Interior

The cabin seats five, with textured fabric upholstery in Sport models and upgraded fabric with red piping in the Touring. The stereo display sits within a circular cutout, a cue shared with the Mazda RX-8 sports car. Models with an automatic transmission have a traditional gearshift — not the gated shifter with a manual mode that most other Mazdas employ. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split, allowing 27.8 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume. With the seats up, volume drops to 13.3 cubic feet. Those figures beat the Yaris but fall well short of the larger Fit and Versa. A long list of standard features includes power windows and locks, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, a four-speaker CD stereo and a height-adjustable driver's seat. Touring models add a trip computer, a six-speaker stereo and leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls. Although both stereos include an MP3 jack, a USB port for full iPod compatibility isn't among the factory options. A telescoping steering wheel is also unavailable.

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    Exterior
    Narrow headlights flank a large, five-pointed grille with a Mazda logo. The wheel arches and belt line are well defined. For 2008, Volcanic Red and Silver Metallic are new colors. Built on a 105 ...

    Ride & Handling
    Mazda likes to say the CX-7 drives like a sports car, and in many ways it feels like you are indeed driving a car. Still, the CX-7 is a large vehicle, whether you call it a crossover or an SUV. It ...

    Bottle Holder
    Bottle holders are on the inside of the doors. CAUTION. Do not use the bottle holders for containers without caps. The contents may spill when the door is opened or closed. ...