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 plus side, the CX-7 has the kind of light-effort, responsive steering that we appreciate in Mazda cars, like the Mazda3. The CX-7 also resists body roll when cornering. On the downside, while the CX-7's firm suspension does transmit pavement imperfections to the cabin, the bigger negative of its suspension tuning is that the ride can become choppy on certain highway surfaces, like concrete interstates.

Even though the CX-7's 37.4-foot turning circle isn't the largest in its class, it feels big when maneuvering in a parking lot or other confined space. What this means is that it might take a few more back-and-forth moves to pull into or out of a tight parking space.