Cabin

Mild cabin revisions include a newly available dash-top screen that lets you cycle between radio station presets and trip computer information. When you put the CX-7 in Reverse, the screen shows an image of what's behind the crossover courtesy of the backup camera that's included with the screen.

It's easy to cycle through the screen's various functions using the steering-wheel controls, but the positioning of the display — very close to the base of the windshield — makes it a little distracting; you can see it out the corner of your eye when driving. The CX-7's dashboard controls are thoughtfully arranged and easy to use, and the CX-7 has a standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel for enhanced driver comfort and safety.

The driver and front passenger sit on bucket seats with available power adjustments and seat heaters. Mazda says both the standard cloth and available leather upholstery are new, and the cloth seats in my test car featured a premium, flowing design. The cushioning is supportive without being too hard, but the seat itself is a little small; while it might be fine for shorter drivers, I'm a little more than 6 feet tall and could have used a larger seat.

The CX-7's backseat isn't particularly roomy for adults. My knees were touching the back of the driver's seat (which was adjusted to where I'd have it), and the distance from the seat to the floor left me sitting with my knees and legs elevated — and not much thigh support. Unlike the Equinox and Toyota RAV4, the CX-7's backseat doesn't give passengers the ability to slide or recline it to suit their whims.

    See also:

    Beep Sounds
    Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Beep If a malfunction is detected in both the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system and the warning light, a warning beep sound will be h ...

    Interior
    The Mazda5's cabin is similar in size to its predecessor, but the design is new. The new interior shares styling cues with other recently updated Mazdas like the Mazda3 compact car. The second-row ...

    Ignition Switch
    Ignition Switch Positions LOCK The steering wheel locks to protect against theft. Only in this position can the key be removed. Manual transaxle To turn the key from the ACC to the LOCK posit ...