Mazda CX-7 2009 review
Ten bucks says the penny-pincher inside you is balking at the very prospect of a Mazda CX-7. It's a five-seat crossover whose turbocharged engine recommends premium fuel and returns subpar gas mileage, and its cargo area is as small as its price tag is large. It is not, as Spock might say, a particularly logical choice — but is it ever a fun one. Fire up the engine, take a drive and consider some of the CX-7's strengths that are less apparent on paper, and those left-brained sensibilities eventually will come around.
The CX-7 is a smallish crossover that shares its turbo four-cylinder with the hot-rodded Mazdaspeed3. Changes for the 2009 model, which you can compare to the '08 CX-7 here, include a handful of minor cabin and styling tweaks. In ascending order, trim levels comprise the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring, with all-wheel drive optional on all three. I tested an all-wheel-drive CX-7 Grand Touring.
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Starting the Engine
NOTE:
Engine-starting is controlled by the spark
ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment Standard requirements
regulating the impulse electrical field stre ...
Interior Design - Roominess and Quality
Despite looking more like a sports car than an SUV on the outside, on the
inside Mazda CX9 uses its full size - with a length of 5,089 mm, a width of
1,936 mm and height of 1,728 mm - to deliver S ...
Driving Impressions
The easy-to-drive Mazda3 handles more adeptly than most rivals. The automatic
transmission delivers quick, smooth responses. Performance with the larger
engine falls short of some sporty compacts, ...