Mazda CX-7 2009 review

Ten bucks says the penny-pincher inside you is balking at the very prospect of a Mazda CX-7. It's a five-seat crossover whose turbocharged engine recommends premium fuel and returns subpar gas mileage, and its cargo area is as small as its price tag is large. It is not, as Spock might say, a particularly logical choice — but is it ever a fun one. Fire up the engine, take a drive and consider some of the CX-7's strengths that are less apparent on paper, and those left-brained sensibilities eventually will come around.

The CX-7 is a smallish crossover that shares its turbo four-cylinder with the hot-rodded Mazdaspeed3. Changes for the 2009 model, which you can compare to the '08 CX-7 here, include a handful of minor cabin and styling tweaks. In ascending order, trim levels comprise the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, with all-wheel drive optional on all three. I tested an all-wheel-drive CX-7 Grand Touring.

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Engine Compartment Overview
2.5-liter engine 3.7-liter engine ...

SeatWarmer
The front seats are electrically heated. The ignition must be in the ON position. Press the switch to turn the seat warmer on or off. When the switch is in the ON position, the indicator light w ...

Front Seats (Electrically Operated Seats)
WARNING: Do not modify or replace the front seats: Modifying or replacing the front seats such as replacing the upholstery or loosening any bolts is dangerous. The front seats contain air bag c ...