix of car- and truck-type construction, V6 and V8 power, and up to eight-passenger seating. This class also includes crossover vehicles.
Our Best Buy choices are the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, GMC Acadia, Mazda CX-9, and Saturn Outlook. Our Recommended picks are the Dodge Journey, Ford Flex, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota Highlander.
New or significantly redesigned models include the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Ford Flex, Kia Borrego, Nissan Murano, and Toyota Venza. The Hummer H3 adds a crew-cab pickup truck bodystyle for 2009, while the Dodge Durango adds a gas/electric hybrid model.
Mazda CX-7 -- 2007 First Drive: Interestingly, it takes a trip to the cultural and historic epicenter of the United States to appreciate what's going on in the automotive world. Comparisons and rivalries between imports and domestics have been flourishing for decades, so the issue of Buy American is old news. Same goes with the gap in perceived quality - that one still goes to the folks who call Asia home, justified or not. But when one considers the few domestic strongholds, as well as any recent rebounding segments, the picture is usually one of a large vehicle with a big V8. Granted, today's version is prettier and a bit more efficient, but it's that thirst for "big" that remains the backbone of any spike in domestic sales.
Then there's the flip side of the coin, the import approach. Case in point: the Mazda CX-7, a five-passenger compact SUV that starts at about $24,000 and comes fully loaded for roughly $32,000. More importantly, every CX-7 packs 244 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. And unlike the domestics, this 'ute offers the power of a big V6 or small V8 with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, yet still achieves an EPA highway rating of 24 mpg. To be fair, there are offerings like the homemade Saturn Vue that offers 250 horsepower and up to 28 mpg on the highway from a Honda V6 and the Chevy Equinox with six cylinders and a whopping 185 horses, neither of which matches the CX-7's handling prowess. For big, powerful rides that promise efficiency when a corn-based ethanol infrastructure is developed sometime in the future, or a hybrid SUV that no one seems to be buying (Ford can't Escape that fact), America's got ya covered. But for a ride large and powerful enough to carry you and three or four friends to the mountains, one that makes its driver opt for the back way instead of the highway, Mazda offers the CX-7.
