Mazda CX-7

The Mazda CX-7 SUV was presented to a wide audience for the first time at the Los Angeles show in 2006. At the same time there was a splash of popularity of this car. The launch of the first models and the start of sales also took place in 2006.

An interesting fact is that the American version of the СХ-7 with a gasoline engine is more widespread in the Russian Federation. When February 2009 came, in Canada, and more precisely in Toronto, the presentation of the restyled model СХ-7 took place. A month later in Geneva, a car show was held, where the European premiere was shown. The whole model range is Mazda.

Exterior

A lot of people are gonna love the look of the car. Mazda СХ-7 combines the verified design of the body, two exhaust pipes and lanterns, which additionally emphasize the sportiness of the car. In general, the exterior of the car has been improved to the family image of the entire line of crossovers Mazda.

If you look at it from the face, you can see the bloated front wings, over which the V-shaped hood is placed. All design elements are harmoniously combined. This shows its excellent aerodynamics. The head optics of Mazda SX-7 are quite aggressive in appearance.

The side air intakes were recycled and fog lights were placed in them. Now the Mazda СХ-7 has become more sporty outwardly. The bumper and fog lights began to have a new shape. As for the pentagonal grille, it has increased in width and looks like a big smile, which has become almost a traditional moment for the rest of the Mazda company after 2010.

The vehicle’s style has retained its sporty character, as evidenced by the sharp angles of the front struts, which at the same time give the vehicle excellent aerodynamic properties. The medium sized crossover version of the Mazda CX 7 is an excellent example of a design solution.

Thanks to the massive, low-lying air intake, the DISI motor can be cooled better. The radiator grille flows smoothly into the hood as if it were a continuous line. The shape of the front wings is a bit like Mazda RX-8.

The windshield was installed at an acute angle, and the rear doors are followed by side windows, sharply narrowing in the stern area. With reduced dimensions, the front headlights are almost connected with each other. They have 84 built-in LEDs.

Interestingly, Iwao Kizumi, Mazda’s chief designer, said that he invented the concept of the crossover exterior when he was in the fitness center.

Wheel arches hold wheels up to the nineteenth radius. The flowing roof merges into one unit along with the side window aperture line. Wave-like have turned out and doors of a crossover, they are very reliable. The side windows established behind possess the chromeplated edging that allows to make the exterior of a crossover unusual, adds additional gloss.

As well as SUV feed CX-7 is clearly aligned and light, the rear dimensions are high. Reflective elements and the rear bumper are one unit. The aft part has a small luggage compartment door with glass and a spoiler. In this car, the engineering staff professionally combined the striking individuality of sports cars with the practicality of SUVs.

Based on the Mazda CX 7, you can see that the crossover has received an attractive appearance, tempting dynamics and a decent level of comfort. “The Japanese kids’ kick-off is a good example of a sporty approach to creating a SUV car.

In reality, the Mazda SX-7 has been able to challenge the established stereotypes, possessing an extraordinary appearance, excellent interior space and impressive dynamic characteristics. This vehicle is based on the improved all-wheel drive base Mazda 6.

Interior

The interior has the same style. When assembling, attention is paid not to the luxury of the interior, but to the quality of individual parts. A high landing height increases the driver’s visibility while driving. In the process of production of the salon Mazda СХ-7 only advanced technologies were used.

The steering wheel to this model has passed from the third Mazda. Individual devices on the panel look very nice and have the proper information. However, many may have the impression that the central console is overloaded with different keys and buttons, especially it is striking against the background of two small screens.

Owners of Mazda СХ-7 note the comfort in managing the options and functions of the car. All “twists” are located very conveniently and close to the driver’s hands. The steering wheel in this parquet is adjustable by departure and inclination. Electrical adjustment is also present in the rearview mirrors. The position of the seats in the car can be adjusted by pressing buttons.

