Mazda CX-7 2008 review
Editor's note: For 2008, Mazda has made no significant changes to the CX-7, which debuted as a 2007 model. One bonus for buyers is that the engine has been modified to allow it to run on regular gasoline instead of premium without changing performance numbers. After driving a 2008 CX-7 Grand Touring, the review below, written in August 2006, is still accurate. The CX-7 still holds up — now against even more competition — in the segment. To see what details are different this year, check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.
Automakers are stemming the tide of anti-SUV sentiment with a new type of family vehicle: the crossover. Built primarily on car frames, crossovers — predictably — offer a more carlike ride than earlier, truck-based SUVs. Mazda comes on the scene with one of the best-looking, best-performing crossovers I've tested to date, and it does so at a mid-$20,000 price point.
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Firm Ride
Despite losing much of the performance the turbocharged model offers, the
CX-7 with the base four-cylinder still has sporty handling for a small
crossover. This has its pros and cons.
On the plu ...
Safety
In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the CX-7 received a Good
overall rating — the highest possible score — for its performance in
frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests. The IIH ...
Under the Hood
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the Mazda3 i has variable valve timing and
develops 148 horsepower (144 hp in PZEV form). The Mazda3 s uses a 2.3-liter
four-cylinder that pumps out 156 hp. A five-s ...