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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Tiedown Hook
CAUTION: Don't use the tiedown hook under the rear for towing. It is designed ONLY for tying down the vehicle when it's being transported. Using it for towing will damage the bumper. Tiedown Ho ...

Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING: Do not spin the wheels at more than 56 km/h (35 mph), and do not allow anyone to stand behind a wheel when pushing the vehicle: When the vehicle is stuck, spinning the wheels at high sp ...

Antenna
Detachable Type To remove the antenna, turn it counterclockwise. To install the antenna, turn it clockwise. Make sure the antenna is securely installed. Type A Type B CAUTION: To prevent ...