2007-2008 Mazda CX-7: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Mazda's CX-7 debuted for 2007 as the company's first car-type, midsize sport-utility vehicle. This five-passenger four-door crossover wagon came in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring models with either front- or all-wheel drive, the latter lacking low-range gearing. All CX-7s had a 244-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, drawn from the sporty MazdaSpeed 6 sedan, and a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift gate. When promoting the CX-7, Mazda continued the "zoom-zoom" message that it's used in connection with other vehicles, to suggest their sporty-handling nature. In fact, Mazda called the CX-7 its "sports crossover SUV." Sleek styling details included a steep (66-degree) windshield angle, prominent fender arches, and a curved roofline. Every CX-7 came with antilock braking and traction/antiskid control. Also standard were front side airbags and curtain side airbags with rollover deployment. Touring and Grand Touring editions added leather upholstery and heated front seats. Available for all was a navigation system with rearview camera. The steering wheel came from Mazda's MX-5 sports car, as did the driver manipulated a high-mounted gearshift lever. CX-7's rivals included the Honda Pilot, Nissan Murano, Saturn Vue, and Toyota Highlander.