| First Drive | Kitzbuhel, Austria | Mazda CX-7 |
Introduced in the UK over two years ago, Mazda's CX-7 has always been a good car desperate for the right engine. With its recent facelift Mazda has binned the 2.3-litre petrol unit and replaced it with a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. That simple act has turned the niche-within-a-niche crossover into a contender that can compete more convincingly against cars like
Volvo's XC60.
In the Metal
You could be forgiven for not knowing what
this car's predecessor looked like. Imagine this shape with a more sober face and less chrome. The visual makeover brings the CX-7 into line with its Mazda siblings, the bold front wheel-arches and gaping lower grille suiting the chunky-looking SUV. The bumpers at the rear are also revised with more chrome, the boot lid too gaining some additional bright-work.
The changes work, the CX-7 looking classier than ever, yet with the same four-square stance. More crossover than rugged 4x4, its rarity combined with the improved looks are sure to get you noticed. Inside it's more of the same, Mazda's designers tweaking the details here and there with a new steering wheel and new centre console. It's big too, with plenty of leg- and headroom, while the boot should accommodate the needs of even the most ambitious packers.
What you get for your Money
Mazda is only offering the CX-7 in one well-specified guise in the UK for around £26,000. For that you get a smooth and willing 171bhp 2.2-litre turbodiesel mated to a six-speed manual transmission driving all four wheels. Equipment levels are very comprehensive, the CX-7 coming with satnav, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front seats, climate control, Bose audio with MP3 connection, Bluetooth telephony and a rear-view lane-change monitoring system. All you have to choose is the colour...
Driving it
The 2.3-litre petrol CX-7 always drove well, even if you paid for any enthusiasm with less-than-palatable fuel consumption. It's hardly surprising to learn then that the CX-7 with its new diesel engine provides similar enjoyment behind the wheel - yet without the punishing fuel economy. The official figures suggest a reasonable combined fuel consumption figure of 37.7mpg, the torque rich delivery of the 2.2-litre turbodiesel meaning you should achieve close to that in everyday driving.
The dynamic ability of its predecessor remains though, the CX-7 cornering flatly and with real precision. The only weak link in the set up is the lack of feel from the steering wheel. However, this crossover grips hard, turns quickly and faithfully and rides decently too, the CX-7 feeling more like a tall hatchback than lofty SUV. The gearshift isn't the slickest with the first four gears closely packed in the gearbox; fifth and six gears requiring a positive, long push across the gate.
Quiet, composed and stable, the CX-7 feels remarkably wieldy given its width and height, Mazda working hard on refinement by adding extra sound proofing and stiffening up the body shell by five percent. It shows, the CX-7 doing a great job as a hushed high speed cruiser, its 124mph maximum easily reached and maintained on a limit-free autobahn, its quiet refinement at our more restrictive motorway speeds being very impressive indeed.
Worth Noting
That 2.3-litre petrol engine will no longer be available in the UK, Mazda sensibly only offering the turbodiesel. That's hardly surprising given sales of the petrol since 2006 can be counted in mere hundreds. Currently there's no automatic option and no stop-start system, though the CX-7 does feature 'adblue' technology that cleans up emissions from its tailpipe.
Summary
It's no surprise that the original CX-7 didn't sell in the UK due to its petrol-only engine offering. With its smooth turbodiesel the CX-7 is an altogether more appealing proposition, offering buyers a good-looking, well-specified alternative to the more obvious competition in this class. Dynamically it's right among the best, it's just a shame it's taken Mazda so long to realise the CX-7's potential.
