2007 Mazda CX-7 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Mazda CX-7 as a used buy.

Graham Smith reviews the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Mazda CX-7 as a used buy.

Such is its broad appeal that it's hard to peg down the Mazda CX-7, but that's the nature of the new-age so-called 'Crossover' vehicle. For some it would be a stylish family wagon, for others it might be a sporty all-rounder perfect for a weekend on the run. The reality is that it could satisfy many and varied uses for all manner of people. Mazda itself tried to define by saying it was a "sportscar on steroids" when launching it, claiming it would appeal to young parents in the 35-45 age group 'who wanted a car with style, performance and driving fun'.MODEL WATCHAlthough the CX-7 looked much like a traditional four-wheel drive wagon, and boasted all-wheel drive, it was not really likely to be used for anything more than light off-road driving. With limited ground clearance and the massive 18-inch alloys filling its wheel arches the CX-7 it was clearly aimed at city dwellers. But with accommodation for five it wasn't for the large family either, it was clear it wasn't trying to compete with the likes of the Ford Territory, the Holden Captiva or the Toyota Prado, which all offered seating for seven. No, the CX-7 was best suited for smaller families, or those with no kids at all.The engine was a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit, the same engine that powered the sporty Mazda6 and Mazda3 MPS models, but it was detuned for the CX-7 and put out 175 kW at 5000 revs and 350 Nm at 2500 revs. In the CX-7 it had to lug around a rather large lump of a car weighing almost 1800 kg and that put something of a dampener on the CX-7's performance and fuel economy. A six-speed automatic transmission was standard, and Mazda didn't offer a manual alternative.Final drive was through all four wheels and split between the front and rear as its active AWD system determined was for safe traction. Mazda offered two models, the base CX-7, replaced by the Classic in 2007, and the Luxury, the latter with a host more standard equipment. All had air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, a trip computer and an MP3-compatible sound system. In addition the Luxury had automatic climate control air, six-stack CD player, and leather trim instead of the cloth of the base model.IN THE SHOPIt's early days on the life of the CX-7, but so far owners are giving the big Mazda a clan bill, of health in terms of reliability. Carsguide has received very few complaints from owners, those that have been received are of a minor nature and mostly concerned with higher than expected fuel consumption. Despite the good field report make the usual checks to confirm regular servicing and look for signs of offroad use. Few are likely to have been driven offroad, other than down a gravel road, but it's worth making sure.IN A CRASHANCAP awarded the CX-7 its highest rating of five stars, which was not surprising given it had front, side and curtain airbags, antilock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assistance, traction control and electronic stability control.AT THE PUMPThe weight of the CX-7 makes it difficult to get decent fuel economy out of it, and not surprising that's the most common complaint of owners. Mazda claimed an average of 11.5 L/100 km, but the real life reality is 14-15 L/100 km. Adding to the cost brought on by the high consumption is the requirement to use Premium unleaded fuel.OWNERS SAYTony Gigliotti bought a CX-7 Classic in 2007 and has done 28,000kms in it since. He says the styling is well ahead of anything else of its type, and rates the ride and handling as excellent. He also likes the visibility afforded by the high ride height, the split rear seats, cup holders and the privacy blind over the cargo area, and reckons the retained value is high compared to others in the class. He's not so enamored with its fuel consumption, the 'cheap' plastics inside, the lack of rear cooling vents, and the blind spots in the rear quarter.The Gianakopoulos family uses its 2008 CX-7 Luxury mainly as family transport for two young children as well as the usual shopping trips. They have racked up 15,000 km in the time that they have owned the car and report that they have not had a problem with it. It seems well built, it's comfortable to ride in, and is a pleasure to drive, and they are happy with it overall. Their only complaint is its fuel use, which has been 16.7 L/100 km on average.David Devlin's CX-7 has done 30,000 km and the 66-year-old says it's a great car, one of the best he's owned in the last 45 years. He likes the power seats, rear camera and large storage areas, but dislikes the high fuel consumption.LOOK FORSporty looksRoom for five plus luggageGood ride and handlingSlurps fuelWell built.THE BOTTOM LINE: Looks good, drives well, but has a thirst for fuel.RATING: 75/100

