Is one of the leading car brands in the world, Mazda has a history of producing stylish, reliable cars. The CX-7 continues the tradition. As a family wagon it has space, style, safety and performance in spades.
The styling is a refreshing change from the many bland offerings in today’s SUV market, and follows the Mazda “Zoom Zoom” theme that has been a feature of their recent releases.
But how does it drive? Performance from the turbocharged 2.3 litre four cylinder engine is strong, and most will find that it has ample power to cope with most conditions. In fact it provides performance strong enough to negate the need for a larger V6 engine.The engine is pretty much free of the usual turbo lag.
On the road the CX-7 handles well, and indeed it feels very sedan like, with direct steering, good turn-in and a lack of body roll when compared to many of it’s direct competitors. In fact, the vehicle feels to be planted to the road.
The ride is firm but well controlled, and the only major irritant is a ride which can sometimes be a little firm and noisy, depending on the road surface.
On the safety front, the CX-7 scores well, with ABS (with electronic brake force distribution), Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control, and six airbags, all standard.
The CX-7 is not a huge SUV, but occupants are well catered for and will find sufficient space for a family of five and their luggage. The front seats offer good support and range of adjustment, and the overall impression of the interior is one of quality. Everything seems to fit well and the controls all have a nice solid, tactile feel to them.
Equipment levels are good, and include Cruise Control, AM/FM/CD audio with automatic level control (which automatically adjusts the volume depending on road speed and noise levels).
For those annual vacation trips (or a weekend away) the CX-7 offers a good size, versatile luggage space. If you fold the rear seats down (they lay almost flat) you’ll have around 60 cubic feet. With the rear seats up that drops to around 30 cubic feet, which is about average for this size vehicle. Of course if you need extra space you can always fit a roof rack.
Fuel consumption is listed at 17MPG city and 22MPG highway, which of course will vary depending on road conditions and driving style.
In summary, Mazda have come up with a winner in the CX-7. As a small family wagon it has most bases covered.
Tags: ample power, annual vacation, car brands, cruise control, dynamic stability control, family wagon, force distribution, luggage space, reliable cars, road speed, suv market, traction control, turbo lag, v6 engine, vacation trips