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HIGH FLYER

Tall, sporty, Intelligent engineering –this Mazda CX-7 has a squeaky clean reputation which is why its no wonder it’s earned itself top of the class. Its own class that is…

Mazda are a dab hand at building sports cars, that serves to be a given now-a-days. Its sales are steady, it’s got its image nailed, so why the rush to join the SUV stampede? It’s a fairly calculated move really, the compact SUV is currently the fastest growing sub sector in the market and nearly every other manufacturer has a slice of the action. It naturally follows then that Mazda should capitalise on being at the right place at the right time, by that I mean that the hunger for sporty, slicker 4×4’s has hit a high and the Japanese manufacturer are pretty confident that they can deliver.

Having recently test driven the CX-7 in the rural surrounds of Paris it appears they are right. Just like an RX-8 or a Mazda 6 MPS there’s a punchy feel to its engine and its energetic take-up throughout the gears makes it easy to connect with. Despite being higher up and obviously a touch heavier than a sports car there’s no wallowing through corners nor any uncertainty with its maths. Its computerised brain calculates exactly the angle you’re taking, at what speed and the type of road surface is underneath you so it can split the torque accordingly and send up to 50% of it to the rear when necessary. If you’re a really bad driver and your own calculations are way out when approaching potential hazards or deviations in the road then it also has all the obligatory stability and dynamic assistance to make you feel less of an idiot.
While your kids are in the back you hardly need any unnecessary dramas and because kids are so very good at telling mummy that daddy went to the betting shop today or daddy was talking to that pretty lady in the bank again or daddy nearly drove the car in to a field, any positive back-up you can get from them is really going to help your cause. As well as being as well prepared on the safety front as a line of pensioners at the post office in their lifejackets, should it rain again, the CX-7 also has enough comfort and sprawling room in the back so that children and ageing relatives can fall fast asleep.

Sadly any bladder accidents will not be easily contained by the leather upholstery and pristine looking carpet but if Auntie Betty does it again you can always threaten to sit her on the reversible waterproof side of the trunkboard. With 1,348 litres of load room (with the seats folded flat) there will also be space for your muddy football boots, wet towel and sweaty kit, as well as last week’s that seemed to just get lost in the abyss.

If by a divine stroke of luck you’re still managing to pick up girls on the weekend that don’t want to complicate things by taking your phone number and never take a third date to mean anything more than maybe they should offer to pay this time, well the CX-7 could still be for you. With its large persona, rakish front windscreen, robust front fenders and smooth kick up belt line there’s no questioning your sporty taste. Throw your climbing equipment in the back and your orienteering gear (i.e maps) in the front console box and you’re away. Maps, you say? Old paper things with squiggily lines on them? Ah, now this is where the cool trendy image of the CX-7 is let down a bit. You’d think that with technology as advanced as Mazda’s and the very best Japanese brains you can buy, a car of this quality and price range would have Sat Nav as standard wouldn’t you? Yes, we were perplexed as well, I mean to say the detail and the hours of deliberation that went in to perfecting this car; the 0.34 drag co-efficient and the suspension that was tuned for the Nurburgring, the state of the art Bose stereo with surround sound and the seating position that is almost akin to an RX-8, there seems to be everything but GPS.

Ok, enough of the rant; you can easily opt for it at the showroom and because the rest of the standard equipment is so plentiful and the trim as plush as every other flagship Mazda model in their range, we’ll get off of this soapbox. In fact we’ll completely change tact for a minute because we’re coming to the best bit; the way it drives!
The initial thing that strikes you when you climb in to the cabin is its sturdiness and resilience. Remember the rabbit that you had as a child that you forgot to feed and clean and dropped on its head about Fifty times? Well the CX-7 is effectively as forgiving and good-mannered! Not that we meant to get ourselves lost down a half-built road and burn out the clutch, crunching in to first gear as we quickly 360’d back to the D-road (sorry Mazda) but your hybrid cross-over phenomenon took it all in its stride. We also noticed that it was a bit of a hulk at motorway speeds, strong and beautifully soldered, it is easy to get absorbed in its gumption and protectiveness. The CX-7 can also put claim to a green streak given that something to do with the way that its painted makes its 50% less organically volatile and its also reduced its Co2 by 15%.

Of course being a bit of a hulk throws up rather aggressive connotations and the CX-7 really is too cool and collected for this. However its 2.3-litre engine does have the credentials to be pretty mean and when you get a blast of its turbo, well you’ll know it’s no soft touch. There’s a slick interplay with the power and the steady feed to the wheels, you know exactly where you are with the steering inputs and the brakes will do a fine job of rinsing out the speed so you don’t find yourself in a headlock mid-chicane.

Now before we close and tell you to go out and buy one (which really does seem like a good idea at this stage) let’s look at any possible drawbacks. Not one to be the cynic but where there’s a case to take the Santa Claus out of Christmas, us Scrooge-like journalists will give it a go. So could we moan about there not being a Seven seat option, well not really because the Mazda5 has got this covered. Well how about the fact that there’s no automatic option in the UK? Maybe but we’re not American and most of us know how to use two hands at once. Ok, so we’ve got to be able to snag them with the Diesel question, us Brits are more keen about burning oil than we are about burning Guy Faulkes. Their answer; it’s a sporty hybrid, one that warrants all the fun driving attributes as their pocket size range. Fair point. They’ve also promised to bear it in mind should the market prove to be desperate for one. Right then, we’ll stick with the slander on the lack of GPS for now and on all other grounds fairly point out that its Mission accomplished!