It is not so easy to find the optimal position, because the seats, which received a sports profile, are set low and deep in the cabin, and the front post is heavily backfilled. Thanks to this, the driver’s seat is not the perfect view from the driver’s seat. The three-spoke steering wheel itself, together with the gearshift lever, has been pulled up by the leather.

The steering wheel has controls for important electrical systems in the vehicle. The front panel is divided into two functional zones, where the lower one has a round dashboard and ventilation dampers, and the upper one has an on-board computer screen. The front seats are separated by a high central tunnel. They are equipped with belts with tensioning force limiters.

The heater has been set up so that even in winter the temperature of the interior can rise within minutes of switching on. With a powerful audio system in place, the sound is so strong that the door trim can rattle due to its vibrations. Many people have noticed the inconvenience of the location of the screen, on which the image from the rear view camera is displayed.

In this case, very often in rainy weather, it is clogged, and the image is displayed very bad. This results in some kind of difficulty in reversing. The second row of seats can comfortably accommodate two people. But the third one will have to squeeze. The trunk has a capacity of 455 liters with a sufficiently high loading capacity.

If you add up the back row of seats, the capacity increases several times. Carrying large appliances or small pieces of furniture will be much easier! As you know, the Japanese pay special attention to the quality of finishing and materials. In Mazda СХ-7 it is especially felt!

When finishing the interior of Mazda SH-7, they used hard plastic, however, it is not creaky. In order to have a place to put their things, Japanese designers provided a 5.4-liter glove compartment, placed between the front seats. In addition, based on the Mazda CX 7 photo, there is a glovebox, which can be locked with a key, as well as pockets in the front doors and a niche for magazines on the rear side of the front seats.

With the rear seat row folded back, the useful volume increases to 1,350 litres of usable space. Already after 2009, the vehicle received a modernized “device”, 4.1-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth support and driver’s seat with a memory function in 3 positions. The restyling model already has a multimedia system that supports touch input.

Specifications

Powertrain

In this section of the review we will consider Mazda СХ-7 technical characteristics. Kas it is known in the territory of the Russian Federation it is possible to get the car with two variants of engines:

• Gasoline, 2.5-liter engine with 163 horsepower and a maximum torque of 205 Nm. Such an engine will be by the way a calm and measured owner, who does not focus on sharp acceleration, speed control and high maximum speed. In reality, the machine lacks power and motor traction. The first hundred is achieved in only 10.3 seconds. It is important to understand that for a crossover with a mass exceeding two tons, a 163-horsepower motor will not be enough. For every 100 kilometers, the average consumption is about 9.4 liters of gasoline.
• Gasoline, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine MZR, volume 2.3 liters, which has 238 horsepower. The power plant received an intercooler in addition to the turbine. At its peak it produces 350 Nm of torque. Accelerate to a speed mark of 100 kilometers per hour, the car with such an engine can be in 8.3 seconds. Control, cornering and stability on a straight line – all this has an engine. The rear axle helps during difficult driving situations (it is connected during slippage of the front wheels).

Fuel consumption for Mazda SX-7 is acceptable. “The 2.3-litre engine consumes 9.3 and 15.3-litres of gasoline on the highway and in the city, respectively. In general, fuel consumption in Mazda СХ 7 may depend on many factors, including driving style. The speed limit can exceed 200 kilometres per hour.

The European market has received a Selective Catalytic Reducion exhaust aftertreatment system. With this system, the nitrogen oxide content of the exhaust gases can be reduced by up to 40 percent. The power plant complies with the Euro-5 environmental standard.

Transmission

As a gearbox for the 2.5-liter “engine”, a five-speed automatic is used. It is also possible to select a six-speed automatic. But the car with such a box comes only with a 2.3-liter engine and the torque is transmitted only to the front wheels. Included with the 238 hp engine is a six-speed automatic transmission.

Carriage

The technical part has independent front and rear suspensions, disc brakes with ABS system and electronic assistants – EBD, EBA, TCS and DSC. Do not think that the Japanese car Mazda SH 7 has real off-road qualities.

