Going & Stopping

You wouldn't believe how many shoppers out there think a V-6 is always superior to a four-cylinder engine, no matter what. I bet a lot of people will discount the CX-7 because it has a four-cylinder underneath its menacing hood. Hold on — this is a turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 244 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque, and it can really move.

Not many SUVs — or crossovers, for that matter — truly act like cars. But the CX-7 lives up to its marketing, moving as sportingly as any midlevel, midsize sedan I've tested. Floor the accelerator and you'll shoot from the tollbooth with gusto and extreme control. My wife took over for me on a long road trip, and even she will admit a grin crossed her face as she passed some slowpokes in the center lane.

My only gripe with the powerplant is the six-speed automatic, and it's only a relevant gripe at highway speeds. When cruising, the transmission would pop down out of sixth gear far too soon, even when I didn't want to pass or accelerate. I would bet most drivers wouldn't notice this on routine commutes, and it didn't annoy me after I got used to the small threshold I was given.

Braking was carlike and quite firm. It offered reassuring feel for the size of the vehicle and the character of the handling.

    See also:

    Installing Child-Restraint Systems
    Accident statistics reveal that a child is safer in the rear seat. The front passenger's seat is clearly the worst choice for any child under 12, and with rear-facing childrestraint systems it is ...

    Essential Safety Equipment
    Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, child-restraint systems and SRS air bags. ...

    Parking in an Emergency
    The hazard warning lights should always be used when you stop on or near a roadway in an emergency. The hazard warning lights warn other drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard and that t ...