Mazda CX-7

Mazda CX-7

A crossover in every sense

Engine – petrol, turbocharged

Displacement – 2261 cc

Power – 244 hp

Max. torque – 258/2500 Nm/rpm

Transmission – 6-speed automatic

Drive – all-wheel drive

Fuel consumption:

city – 13.1 l/100 km

highway – 9.8 l/100 km

Dimensions:

Length – 4675 mm

Width – 1872 mm

Height – 1645 mm

Curb weight – 1782 kg

Tire size – 235/60 R18

The Mazda CX-7 is based on the Mazda 6 platform, from which the crossover also inherited the all-wheel-drive transmission. The suspension for the new model was borrowed from other models: front – from Mazda MPV, rear – from Mazda 3. The designers' main bet was on a striking appearance and unusual body proportions, which were meant to set the car apart from its competitors.

The base version was planned to be equipped with a 2.3-liter engine. Following new marketing logic, Mazda began naming all its crossovers and SUVs with the CX prefix and a number depending on the vehicle's size. This car received the name CX-7. It is quite possible that the Tribute model will remain in production, while the CX-7 will take a step higher in the model lineup.

Artem Kondratiev, driving experience – 9 years

Over years of working in car dealerships, I have tried many cars – from a modest Toyota Corolla to a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. And until recently, the RAV 4 seemed to me optimal for Russian roads: decent ground clearance, handles like a sedan, and good equipment. But it lacked engine power, and the four-speed automatic didn't add liveliness. Moreover, the two-liter engine put the car into a different tax category. And now finally I tested the MAZDA CX-7. It gave me what the RAV 4 lacked: power, an excellent six-speed automatic with a true manual mode, permanent all-wheel drive, and a rear-view camera that will be useful for my wife.

By class, this car doesn't quite reach Lexus or Infiniti, but it stands above Toyota or Nissan – both in dimensions and equipment. The ride is smooth, and the suspension is energy-intensive, confidently swallowing potholes and other irregularities. The interior is spacious, and the seating position for driver and passengers is like in a sedan, since the car is built on the MAZDA MPS base, which in turn comes from the MAZDA 6. So after a regular sedan, you adapt instantly. There are also downsides, of course. I didn't like the high sill – you get in and out like from a sports car. But it also protects in a side impact, and that's more important to me, so better to lift your leg higher. Instead of a full-size spare, there's a large temporary spare, but we have plenty of tire shops both in the city and outside, and thanks to the temporary spare, the trunk is more spacious, and it sits in the trunk, not under the floor. The mirrors are small and convex, you need to get used to them. But the steering wheel is small, plump, fits nicely in the hand, and the display with audio system and climate control readings is located right under the window. In the armrest, there's a huge box where you can put a lot of stuff, and then search for it for a long time.

This car isn't meant for off-road, but the ground clearance is large, and the switchable traction control system gives it an advantage over other crossovers. Xenon headlights shine excellently, and navigation will help find the way. Cruise control will be useful on a long trip, and the stability control system will help in a skid.

Vadim. Driving experience – 9 years

Honestly, I haven't gotten such pleasure from a test drive in a long time. The CX-7 is a very balanced car, suitable for daily driving, whether calm or aggressive. I immediately noticed the spacious and comfortable interior, and this impression only grew: in such a car, you'd want to go on a long journey! True, the seats here are leather, but not perforated, and I prefer fabric. However, that's a matter of taste. The seats themselves are very comfortable, with moderate side support. The suspension also pleased: on smooth roads it's restrained and even, on bumps – gentle and soft. Our potholes, if you drive with basic caution, won't disturb passengers.

As a contrast to measured driving, I decide to enter a turn more sharply – and, surprisingly, the CX-7 handles it perfectly, without noticeable body roll. Once again, I'm glad for modern technologies that allow combining comfort and handling equally well.