Style rates among the top three reasons why Australians choose certain cars. Some buyers, obviously, place other factors higher. That's why we have the Ssangyong Stavic, surely this decade's ugliest piece of folded metal.Style matters so much that Subaru last month announced a new nose for its Tribeca SUV, replacing the present schnoz that appears inspired by artist Edvard Munch's The Scream.The Mazda CX-7 has style. It's as pretty and absorbing as a Constable landscape, following up its beauty with great quality and arresting driver dynamics.Mechanically based on the Mazda6 MPS, the CX-7 shares that car's turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive layout, but uses different front suspension.Power isn't an issue, despite the CX-7 having a trimmed output — down 15kW to 175kW and 30Nm to 350Nm, though achieved at fewer revs — compared with its donor. Still more than enough to warm the blood.Mazda packages its mid-size SUV, which sits above the Tribute but beneath the upcoming CX-9 V6, in a svelte, edgy body with a steeply raked windscreen.Cabin room is on par with the Mazda6, as is the feature list and quality ambience.The Luxury model tested is $45,560, though you can get all the pace and style in the $39,910 standard version.The CX-7 comes only as a six-speed auto, curiously contrary to the manual-only Mazda6 MPS. But it's a good auto, silky on upshifts and with a manual mode for those who want a bit more zoom.Leather seats, six-disc Bose audio, climate control, a sunroof and other niceties give it all the comfort of a quality sedan with the high seating and broad vision expected in an SUV.Practicality aside, it's the drivetrain that really shines. Strong torque at low revs, rising through the turbo's 2500rpm-plus boost, delivers an exhilarating ride.Handling is predictable, primarily because of the constant 4WD system.All this comes at a cost: the CX-7 drinks like an Aussie at Oktoberfest. On test, it averaged 14.2 litres/100km — similar to the four-litre turbocharged Ford Territory on the same route.Even high 17s weren't out of the ordinary, according to the onboard computer. That said, the Mazda can go off the bitumen.The CX-7 has a lot going for it, even though fuel consumption is an issue (slotting in the excellent Mazda6 diesel engine could be a welcome move).But would I buy one over the Mazda6 diesel station wagon or hatch, given similar cabin space and features? Unlikely.Maybe I'm not stylish enough.

Despite AWD, the chances of the CX-7 being used off-road are slim.The big Mazda, with limited ground clearance and 18-inch alloy rims, is clearly for the city.Unlike some of the cars that it will be against, the CX-7 is not a true people mover. The Ford Territory, Holden Captiva and Toyota Kluger have the option of seven seats, but the CX-7 can seat only five people. The Mazda has more of a sports focus than those cars, not just because of its running gear but also its style.It has a raked windscreen at the angle of many sports cars, has wide arches around alloy wheels and a stylish front end.The engine is a 2.3-litre turbo four-cylinder with 175kW and 350Nm and a top-mounted intercooler.This direct-injection engine is the same one that gives the urge in the Mazda6 and Mazda3 MPS.It has to work harder in the CX-7 given its 1771kg. It manages to lug the wagon from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds, slower than most big six-cylinder family cars, but not bad compared with bigger and heavier AWD wagons.A six-speed automatic transmission is standard and there is no manual option. There are two CX-7 models, the base at $39,910 and the Luxury at $45,560.The entry level car has airconditioning, cruise control, trip computer, six-CD sound and foglights.The Luxury adds leather trim, heated front seats, sunroof, electrically-adjustable driver's seat, climate control airconditioning and a Bose sound system.Parking sensors are not standard on either model and cost $396 plus fitment costs.A rear-view camera is not an option, despite being sold overseas, because it is bundled with satellite navigation, which is not available for Australia.All cars have a space-saver wheel and have a braked towing capacity of 1600kg. The CX-7 is a size bigger than its existing Tribute AWD, 280mm longer and 47mm wider. IT TAKES only a short section of winding road to work out what Mazda is aiming for with the CX-7. This is not an AWD for holidays to Fraser Island, but a sporty wagon made for tarmac touring.With a multi-link rear suspension set-up, 18-inch wheels with low-profile tyres and a lower ride height than most crossover wagons, the CX-7 handles extremely well.It laps up corners as a well-sorted sedan and is not unsettled by off-camber bumps.On gravel, the CX-7 is nimble given its bulk and does exactly what is expected.The combination of the AWD system and stability control can be felt on slippery gravel where the pair limit the chances of any "moments".The steering is direct and offers good feedback. The ride is quite good on smoother tarmac, but the CX-7 starts to jolt and jar over second-rate roads.The biggest downside of the CX-7 ownership is its thirst. Because the CX-7 uses a four-cylinder engine, it often has to call on the turbo to haul its bulk. Most vehicles this size have a six-cylinder, for good reason.The Mazda cruises the highway using about 9.5-litres for 100km sitting just below 2000 revs, but the figures start to go pear-shaped around town or in any situation that includes acceleration.It is easy to start using 14 litres for 100km around town, which is painful because theCX-7 uses only premium unleaded.The engine is good. There is some delay as the turbo gets going, but most of the time there is more than enough power for enjoyable driving.Mazda's six-speed automatic is excellent and also has the manual override if you are feeling sporty.The interior, as in other modern Mazdas, is well designed and put together.The chrome-ringed instrument cluster with red lighting looks sporty and the combination of black and metal-look trim sections give the CX-7 a prestige/sporty feel.The test car was the Luxury model with gear including supportive leather seats and a gutsy sound system.Even small things such as the chrome strip around the side windows lift its presence.That is nice, but many buyers would trade some of the jewellery for parking sensors, which should be standard.It can carry five people, but the rear middle seat is uncomfortable and is best only for short stints.The centre armrest that folds into the back of the middle rear seat means it is quite hard.There is probably enough space in the cargo area for smaller families, but is not as big as a regular family sedan or mid-sized crossover wagons. Interior storage is good and I really like the cavernous centre area between the driver and passenger.MODERN family wagon that looks great and drives well but has a disturbing thirst.