Indeed what seemed like would be a tall order Mazda has done with a hell of a lot of passion and creativity. You don’t have to squint at funny angles to see the CX-7’s sports car flair and nether do you have to photograph your 4 foot hairdresser in the back to make it seem like there’s headroom. The fact is if you’re sick of having to re-assemble your bike again from the little pieces in the boot or your leather seats are covered in marks from that oddly shaped antique mirror, your wife just had to have then you might as well make life easier for yourself and start entertaining the idea that an SUV is right up your street. You’re not missing out; it still looks and drives like something half the size but you won’t feel like a noggin when faced with an ever so practical dilemma.
, Mazda CX-7

Body Type Monocoque
Doors 4 plus rear tailgate
Seating capacity 5
Coef?cient of drag Cd 0.34
Cross-sectional area m2 2.581
Angle of approach 17.5°
Angle of departure 24.9°
Boot measurements
Volume all seats up (to belt line) l 455
Volume 2nd row down
(to belt line) l 774
Volume 2nd row down (to ceiling) l 1,348
Load ?oor to 2nd row mm 1,013
Load ?oor to 1st row mm 1,758
Boot width at widest point mm 1,362
Distance between rear wheel housings mm 1,050
Boot height (?oor to ceiling) mm 788
Boot threshold to ground mm 764
Tailgate height to ground mm 1,877
Tailgate opening height mm 766
Tailgate opening width mm 1,096

Dimensions:

External
A Overall length w / without plate holder mm 4,680 / 4,675
B Overall width mm 1,870
C Overall width mirror to mirror mm 2,055
D Overall height mm 1,645
E Wheelbase mm 2,750
F Track front / rear mm 1,615 / 1,610
G Ground clearance mm 205
Interior
H Front head room w/o sunroof mm 1,009
I Rear head room w/o sunroof mm 998
J Front shoulder room mm 1,472
K Rear shoulder room mm 1,417
L Front leg room mm 1,059
M Rear leg room mm 925

Engine & Chassis
Engine Type 2.3-litre DISI Turbo
Inline 4-cylinder, DOHC turbo petrol
Displacement cm3 2,261
Bore x stroke mm 87.5 x 94.0
Valves 16-valve with sequential valve timing
Camshaft drive Chain driven
Fuel injection system Electronically controlled direct injection
Compression ratio 9.5 : 1
Emission control system 3-way catalytic converter
Max. Power kW 191 at 5500 rpm
PS 260 at 5500 rpm
Max. torque Nm 380 at 3000 rpm
Fuel type Unleaded 98RON
Fuel tank capacity l 69
Battery 55D23L / 12V
Transmission Mazda Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive
6-speed manual gearbox
Powertrain Transverse front engine
Gear Ratios
1st 3.818
2nd 2.238
3rd 1.535
4th 1.171
5th 1.085
6th 0.853
Reverse 4.139
Final Drive Ratio 1st to 4th: 3.941
5th, 6th & Rev: 3.350

Suspension and Wheels
Front suspension MacPherson struts independent
Rear suspension Multi-link independent
Damper front Telescopic double-acting
Damper rear Telescopic double-acting
Stabilizers (front / rear) mm 28 / 19
Wheel size 18 x 7.5 J
Tyre size 235/60 R18

Steering
Type Rack and pinion variable hydraulic power assist
Steering wheel turns (lock to lock) 2.9
Turning circle (curb to curb) m 11.4
Turning circle (wall to wall) m 12.2
Brakes
Type front Ventilated discs
Type rear Ventilated discs
Diameter front mm 320
Diameter rear mm 302
Vacuum booster diameter inch / mm 10.5 / 267
Scheduled maintenance 1st at 5,000 km and every 15,000 km or 12 months

Verdict

FOR: You don’t need to be Mark Steinberg to see that it has a potential for sports. It looks credible, its fun to drive, it has all the features SUV’s are supposed to have and it handles and has the built quality of - well a Mazda.
AGAINST: Where’s the standard Sav Nav? It’s a SUV that means you take it on adventures and you drive it to far flung villages where they still have neighbours instead of alarm systems and on the odd occasion you’ll have to pull in to a passing place because another motor vehicle wants to use the road.
CONCLUSION: There are other sportily styled and equally quick 4×4’s on the market but the point is for a new entry, this compact SUV is easily making waves and for those of you who want the signature zoom-zoom driving experience you’ll get it and more besides with the CX-7.

Spec

ENGINE: 2.3-litre in-line 4 cylinder DISI Petrol Turbo
Co2 (g/km)/tax: 243
POWER: 260PS @ 5500 rpm
TORQUE (lb/ft): 380Nm @ 3000 rpm
0-62mph (sec): 8.0
TOP SPEED: 130mph
MPG: 13.8 / 8.1 / 10.2 (urban/extra-urban/combined)
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual
SUSPENSION: Front: MacPherson struts independent Rear: Multi-link independent
BRAKES: Ventilated discs
WHEELS: 18 ” x 7.5 J
TYRES: 235/60 R18
WEIGHT: 1,695
PRICE: £23,960
RIVALS: BMW X3, LandRover Freelander II, Honda CRV, Vauxhall Antara, Citroen C-Crosser