Saturday, April 5, 2008

The New Generation of SUV




Mazda CX-7

The Mazda CX-7 is at once a high-performance machine, a stylish ode to sports car design, and a versatile platform for the modern lifestyle. In short: it's the SUV you never saw coming.
  • Turbocharged 244-horsepower engine**.
  • Highest government safety ratings — 5-Star government frontal- and side-crash-test rating†.

**Based on use of premium unleaded fuel.
†Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Vehicle tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs).


...MORE PERFORMANCE

"Combined with car-like handling and striking looks, the CX-7 offers not only adequate 'Zoom' worthy of the company motto, but room to boot."
— AUTOWEEK

"Ideal SUV for the driver who dreams of a MX-5, but needs space and utility for a family."
— MOTOR TREND

"Wonder Wheel"
"Steering is near perfect for the price point. What's more, the wheel is a noticeable pleasure to wield.”
— BUSINESSWEEK.COM

"Part SUV and part sports car, Mazda's new CX-7 possesses excellent handling, good power from a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 and plenty of interior space for five adults. It's also fuel efficient, getting 18/24 mpg."
— ROAD & TRACK

"This Mazda channels the spirit of the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport better than most anything else in the $30K and under class. Maybe we really didn't see this SUV coming."
— MOTOR TREND

"The 2.3-liter, direct-injection, turbocharged, four-cylinder, 244-horsepower engine in the CX-7 was kicking tailpipe and taking names. Zoom-zoom! Hot dog! Zoom-zoom all the way!"
— WASHINGTON POST

"Its most immediately endearing quality is the steering response, which is direct, linear, and nicely weighted."
— AUTOMOBILE

"Given Mazda's recent history of fun-to-drive vehicles, we're eager to get behind the wheel of a CX-7, because if anyone can pull off a truly sporty crossover, it's Mazda."
— AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE AT AUTOMOBILEMAG.COM

"We found it fun to drive, with responsive handling and good high-speed stability. Zoom-zoom-zoom."
— NEWCARTESTDRIVE.COM

"The brakes are freaking awesome. Unlike most competitors, all four of the CX-7's rotors are ventilated, not just the fronts. And the front calipers are two-piston units, not single pistons as is the usual custom."
— EDMUNDS' INSIDE LINE

"The CX-7 fits into Mazda's zoom-zoom mold: sporty but functional; 'roomy but svelte; snappy but comfortable."
— NEWCARTESTDRIVE.COM

"Sports car or sport-ute? Spend a few hours behind the wheel of Mazda's new CX-7 and you might start to wonder. And with good reason, for while the Japanese maker's Miata and RX-8 are the classic examples of "zoom-zoom" engineering, the CX-7 is likely to make you forget you're driving a crossover."
— THECARCONNECTION.COM

...MORE STYLISH

"Staffers were won over by the Mazda's unique appearance that draws lots of attention from fellow motorists."
— AUTOWEEK

"Sexy Beast"
"The CX-7 manages to pay homage to the Mazda's sporty cars while maintaining an SUV's larger proportions."
— BUSINESSWEEK.COM

"The CX-7 is shaped like a Prada slipper, the others like the box it came in."
— DETROIT NEWS

"Built on the same unibody platform that underpins the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, the CX-7 distinguishes itself from its brethren with a unique interior and exterior design as well as a Mazda engine."
— CarandDriver

"The CX-7 also features sportier styling than most SUVs. The windshield carries a 66- degree angle, more akin to coupes than trucks. Interesting touches include a reversible floor in the cargo area to place soiled items on a plastic flooring, as well as a two-level dashboard..."
— AUTOWEEK

"CX-7 is likely to be a very dangerous vehicle for those who think they are just looking."
— USA TODAY

BETTER THAN ITS COMPETITION

"If BMW's excellent X5 or Land Rover's muscular Range Rover Sport lie beyond your budget, the CX-7 can undoubtedly serve as an affordable alternative for you."
— BUSINESSWEEK.COM

"If Mazda keeps this up, it may just become my favorite car company. The Mazda 5 nano-van was already proof of intelligent life on the planet. The CX-7 now threatens every other pseudo-ute wagon. It has arrestingly original lines with Lambo-like windshield rake and tapered roofline. It turns rings around a Toyota Highlander with slop-free steering and stout body control. It cruises freeways without choppy ride of a Nissan Murano. The inside is spacious in the two-row class, and the turbo four makes speed smoothly and with surprisingly low-end wallop."
— CarandDriver

"The new CX-7 corners with the best Whatever-UV's extant, including BMW's X3, Nissan's Murano and Infiniti's FX."
— WARD'S AUTO WORLD

...MORE COMFORT

"This is a car that feels as if you'd put it on rather than gotten into it."
— CarandDriver