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.