2007-2008 Mazda CX-7: Road Test

Peppy once underway, a test AWD Grand Touring Mazda CX-7 accelerated to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds. Turbo lag is noticeable when pulling away from a stop and during around-town passing maneuvers. Manually shifting the automatic transmission partly offsets the lazy throttle response. Fuel economy isn't the greatest. Test AWD models averaged a disappointing 14.3 to 14.5 mpg in mostly city driving, and 18.0 to 21.4 mpg with more highway use. Premium-grade fuel is required. Producing a firmer ride than some might prefer, the CX-7 suspension irons out most pavement imperfections well. Still, some sharp bumps can pound through. Minor but annoying body jiggle occurs on rippled surfaces at highway speeds. Some testers have said wavy surfaces generate too much up-and-down body motion. Less car-like than advertised, the CX-7 is agile for an SUV of this size and weight, abetted by fine steering and a well-planted feel. In fact, it trades some ride comfort for improved handling. An impressively tight turning radius translates to good maneuverability. Standard antiskid control is laudable, though it activated on one test CX-7 even in fairly low-effort cornering. Brake response and control also impress. Acceptably quiet on the whole, the CX-7 suffers from coarse-surface tire hum. Some test-drivers also have cited engine whine during acceleration, but engine and wind noise are modest in routine cruising. One test model suffered a dashboard rattle when rolling over rippled pavement. Gauges are stylish, but test-drivers disagree on their ease of readability. Some testers also disliked the red night lighting. The dashtop display positions audio and climate readouts remote from their related controls. Standard steering-wheel audio switches are a plus, mainly because the main array takes time to learn. Large, simple knobs for climate functions are more appealing, and the available navigation system is easy to program. Cabin decor matches CX-7 new-car pricing, but is let down by some budget-grade plastics, as well as by unconvincing silver paint that tries to pass for metal accents. Front occupants get abundant legroom, but taller folks might want greater head clearance. Seats are well bolstered to keep passengers in place during fast cornering, but some testers felt they don't rise high enough for an optimal driving position. The steering wheel tilts, but sadly, does not telescope. Despite curvy styling visibility is quite good all around. The CX-7's high-ride stance makes step-in a bit steep. Rear legroom is tight with front seats far back. The front passenger seat does not slide as far back as the driver's, leaving slightly more right-rear knee space. Good foot space is welcome, but the seat-cushion contour forces some riders into slight knees-up posture. Cargo space behind the rear seat beats most like-sized SUVs for total volume, but is small by class standards. Liftover is fairly high and load volume not usefully cubic. The cargo bay has two nice touches: a reversible carpeted/plastic rear floor panel, and easy-to-reach releases that make lowering the standard 60/40 rear seatbacks a quick operation-though they do not fold flat. The laptop-size center console bin and integral door cupholders are nice, but the CX-7 cabin needs more spaces for small items.

Value for the Money
Mazda's CX-7 emphasizes sport over utility and ride comfort, to stand out in a crowded market segment. On the downside, its turbo four-cylinder engine is neither as fuel-efficient as one might expect, nor as smoothly powerful as it should be. Still, the CX-7 shows some appeal for those who need something roomier than a midsize car and want fresh-looking SUV styling.