Mazda CX-7 Problems

BEFORE buying any car it is worth checking its fuel economy. Every carmaker publishes a fuel-consumption figure and that is affixed to the windscreen in new-car dealerships, which makes it easy to compare one make and model against other cars in the market. That way you can identify which ones are economical and make your decision accordingly. After that it is a case of driving to achieve the best economy.

DRIVING style has a huge impact on fuel economy and is the first thing I'd recommend any owner look at if they want to reduce their visits to the servo. Easing up on the throttle is a great way of saving on fuel, as is reading the traffic ahead, and not racing up to traffic lights when it's clear you're going to have to stop. Use some smarts and you'll reduce your car's consumption.

I CONTACTED Mazda and was told no upgrade is available for the CX7.

YOU have to be cautious about the fuel consumption figures car companies quote as they come from standard tests over a particular test cycle on a dynamometer. They're really for comparison purposes. You can use them to compare make for make, model for model, and they are an indication of improvements a carmaker has made in going from one model to the next. I don't put a lot of store in them in an outright sense. Crossover wagons like yours tend to use more fuel than a regular sedan because they tend to be heavier and carry a lot more mechanical gear. There are also things such as larger tyres. If you feel you have been duped, I suggest you seek advice from a government consumer affairs department, or a solicitor experienced in consumers' rights.