CX-7 in the Market

Rants aside, the CX-7 represents a lot of performance for the money, and thanks to some clever features and a workable starting price, it's not a pragmatic embarrassment, either. Does that make it the right car for these times? Probably not — Subaru clinched that with the sub-$20,000 base-model Forester. But I'm not convinced every car buyer out there is sidelining whatever he or she wants and choosing the smartest plain-vanilla car for the money. If you are leaning toward something a bit more fun, the CX-7 is worth a look, and it might not break your (shrinking) bank account, either.

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    The Drive
    The Mazda5's 2.3-liter four-cylinder has to rev pretty high to get the car moving quickly. Our car had the optional five-speed automatic transmission, which adds $1,440. The five-speed manual migh ...

    The Inside
    Because of its preproduction status, Mazda warned that there might be some imperfect trim pieces in the cabin, but our CX-9 held up well to our scrutiny. Sport models have cloth seats, and the fir ...

    Keys
    WARNING: Do not leave the key in your vehicle with children and keep them in a place where your children will not find or play with them: Leaving children in a vehicle with the key is dangerous. ...