By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National October 8, 2008Vehicle Overview
The CX-7 sits between the compact Tribute and the large CX-9 crossover in the Mazda lineup. The crossover was designed to deliver the utility of a small SUV with the driving experience of a passenger car. Its trim levels include the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, and the CX-7's competitors are the Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Murano.
New for 2009
The Mazda CX-7 adds dual illuminated vanity mirrors and an auxiliary audio jack as standard equipment. Grand Touring models receive integrated turn signals in the side mirrors and an auto-dimming rearview mirror as standard equipment.
Exterior
The CX-7 echoes Mazda's recent passenger cars with its thin, dual-bezel headlamps and five-point grille. Its large lower air dam with flanking side portals recalls Mazda's RX-8 sports car.
At 184 inches long and 73.7 inches wide, it's comparable to other midsize crossovers, though the CX-7 is relatively narrow.
- Standard 18-inch alloy wheels
- Standard power mirrors (heated on Grand Touring)
- Optional fog lamps
- Optional moonroof
- Optional xenon headlamps (Grand Touring)
Interior
The CX-7 can seat up to five people. The dashboard ascends away from the driver, and there's a shelf just below the windshield that shades a thin information display.
Folding rear seats provide a nearly flat load floor when down, and the seatbacks and rear cargo compartment are coated in plastic. With the rear seats up, cargo volume is 29.9 cubic feet, and with the seats down, cargo volume expands to 58.6 cubic feet. Overall, the CX-7's cargo room is tighter than on other crossovers in its class. At 101.7 cubic feet, passenger space is comparable to its competitors.
- Available cloth or leather seating surfaces
- Standard power windows and locks
- Standard keyless entry
- Standard cruise control
- Heated front seats (Touring and Grand Touring)
- Optional power moonroof
- Optional nine-speaker Bose audio system
- Optional navigation unit with rearview camera
Under the Hood
Premium gasoline is no longer required thanks to revised engine programming; both front- and all-wheel-drive models are available. The CX-7's only available power plant is a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four.
- 244-horsepower, 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four with 258 pounds-feet of torque
- Standard six-speed automatic transmission
- Available front- or all-wheel drive
- Optional remote engine start
Safety
Safety features include:
- Standard side-impact and side curtain airbags
- Standard antilock braking system with brake assist
- Standard electronic stability and traction control
- Optional security system
- Optional backup camera
Additional Reviews
Cars.com Expert Reviews
| Kelsey Mays | Cars.com National | December 8, 2008 |
| Cars.com Staff | Cars.com National | October 8, 2008 |
Affiliate Reviews
| Sherrice Gilsbach | Mother Proof | January 7, 2009 |
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