As any similar car in its class, it is intended only for light off-road conditions. Of course, the height of the ground clearance is 205 millimeters (after the 2009 update of 208 mm), but this does not mean that it is worth wandering through the fields and forests. Its elements are rugged terrain and light off-road.

Safety

Safety systems help the X7 to provide dynamic stabilization and emergency braking during an emergency situation. In addition, the Japanese workers tried to ensure that during the testing of the machine on the NCAP system, the car was able to get 4 stars out of five possible.

Of course, it wasn’t an ideal estimate, but it wasn’t the worst as for the off-road version. The overall rating was downgraded due to insufficient protection of the adult neck. But despite this, the Japanese managed to take care of the proper level of safety.

If we take the load-bearing body structure of the car, it was carried out in such a way that any energy during the collision was not concentrated in one area, but properly redistributed throughout the structure and dissipated.

Speaking of airbags and belt tensioners, it is worth saying that they can function in different ways in the car. This process is controlled by the electronic control unit.

If necessary, he decides that it is better to tighten the belt or signal to the gas generators of certain pillows. The airbag is deflated only by touching a person. They are not intended to be reused, as they are disposable.

Even the simplest equipment Mazda CX 7 has front seat belts with special tensioning devices and belt tensioning force limiters. With the help of a special design of the undercarriage space, it is possible to count on the power unit to go sideways or downwards during a frontal collision, but not into the interior.

The steering column is crumpled during the collision and does not run towards the chest or head of the owner. The front seats can also absorb considerable energy during a Japanese crossover accident. The pedal compartment has been placed and designed so that it does not move in an accident.

Complete sets and prices

Mazda СХ-7 price for the basic equipment is 1,184,000 rubles. The kit includes:

• Airbags;
• ABS;
• Stabilisation;
• Climate control;
• Electric window lifters;
• Qualitative audio system with mp3;
• Warming the seats;
• Cruise control;
• Fog lights;
• Disks R17.

Top equipment Mazda СХ-7 sport will cost the buyer $23277,00. In addition to the basic functions it includes acoustics from Bose, rear view camera, leather interior, a lot of sensors, xenon optics and R19 disks. In addition to the above options, the top version comes with intelligent assistants, such as ultrasonic and ultrafunctional sensors, cameras around the perimeter of the car, radar with a long radius. Vehicle manufactured in Japan can move not only on a straight road, but also notice signs on the road and pedestrians.

Tuning

Japanese automobile concern Mazda is popular in many countries of the world. Partly, this has been achieved through the production of passenger cars, which are a great way to upgrade. Here everything depends on personal preferences. You can make a powerful sports car, and if it is not necessary, you can create a stylish look for this crossover, and tuning will help.

Chip tuning

The main objective of this method is to improve the dynamic characteristics of the car. If necessary, it is possible to increase the engine power or increase the acceleration speed.

For logical reasons, to achieve this, it is necessary to upgrade the engine design and work on the transmission. However, in the event that for various reasons the owner does not have the necessary amount to buy new parts or just do not need it, as an alternative solution can be just a chip-tuning Mazda SH-7.

External tuning

Any owner, no matter what kind of car he has, Lada Kalina or Mazda СХ 7, would like to stand out among other drivers. There is nothing wrong with it. But with the help of chip-tuning you won’t get it.

It remains to work on improving the exterior of the vehicle. For example, it is possible to completely change the override. Other bumpers are installed on the car, thresholds are mounted in the form of overlays. This can also include special overlays on the optics, which contribute to changing the appearance of the front or rear of the car.

Such a solution is very popular, because from the outside, Mazda looks more attractive and unusual. With the help of so-called “radical” dodgers, it is possible to completely change the appearance of the Japanese crossover. For some, and in general, it may not be clear what kind of car is in front of them. As a simpler and cheaper option, you can consider replacing only some parts of the appearance. The most popular elements are the thresholds. With the help of the refined design thresholds, it is possible to achieve not only an attractive look, but also to protect the crossover doors from dirt, which flies out from under the wheels. In addition, you can put the thresholds and steps.

