Mazda CX-7 News

Mazda's new CX-7 will share components, suppliers and its American factory with an upcoming Toyota SUV, believed to be the FT-4X concept revealed in New York, according to media reports from the USA.Toyota and Mazda have both confirmed they'll be joi

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced another round of safety recalls, with models from Mazda, Holden, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar affected.

Koeru concept suggests 2012 wasn’t necessarily the end for Mazda’s mid-size coupe-SUV.

It's sitting on the runway in its final countdown before showroom launch but Mazda still won't say much about its "baby" SUV, the CX-5.  Chief designer Masashi Nakayama says the car - designed to replace the Tribute on world markets - gave him a clean sheet approach to its design. But he says it is still influenced by its slightly bigger sister, the CX-7, and even the MX-5 of which he was one of the design team members.  Shown in pre-production guise at this week's Geneva motor show, the Minari concept is as close as it's likely to get before Mazda starts pressing the metal body panels. Surprisingly it's a lot bigger in the flesh than early pictures suggest.   Mazda Australia's Steve Maciver says it's only a few centimetres shorter than the CX-7, begging the question that the company now has a chance to build an even smaller SUV to take on rivals such as the Mitsubishi ASX. Nakayama won't talk about any future product and isn't discussing when it will hit the streets.  But he is keen to point out where the car has come from and who it's aimed at. "There is a huge market in SUVs and especially smaller SUVs,'' he says.  "Some of these are too big. This car is the right size and is designed for the driver. t's more like a passenger car in how it drives, but we know the market may be mainly for ladies with children.  So the Generation Y woman is the car's target.'' He says he had a free hand with the car and that it is not based on any existing platform.  "This is a SkyActiv platform (to be used first on the next Mazda3) and it's the perfect base for the SUV because it is the right size and is designed for sports driving.'' Though the show car is still regarded as a concept, its shape is almost definite. It will lose, however, the pop-out door handles and a lot of the intricate dashboard components. The SUV was shown at Geneva this week alongside the Shinari concept coupe that shares its new grille and headlight theme. It was finished in a brilliant metallic red that Nakayama says is a special colour reserved for the very best of show cars. "It doesn't represent the colour of the Japan flag of a rising sun, but of a sun that is high in the sky - in this case high in the SkyActiv technology,'' he smiles.

Back in 1999, the only diesel-powered vehicles on the Australian market were sports utility vehicles, light commercials and trucks.

The Frankfurt Motor Show literally roared to life this morning when a classic BMW 507 roadster ran laps of a custom-built oval track inside the German carmaker's $30 million stand.

Two new engines are on the way from Japan and both promise better economy and efficiency, as well as a starting price a couple of steps below the current base price of $41,965. The CX-7 will dip into the $30,000 range with the arrival of a fresh 2.5-litre petrol engine, with a turbodiesel to really temp buyers who were put off by the poor economy of the current 2.3-litre turbo engine. "When we introduced the CX-7 we were looking for some white space, which we found. But it's obvious that consumer trends are moving more towards more fuel efficiency, and perhaps less power," admits the managing director of Mazda Australia, Doug Dickson. "We believe the new engines will do the job. We believe there is room for the 2.5 and part of our strategy is to introduce diesel to the Australian market. We've done that already with Mazda3 and Mazda6 and it's working for us." The new engines will hit the CX-7 in November and are already proven after use in the Mazda6 family car. The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine makes 120 kiloWatts and 205 Newton-metres of torque, with Mazda claiming fuel economy of 9.4L/100km with a five-sped Activematic gearbox. The 2.2-litre turbodiesel, with a six-speed manual, makes 127kW and 400Nm and is good for economy of just 7.6L/100km. The updated CX-7 will be easy to pick, as there is a cosmetic upgrade that includes the giant 'smiley face' grille already seen on the new Mazda3 and updated MX-5. Other tweaks will be included in the package, although Dickson says it is too early to go into detail. He also refuses to discuss specifics on pricing. "If we look at the SUV market, CX-7 was always positioned at the top end. It was popular among some, but not everybody," Dickson says. "Pricing is still to be with decided, but we're looking to be competitive. If you look at the market for Japanese rivals it goes from the low $30,000s to the high $30,000s. Our plan will be to be in there somewhere with the 2.5, and competitive." The new engines have the potential to easily double CX-7 sales in Australia, although Dickson is not sure about the diesel. "We wouldn't be doing it if we didn't think there will be incremental business. But the extent is difficult to determine, and one of our issues is getting supply. Sometimes we get caught out by demand," he says. "It's early days with diesel but we have to get it out there. One of the issues with these things is that it's difficult to promote individual series, and a model within a particular series." Further into the future Dickson says Mazda is considering — as Nissan has done with its baby Dualis hatch — a front-drive CX-7 to give an even sharper price. "That's one we're considering," he says. But he rules out any chance of the CX-7 engine upgrade making it to the larger CX-9. "No, there is no diesel in the CX-9 at all. CX-9 is primarily for the US market, so whatever they do in terms of product development we can tap into, but there is almost no demand for diesel and the current engine is going well."  

