Mazda

Wednesday, 17th of March 2010

Polls

Search

Mazda CX-7 road test report

Mazda CX-7

Mazda first launched its Mazda CX-7 crossover – a high-riding family car masquerading as a sports utility vehicle - in 2007. On paper, it had the looks and on-road presence to offer a real alternative to the 4x4s that usually find favour among owners of ‘Chelsea tractors’. Unfortunately, there was a large ‘but’ attached: the fact that the CX-7 only came fitted with a thirsty 2.3-litre petrol engine. Not unexpectedly, it proved enough to stop most buyers seriously considering it. Two years later, Mazda has rectified the situation by replacing the engine with a diesel unit and tweaked the car’s styling for good measure. It’s now a different proposition.

Mazda CX-7 consumer car reviews
Request a quote
Have your say!
Mazda CX-7 lease prices
Mazda CX-7 new and nearly new

Performance

A mild facelift for the exterior of the Mazda CX-7 is nothing compared to what’s happened under the bonnet. The punchy 2.3-litre petrol engine with 256bhp has now been sidelined by a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. If a buyer is especially keen on the petrol, Mazda will sell them one, but the focus is now squarely on the 170bhp diesel. It’s a four-cylinder engine and generates a healthy 295lb ft of clout at 2000rpm. In the top of six gears, the engine can take a little time to spool up to its best when cruising below 60mph, but on the motorway, it’s a paragon of flexibility and easy driving manners. Use the lower gears and the CX-7 MZR-CD’s engine gathers revs eagerly and endows this SUV with strong performance. Nought to 62mph in 11.3 seconds is not as brisk as the petrol’s 8.2 seconds but it’s more than enough to keep pace with the diesel CX-7’s rivals. It gains ground on the competition with its smooth refinement and for the well judged balance between the motor and the gearbox, which manage to retain the sporty feel of the petrol CX-7.

Ride & Handling

Full-time four-wheel drive in the CX-7 makes no pretence about off-road ability. It’s here for on-road traction and it works very well to make the Mazda one of the most pleasurable SUVs to drive. On country roads, there are more than generous levels of grip for the CX-7 to give plenty of executive saloons and estates a run for their money, with body lean very well controlled. The turbodiesel CX-7 uses a new power steering set-up, different to the petrol’s for packaging reasons, which gives an even more precise and quick-witted feel. There are no nervous twitches from the steering and it’s still relaxed enough on the motorway for the driver to let the car flow along without constant corrections. In town, the CX-7 is firm-ish but not so much as to affect overall comfort, and all types of noise are ably suppressed.

Build Quality & Reliability

Mazda’s standing as one of the most reliable makes of car you can buy is in safe hands with the CX-7. Some of the cabin materials are revised with the latest version, but it’s only a further push upmarket in the way they are assembled and how they feel to the touch. Every button, dial and lever has a quality feel and imparts an upmarket image to the CX-7 that not all of its rivals can meet. The new turbodiesel engine has been proven in the Mazda 6 family car range, so should be equally as trouble-free in the CX-, while the four-wheel drive transmission is also tried and tested from the existing petrol-powered CX-7.

Safety & Security

Mazda equips the CX-7 with twin front, side and curtain airbags to start with and goes further than a great many rivals with other safety gear. There’s ESP traction control, as you’d expect, plus a rear parking camera to spot any hazards or wayward children that shows up in the dash display where the satellite navigation is usually shown. There’s also a blind spot recognition system called Rear Vehicle Monitoring to warn of any cars the driver might not have seen in the door mirrors. On top of this, there’s also Emergency Stop Signalling to flash the hazard warning lights when the driver brakes hard. Security is taken care of by an alarm, immobiliser and deadlocks.

Space & Practicality

The Mazda CX-7 is one of the most spacious cars in its class for people and it also makes a very good case for itself as an alternative to a family estate car. The large boot may have quite a high load sill, but it offers 455-litres of space with all the seats occupied. Folding one or both of the 60/40 split rear seats is a cinch thanks to levers in the boot that, when pulled, let the rear seat backs drop down to leave a completely flat load floor without the need to mess around folding headrests or moving seat belts out of the way. In this mode, there’s 1348-litres of load space. Rear seat passengers have a very comfortable time of things thanks superbly comfortable seats and plenty of head, leg and shoulder space. For the front passenger and driver, there’s masses of space and electric seat adjustment. The driver can also alter the steering wheel angle and reach, and the view out is good in all directions. The main dials are easy to read thanks to permanent illumination, while the centre console groups the stereo and ventilation controls in easily understood banks. The driver can also work the stereo and satellite navigation functions from the steering wheel. Our only slight gripe is the sat nav screen is on the small side and set deep into the upper centre of the dash top.

Ownership & Value

Mazda has long needed a turbodiesel engine for the CX-7 and now it has one, this SUV is one of the most desirable in its class. It may not have the premium badge of some rivals’, but Mazda’s reputation for enduring reliability should overcome this hurdle for many buyers. Even if the CX-7 does not hold its value quite as tenaciously as some of the competition, it still represents superb value thanks to the incredibly generous level of standard equipment. Leather seats, satellite navigation, climate and cruise controls, electric seat adjustment, reversing camera, slinky alloy wheels and rear privacy glass are all included in the list price of the one and only model trim on offer. In addition to this lot, there are rain sensing wipers, automatic headlights and wipers, heated front seats, CD stereo and Bluetooth and MP3 connections. Fuel economy of 37.7mpg combined is good for the class, while carbon dioxide emissions 199g/km may not be class-leading but are not the worst either. This makes the CX-7 a sound choice for company drivers and private buyers alike with a list price that undercuts most of the competition by a considerable margin when they are equipped to the same level as the Mazda. Throw in group 14 insurance and the CX-7 is a very appealing compact SUV choice.