This makes it possible to change the look of the car and to facilitate access to the interior. Other owners of Mazda SX-7 have a desire to change not only the thresholds, but also both bumpers, hood and wings. Some of them mount new modernized optics and so on. You can even try to replace the wheels. If you put “skating rinks” by 1 inch more, the car will accelerate even faster, and during the corners, it will be felt more confident. But here it is important to remember one important detail – it is not necessary to get steel wheels as they look unimportant.

Comparison with competitors

If you look at the race for the leading positions, the new crossover wants to overtake Antara Opel and Chevrolet Kaptiva. Objectively, the rivals are serious, modern and self-confident. The German car has a dynamic design, excellent running characteristics and high durability.

The saloon also turned out to be solid, and the seats got a comfortable sports form. The American has unsurpassed dynamic properties and is suitable for all types of movement: as if in the city, travel or country trips.

In addition to the already mentioned cars, the list of competitors crossover Mazda СХ 7 can include Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail, Renault Koleos, Subaru Forester, Haval H6 and Great Wall Hover H6.

Owner’s Reviews

Based on most of the reviews of the owners, we can conclude that the machine has a bright individualism of appearance and interior, a rich set of equipment, reliable cabin equipment, good corrosion resistance and reliable gearboxes. I like the level of comfort, abundance of options, relatively low cost, and ease of operation.

The quality level of the Bose audio system will please most car enthusiasts. With a more powerful engine, you can feel very confident, calmly ahead of cars in the city. When replacing certain parts, it is advisable to install only native elements!

To the advantage of the Japanese crossover, we can refer the Japanese quality and a good degree of safety. Operation of the machine is clear, all controls are in place. Although the model is not distinguished by its huge luggage compartment, it is suitable for everyday needs.
But, despite the all-wheel drive system, this car is far from the loud title of a jeep, as it can often “get on the belly” and get stuck. Only a tugboat can help.

Owners also note the weaknesses of Mazda СХ 7, related to the turbine, which often breaks down. As a result, its repair costs a good penny. Drivers do not like poor noise insulation, although the car is packed quite solidly. Also, greater fuel consumption makes you use the vehicle more carefully, saving you money. In winter, windows are often sweating, which has a negative impact on visibility.

Pluses and minuses

We sum up

In general, the car deserves close attention. It is reliable and controllable, and still quite relevant at the moment, despite the fact that its production was discontinued at Mazda a few years ago. Mazda СХ-7 will be appreciated by everyone who likes to drive a quality, fast car!

After the release of the updated version, the car became much better. Department of designers and engineers managed to keep a recognizable appearance, but also to improve the vehicle in many ways. Although many people say that the Mazda СХ-7 is more suitable for women, you can often meet a man behind the wheel of a Japanese crossover.

And all because the car has a pleasant appearance and good dynamic performance. Inside there is no sense of budget, despite the fact that the car is estimated a little lower than its direct competitors. The same plastic is pleasant to the touch. Seats are of high quality and pleasant to be in.

The dashboard allows you to read all the necessary information, although the abundance of red may be a little annoying, but it is for the amateur. There isn’t as much free space in the back as in the older model, but there is enough space for a typical family. The luggage compartment is not a record-breaking one, but it allows you to transport all the necessary things.

The height of the ground clearance hints at the off-road properties of the car, but in reality, it is better not to check the Japanese crossover for off-road. Even the plug-in all-wheel drive system is unlikely to help you.

But it is not necessary to worry about borders and trips to the country house. Power units turned out to be quite powerful, which allowed the Japanese to be very sharp on the road surface. But there is also a second side of the coin – fuel consumption is also considerable, which seriously hits the pockets.

We advise you to read the article: Mazda’s history, as well as to learn about Ford Escape which was created in cooperation with Mazda Motor Corp.

Mazda CX-7 photo

Test drive

Video Overview