Mazda CX-7

A sporty crossover from Hiroshima

The CX-7 was Mazda's sporty alternative to boxy SUVs, sitting below the three-row CX-9. Its design, credited to Moray Callum's team with Iwao Koizumi, features a wide five-point grille, bulging front wings inspired by the Mazda RX-8, a steep windscreen and a tapering glasshouse. It uses Ford C1 platform elements, with front suspension shared with the Mazda MPV and rear suspension from the Mazda5. The brand's story is told in the history of Mazda, and the range is in the Mazda catalogue.

DISI turbo, 2.5 and diesel engines

The 2.3 DISI combines direct injection with a turbocharger and intercooler; it is related to the engines of the Mazdaspeed3 and Mazdaspeed6. In North America it was retuned with a smaller turbocharger for more torque at low revs. With this engine the CX-7 reaches 100 km/h in about 8.3 seconds and more than 200 km/h, but it is thirsty: about 9.3 L/100 km on the highway and 15.3 L/100 km in town. The 2.5 is calmer, taking about 10.3 seconds to 100 km/h and averaging about 9.4 L/100 km. The European diesel used urea-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR), cutting nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 40% and meeting Euro 5.

All-wheel drive and chassis

Active Torque Split AWD uses electronically controlled magnetic clutches. In normal driving the front wheels take the torque; on slippery surfaces up to 50% goes to the rear wheels. With ground clearance of about 205 mm (208 mm after the 2009 update), the CX-7 handles snow and gravel roads, but it is not intended for real off-road use.

Suspension is independent at both ends, with disc brakes all round, ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, traction control and DSC stability control.

CX-7 size and luggage space

CX-7 cabin

The cabin focuses on solid build quality rather than luxury; the plastics are hard but do not rattle. The three-spoke steering wheel, borrowed from the Mazda3, adjusts for reach and rake, and the leather-trimmed wheel and gear lever carry controls for the main systems. The sporty front seats sit low and deep, and the thick A-pillars limit visibility. The rear seat suits two adults; a third is tight. Storage includes a 5.4-litre box between the front seats, a lockable glovebox, door pockets and seat-back pockets.

The heater warms the cabin quickly in winter. Owners have criticised the small reversing-camera screen and a camera that gets dirty in rain, and on some cars the powerful audio system made the door trims vibrate.

The 2009 facelift

Mazda revealed the updated CX-7 at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto in February 2009 and showed it in Europe at Geneva a month later. It gained a larger five-point grille, new fog lights in reshaped side intakes, revised rear styling, new instruments with a 3.5-inch monochrome and 4.1-inch colour information display, Bluetooth, a driver's seat memory with three positions, blind-spot monitoring and, in later years, a touchscreen multimedia system. The 2.5 petrol and the 2.2 diesel joined the range at the same time.

CX-7 crash test results

In Euro NCAP's test of the 2010 model, the CX-7 scored 76% for adult occupants, 79% for child occupants, 43% for pedestrians and 71% for safety assist, with weak neck protection lowering the result. The body is designed to spread crash forces across the structure, the engine is guided downwards in a frontal collision, the steering column collapses and the pedal box is designed not to intrude. Front belts have pretensioners and force limiters, and the airbags deploy in stages depending on the crash severity.

Rivals: how the CX-7 compares

The CX-7 competed with the Nissan Murano, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and with the Nissan X-Trail in Europe. It stood out with its styling and handling but the turbo petrol version was thirsty.