The engine is small for a crossover – 2.3 liters, but turbocharged, 240 hp. The same one is in the MAZDA 3 and 6 MPS, only there it produces 260 hp. I haven't seen torque graphs, but often a reduction in maximum power leads to an increase in low-end torque. For a crossover, that's even a plus. The engine has a surprisingly smooth transition to turbo mode. How they achieved this without additional units – a supercharger or two compressors – I don't understand. Usually, many engines have a "turbo lag" – a delay between the turbo kicking in and air delivery. In the CX-7, everything is smooth, the turbo activation is practically unnoticeable. Again, I recall the word "balanced," and how else to describe an engine that calmly pulls at speeds below 2000 rpm and at the same time allows sharp acceleration! Since the engine works in tandem with the gearbox, it's worth evaluating their joint work. The automatic is six-speed and, importantly, modern. During calm driving, it holds a higher gear to keep revs below 2000. There's more than enough torque. Shifts are imperceptible, without delays, upshifts occur at 3000 rpm. But if you press the gas more actively, upshifts happen at 4000 rpm. Another feature of a modern automatic is quick downshifts when you sharply press the pedal. From sixth gear, depending on revs and effort, the gearbox can instantly drop to fifth or even second. On a manual, you'd hardly achieve such a reaction. There's a manual mode here, but it's not needed for normal driving. It's a different matter for aggressive corner entry or engine braking. In general, the duo of a modern automatic and engine works flawlessly. And to fully feel the car's behavior, the steering wheel is elastic and filled with weight – I like that more than the empty electric power steering in Toyota.

Like any car, it has its drawbacks. For example, the rear-view mirrors – they're clearly too small for the CX-7. To widen the view, they made them fully aspherical, but this distorts distance. The brightness of the instrument panel and menu screen is insufficient. Maybe we set it up incorrectly, but we couldn't noticeably increase the brightness. That's probably all the downsides.

I'll repeat: I haven't gotten such pleasure from a test drive in a long time. The CX-7 is not just an excellent car in individual parameters; its main virtue is perfect balance in everything.

Alfred. Driving experience – 11 years

Being a pioneer is always pleasant. This life axiom also holds true for test drives. The Mazda CX-7 is a fairly fresh offering on our market, and being among the first testers is very pleasant. The first cars arrived in Kazan recently, and like everything new, they attract interest from other drivers. The car looks sporty, the narrowed rear window creates a feeling of being "pressed" to the ground and adds dynamism. The car greets you with a solid interior. I remember that once I had already sat in the CX-7's cabin, pulled handles, felt the trim materials. Back then, I got the impression that the materials weren't great: the plastic felt hard and somehow didn't fit the overall picture.

This time I didn't notice such a defect — apparently, the higher version is made of a different material, or maybe I just have selective memory. While the paperwork was being processed, I managed to thoroughly inspect the interior. The narrow red display, familiar from the "three" and "six", immediately caught my eye. Next to the large monitor in the center of the console, it looks poor. Although in clear weather it is more useful than the glaring LCD screen. The flat display is touch-sensitive, and only the large buttons save it from inconvenience in bright sunlight. The rear-view camera doesn't really help if nothing is visible on the monitor. Therefore, it seems, parking sensors were added. Many will like the electronic "card" for starting the engine. I, as an absent-minded person, would rather feel the weight of keys in my pocket than a thin card the size of a business card. The round deflectors, familiar from previous Mazdas, have moved to the CX-7 as well. The leather seats hold the body well, and it's clear that it won't wobble in corners. Overall, the interior did without unnecessary frills and overpayments: everything necessary, including electric conveniences, is present, and nothing beyond that.

As usual, I get acquainted with the car by settling into the back row. While we were stationary, everything was fine. There's enough space, especially in length. But as soon as we moved, the mood changed. Honestly, the car is tuned selfishly — only for the driver. I really wanted to buckle up so as not to slide on the leather "skating rink" of the rear sofa. The seats are flat, like German autobahns, and completely without profile, so in corners you have to fight centrifugal force alone. And another nuance — it's noisy. You can hear the tires humming, and at high speed the noise level becomes almost uncomfortable. But the driver's seat and the passenger's place are a completely different matter. As I said, the lateral support here is well developed and holds the body well. Visibility is excellent, but the side mirrors are a bit small and made spherical — I never got used to them. All the way, I had a feeling of looking through a looking glass as soon as I glanced at the side mirror. At the same time, the distance to objects in it is slightly distorted, objects seem to "approach". It was very interesting to test the automatic transmission and compare it with the one we liked so much on the "six". In short — just super. Not the slightest delay, the car "shoots" instantly. How the Mazda folks managed this is a mystery. Another point: in manual mode, the gears don't shift up by themselves, even if you bring the engine to the red zone, but down — they drop on their own. In general, the automatic transmission's work is impressive.

Thanks to the powerful engine and the gearbox, the car doesn't feel heavy and cumbersome, it responds easily to pedal presses and steering wheel turns. The steering wheel, by the way, is pleasantly weighted and gives excellent feedback. Only the instrument panel let down: the large numbers are miles, the small ones are kilometers! You already understand what I'm getting at. I looked at the large numbers and didn't feel that the real speed was noticeably higher than the readings.

To sum it up — before us is a hundred percent crossover. Obedient, accelerates easily, has an off-road reserve.