To best describe its attributes, you still get to feel like king of the road without the drawbacks of being oversized.The CX-7 is a very slick machine that comes in standard and luxury variants. It uses the same 2.3-litre, direct-injection turbocharged four as MPS versions of the Mazda6 and Mazda3, giving it the kind of zip very few four-cylinder cars can match.Inside, it's a comfortable family wagon, with enough legroom back and front and height to burn (although in the luxury model this is reduced by a few centimetres to accommodate the sunroof). And though the electric seat went low enough for head clearance, too low and you felt as if you were driving from the floor.The kids' initial remark was: where are the drink-holders? It turned out they were concealed in the fold-down armrest. This is a little restricting, as it left the children no room for colouring books, the magnetic checker game or anything else.Sixty/40 split seats — now seemingly standard in hatchbacks — are a great thing, and a neat touch in the CX-7 is that they collapse via two discreet latches inside the boot space, which is large enough to take a family holiday load of bags, boxes and boogie boards.There's a full-sized spare wheel, too.Driving the CX-7 is a real pleasure. There's a slight lag on take-off, but when the turbo kicks in, this all-wheel-drive wagon really moves. Steering is direct, and the turning circle surprisingly small.Both models come with an easy-to-use cruise control mounted on the steering wheel, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.The luxury model's nine-speaker Bose sound system will doof-doof with the best of them. Both variants have a dash-mounted, six-CD MP3-compatible player, but the standard model has to make do with four speakers.If there's one caution on the road, it's that the turbo can be a bit tricky at lower speeds. A nudge quickly adds 10km/h to the clock, so you have to be wary and very camera-shy.There is also a rear collision alarm, always handy in car parks — although it's clearly directed too low, as reversing down a steep hill sets it off.What the CX-7 really needs is a forward collision alarm — unnecessary in most cars, but it would be a big advantage here, as the nose falls away steeply and even the tallest driver would have no idea where the front of the car is.A foot-operated parking brake provides welcome extra space in the centre console cargo area.In the luxury model, the front seats are heated and electrically controlled. Trim is cloth in the standard version, leather for luxury.The air-conditioner seemed to struggle a bit with hotter conditions, and could only be described as adequate. It took a while to cool the rear passenger area. This was the case even with the climate control in the luxury model.This is a sexy-looking car that drew admiring looks for its low profile and sleek shape, which also makes it incredibly quiet. At night, gliding along the freeway, cruise control on and everyone asleep, it felt like a giant, silent bat.The CX-7 is suspended well — just stiff enough not to wallow over speed humps, but soft enough to make the ride very comfortable. Just right.The instruments are clear and easy to see. Everything on the dash, in fact, is easy to navigate. It's intuitively set out, as it should be.ABS brakes and front, side and rear airbags are standard.As a family car, the CX-7 ticks all the boxes, with only a couple of minor drawbacks, but its inclusions are better than those of many compatible crossovers, it feels safe and is a magic drive.It also has the eye-candy factor, which will make many dads happy.The CX-7 feels luxurious, and at a price that feels like great value for money