Mazda's Sweet Little CX-7

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Up Front

Crossover vehicles are hot sellers right now. So why is one of the hottest models in the segment -- Mazda's curvaceous CX-7 -- suddenly not doing so well? The answer seems to be that there are now so many excellent crossovers crowding onto the market that shoppers can afford to be far more finicky than they were even six months ago.



For all of last year, North American sales of the CX-7 were up 86.6%, to 41,659. But the model peaked late last summer. Sales fell by 23.2% in October, 21% in November, rose a meager 1.9% in December, and fell again by 7.6%, to 2,555, in January.



What pulled the rug out? Shoppers have a lot more crossover vehicles to choose from than before, for one thing. These include Honda's (HMC) wildly popular CR-V and Toyota's (TM) Rav4, as well as such new models as the Nissan (NSANY) Rogue, the redesigned Saturn Vue, and the redesigned Ford Escape. Mazda also may be competing with itself. My guess is that the company's new CX-9 crossover vehicle is luring customers away from the smaller, less expensive CX-7. The CX-9 costs about $10,000 more on average, but it got rave reviews when it came out early last year and it's roomier and has a bigger engine.



The CX-7 has several shortcomings. One is that -- like the CR-V, Rogue, and Saturn Vue -- it lacks a third row of seats, meaning it can hold a maximum of only five passengers. Both the Toyota Rav4 and the CX-9 can carry up to seven, which gives them a big advantage if you do a lot of car-pooling.



Not Up to Speed

Another downside for the CX-7 is that it only comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That powerplant generates a respectable 244 horsepower and is coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting function. But both the Rav4 and CX-9 are available with powerful V6 engines that make them a lot quicker.



Fuel economy also doesn't improve much by going with the smaller engine. The CX-7 is only rated to get 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive, dropping to 16/22 with all-wheel drive. In 310 miles of heavy-duty winter driving, I got 19 mpg in an all-wheel drive CX-7.



The Mazda's main competitors get better mileage. For instance, the rating is 20/26 for an all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V, and 21/26 for an all-wheel-drive Nissan Rogue. Even with a V6 engine, a four-wheel-drive Toyota Rav4 is rated at 19/26. The Mazda also requires expensive premium gasoline, while its competitors use regular.



If those deficiencies aren't deal-breakers, the CX-7 is a sweet little vehicle. One of its biggest appeals, at least for me, is its distinctive-looking exterior. The CX-7 has the prominent fender arches typical of Mazdas, and its windshield is sharply raked. The roofline reaches its peak height just behind the driver, and then curves sharply downward as it moves toward the rear. This gives the vehicle a stylish profile without squeezing down headspace in the second row of seats too much.



Even the entry-level CX-7 Sport, which starts at $24,385 with front-wheel drive, comes loaded with standard equipment that includes power accessories, air conditioning, cruise control, antilock brakes, six airbags, and stability and traction control. Moving up to the Touring model [starting price $26,135] gets you such add-ons as leather interior trim, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front seats. The Grand Touring model [starting price $26,935] adds extras such as high-density headlights, fog lamps, and additional chrome trim. In each case, add $1,700 for all-wheel drive.



The CX-7 earned a top five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA in frontal and side-impact crash tests, and a four-star rollover rating.



Behind the Wheel

As with other Mazdas, one of the best things about the CX-7 is how sporty it is. The suspension is harder and the handling crisper than in competing models such as the CR-V and Rav4. The turbocharged engine has a nice throb when you punch the gas. The CX-7 is quick, but no speed demon. I timed my test vehicle at about 8.5 seconds in accelerating from 0 to 60. If raw speed is a priority, a Toyota Rav4 with a V6 engine is the ticket.



Like its exterior, the CX-7's interior manages to look distinctive without being over-the-top. For instance, the controls for the doors and windows are integrated into a swooping brace that curves down from the dash toward the backs of the front doors. There are decorative triangular side windows at either end of dashboard that add to the cabin's open feeling. So does the sunroof, which can be had even when you go with the optional rear seat entertainment system [$1,705 extra].



Numerous thoughtful design touches add to the vehicle's appeal. For instance, the center console is deep, providing lots of storage space. The Bose audio system has a surround-sound function [which unfortunately works with CDs but not with satellite radio] that allows you to adjust the amount of "surround" in the sound to your personal taste. Mazda's keyless entry/starter system is one of the handiest on the market. The key is flat and card-like, a little bigger than a credit card. As long as you have it with you [in a pocket, purse, etc.], you can open the doors and hatch and start the car at the push of a button. This sounds like a minor thing, but you'll appreciate it when you're carrying a child or an armful of groceries and need to get the doors unlocked.



The CX-7's rear seats are also well designed. All you have to do to fold them down is pull a little lever in the side panel in the rear compartment. You don't have to adjust or remove the headrests. The seats pull easily back up into the upright position, too. I don't get why Ford [which controls Mazda] doesn't put this seating system in the Ford Escape, which has much clunkier rear seats.



Headroom is decent in both the CX-7's front and rear seats. Legroom in the rear seats is adequate if you aren't over 6 ft. tall. Maximum luggage capacity with the seats up is a sizeable 30 sq. ft, expanding to 59 cu. ft. with the rear seats down. Maximum towing capacity is 2,000 lb., more than in the CR-V and Rogue, but substantially less than the Rav4's maximum of 3,500 lb.



Buy It or Bag It

With CX-7 sales lagging, Mazda dealers seem willing to bargain on price. The CX-7's average selling price is $25,591, according to the Power Information Network [PIN], less than the list price of an entry-level CX-7 Sport with all-wheel drive. However, that's still at the high end of the price-range for compact SUVs.



The CX-7's best-selling direct competitors, the Honda CR-V [at $24,222] and the Toyota Rav4 [at $24,636], sell for less, according to PIN. There are also a number of even cheaper alternative models to choose from, including the new Nissan Rogue, which sells for an average of $23,737, General Motors' (GM) Saturn Vue [$22,111], the Ford Escape [$22,087], and the all-wheel-drive Subaru Forester [$22,030]. [Like BusinessWeek, PIN is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.]



In this crowded field, the CX-7's big appeals are its cool looks, well-appointed interior, and sporty handling. The Mazda is more of a pure crossover and less of an SUV than most of its competitors. If you don't do a lot of car-pooling and want a family vehicle with a lot of style, the CX-7 is well worth adding to your shopping list.



Click here to see more of the 2008 Mazda CX-7.