Submitted: 03/12/2009 09:52:04

Performance

The previous engine in the CX-7 was a 2.3 turbocharged petrol unit, a 256bhp/280lb-ft powerplant that was shared with the Mazda 3 MPS hot hatch. However, its thirst and emissions meant that it proved unpopular with potential buyers. So jettisoning it in favour of a diesel engine is a logical progression – and makes the CX-7 a much more sensible buying proposition. This 2.2-litre unit has already been used by Mazda in the 6, where it has already impressed, but here it has been tuned to supply 170bhp and 295lb-ft of torque. It’s therefore not quite as pokey as the petrol unit, but the deficit in power isn’t quite as marked as the disparity in horsepower suggests, thanks to that extra torque, which supplies some extra urge, especially in the mid-range. That said, 0-62mph comes up in a fairly tardy 11.2 seconds (top speed is 124mph), so it’s not the car for hot hatch-baiting street racers.

Ride & Handling

Despite Mazda promoting the CX-7 as a sporty driving machine, it’s the very comfortable ride that first strikes you after a few minutes behind the wheel. Compliant and cosseting, it makes the driving experience highly enjoyable: it takes ruts, potholes and uneven surfaces in its stride, and didn’t become seriously unsettled at any point in our test drive. The handling is also well set-up and, while it doesn’t quite live up to Mazda’s claim of having the driving dynamics of a sports car, it’s accomplished all the same. Body roll is well contained, which is a not inconsiderable achievement for a car as big and high riding as the CX-7. The steering is also accurate, if a little light: the turn-in at corners and tight bends is precise enough, so the driver always feels in control.

Build Quality & Reliability

Mazda has a very good reputation for reliability, but as a manufacturer it seems to have slipped down the JD Power customer satisfaction survey in recent years. However, the 6 and MX-5 are still highly rated in the league table of individual models, so the CX-7 should be a pretty good bet. The 2.2-litre diesel has already been used in the latest Mazda 6, and so far there don’t seem to be many negative reports about its dependability. The rest of the mechanicals are also tried and tested, including the four-wheel-drive system, which comes from the 6 MPS. In terms of perceived quality, the CX-7 certainly seems up to the job. The exterior is stylish and well-built, with everything looking as if it’s well screwed together. The cabin is also impressive, with high-quality materials throughout, including leather – which is standard as part of the only trim level – and a glossy piano black plastic on many of the surfaces.

Safety & Security

Mazda has added a number of new active safety features to the CX-7, including a new emergency stop signalling (ESS) system, which automatically activates the hazard warning lights whenever the driver brakes abruptly and heavily. There’s also a new rear vehicle monitoring system (RVM), previously available only on Mazda 6 and the Mazda 3 MPS, which enables safe lane-changing, thanks to the use of radar to monitor traffic behind the car that warns the driver of an approaching vehicle before s/he moves into a busy lane and also detects vehicles driving in the blind spot. There’s also the usual alphabet soup of electronic safety systems, such as anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control (TCS), dynamic stability control (DSC), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assist (EBA). And if all that doesn’t keep you out of an accident, there are front, side and curtain airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.

Space & Practicality

Inside the CX-7 there’s enough space for five occupants to travel in relative comfort, although three adults in the rear might be a bit of a squeeze. Bootspace is also pretty decent, with 455 litres with the 60/40 rear seats upright and, using the one-touch rear seat back release in the boot, they fold down to increase capacity to 774 litres. The single trim level includes lots of quality kit that make the CX-7 a very practical car, so you’ll get climate control air-con, cruise control, steering wheel-mounted controls, electric front and rear windows, electric heated seats in the front, a Bose surround sound audio system with 6-CD changer and nine speakers, plus integrated satellite navigation and Bluetooth for use with your mobile phone. Our only quibble would be with the tiny sat nav screen: it’s well positioned in the centre of the dash, but it’s almost distractingly small. Let’s hope that size doesn’t matter.

Ownership & Value

The new CX-7 is a huge improvement when it comes to examining it as an ownership proposition, but it still requires something of a leap of faith on the part of potential buyers. The £25,785 initial purchase price isn’t cheap, but there’s no options list to push the price up further: the full spec is all-encompassing and all-inclusive, so you drive away with all the kit you will need. As such, it makes the CX-7 a serious competitor to the Land Rover Freelander (HSE trim is £32,595) and the Audi Q5 S line (£30,350), and is only outpriced by the Ford Kuga Titanium (£24,445). Fuel economy, although not as hideously inefficient as the previous petrol-powered model, is still an unremarkable 37.7mpg, which will still make it fairly costly to run. A CO2 figure of 199g/km isn’t bad for an SUV of the CX-7’s size, but it still falls into Band J for road tax, meaning an annual bill of £215.

Submitted: 06/11/2009 15:35:48

Submit your own review

The best consumer review received between February 22, 2010 and March 22, 2010 will win a Parrot RKi8400! Equipped with a 200 W MOFSET amplifier, the Parrot RKi8400 can offer you a new musical experience. Totally integrated into the vehicle’s audio system, conversations and music are transmitted via the speakers for maximum listening quality.
More information plus terms & conditions >>

I would like to enter the competition, my email address is:

* First Name :

Surname :

* County / Country :

* Make :

* Model :

Year Of Make :

Variant :

Did you lease or buy? Lease Buy

* Star Rating :

* Required

4x4s comparison road tests

Mazda road tests

Mazda lease prices

Search Reports by Make