Now, that smile will get even bigger as it spreads across the grille of the updated CX-7 SUV. Expected in Australia late this year after showing its face at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, the CX-7 also gets the family diesel engine as an option.Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says it's too early to confirm the diesel though an announcement on the oil burner — with an auto box — is likely over the next few weeks. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel — shared with the Mazda6 and Mazda3 models — has been tweaked to boost low-speed torque and make maximum power arrive lower in the rev range.Mazda claims the new CX-7 will be the first diesel-engined Japanese passenger car fitted with a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system. The good news is that SCR cuts nitrous oxide emissions by 40 per cent. The bad news is that, at the moment, it will only be specified on European models in acknowledgement of tougher emission laws being imposed by the European Union.The SCR system — like Mercedes-Benz's BluTec and Volkswagen's BlueMotion — introduces ammonia into the exhaust system to chemically remove nitrous oxides. Mazda says refills of its AdBlue liquid to the SCR system are required only during scheduled maintenance.Read more stories from the Frankfurt Motor Show 

Just a week after the launch of the new MX5, the latest Mazda to get the company's new corporate "five-point" grille is the CX9.Apart from the CX9 and MX5, the new face is spreading across the Mazda range.It appears on the next-generation 3, due in local showrooms within days and the CX7 due later this year.The 2010 CX9 is expected to hit local showrooms later this year, about the same time as the refreshed CX7.The CX9 will be unveiled at next month's New York motor show.Mazda is not spilling the beans on exactly what the changes are underneath, saying only that the car will get "added options and reinforced safety features".However, the seven-seater's existing 3.7-litre V6 and six-speed automatic is expected to carry over.Unlike the CX7 though, no diesel version is tipped to be added to the range.CX9 buyers can however expect improvements in the V6's fuel economy and a mildly updated cabin.Visually, the new corporate grille is prominent, as are the revised foglights and lower air intake.New larger exterior rear view mirrors and updated tail-lights complete the look.Locally Mazda is one of the few brands that has had a good sales start this year even though its overall share has slipped almost 9 per cent.At the launch of the new MX5 last week, Mazda Australia managing director, Doug Dickson, says he remains confident this year in the face of the 20 per cent market downturn.He expects Mazda to continue to build its market share through the year despite overall sales volumes being down.The arrival of the next-generation 3 hatch and sedan is expected to be a big driver.Mazda, like other Japanese importers, has been under pricing pressure because of unfavourable exchange rates with the Japanese yen.Dickson expects the Australia dollar to rebound against the yen over the next few months."The Australian dollar could gain lost ground over the next few months," he says."So pricing pressure will disappear over the next six months."Dickson expects Mazda to sell about 70,000 vehicles this year, 12 per cent down from the 79,826 vehicles sold last year.

Which is perhaps why Mazda chose the relatively small Toronto motor show last week to fly under the global automotive radar with its facelifted CX7. Apart from the United States, Canada is one of Mazda's biggest export markets. Along with an exterior freshen, Mazda has added a new front-drive CX7, powered by the same 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine from the Mazda6 and new Mazda3 SP25. Mazda Australia spokesman, Glenn Butler, says the company is very keen on the front drive four-cylinder version. "It's something we're looking at and are very interested in," he says. "There is obviously some potential for a vehicle under the current price point. "It's all about price." The 2.5-litre front wheel drive four produces 125kW at 6000 revs and 226Nm at 4000 revs and is mated to a five-speed automatic. The 2.3-litre direct-injection turbo CX7 all-wheel drive starts at $41,140. A front-wheel drive model could be up to $3000 cheaper, although Butler says it is still too early to speculate on prices or specification. He describes the current two-model CX7 turbo as “top-heavy" with performance and equipment levels, which leaves some room for a lower-specced model. Apart from a front-drive CX7, Mazda Australia is also believed to be looking at a turbo-diesel CX7, using the same 136kW/400Nm 2.2-litre engine as the Mazda6. Visually Mazda stylists left the car's overall silhouette alone but tidied up the front grille and rear bumper and tail-lights. The front gets the five-point `family face’ grille treatment seen on everything from the RX8 and Mazda3 to the MX5. Apart from the engine and visual updates, there have been improvements to the car's chassis. Mazda has increased body rigidity and lowered noise, vibration and levels as well as reduced wind noise. To help improve fuel economy in the 2.3-litre CX-7, the six-speed Activematic gearbox gets an improved shift pattern and torque converter lockup control. On the inside the soft-roader gets higher quality materials, Bluetooth compatibility and a new design for the gauges including blackout meters that feature three-dimensional dials and a small colour information display unit at the top of the instrument panel. In some markets, a blind spot monitoring system similar to that fitted to some Volvo models, will be available. The revised CX7 is due in local showrooms in the second half of the year.