Rants aside, the CX-7 represents a lot of performance for the money, and thanks to some clever features and a workable starting price, it's not a pragmatic embarrassment, either. Does that make it the right car for these times? Probably not — Subaru clinched that with the sub-$20,000 base-model Forester. But I'm not convinced every car buyer out there is sidelining whatever he or she wants and choosing the smartest plain-vanilla car for the money. If you are leaning toward something a bit more fun, the CX-7 is worth a look, and it might not break your (shrinking) bank account, either.