Mazda CX-7 – Zoom-Zoom SUV From Mazda
When Mazda have adopted ‘Zoom-Zoom’ as a product philosophy – it was the idea of creating vehicles that people would enjoy driving, based on the concept that every one, even from childhood, would have experienced that ‘Zoom-Zoom’ sensation of movement, whether it be from riding on a bicycle, or that sensation of riding on a swing, or simply being carried around on one’s parents’ shoulders. Mazda theorizes that most people would enjoy driving a Mazda if it could capture the essence of that moving sensation and translate it into a vehicle. Thus it started developing vehicles that would closely reflect this ‘Zoom-zoom’ effect, and one of the products that has come about as a result of this is the Mazda CX7 – an SUV that drives differently from other SUVs.
Whereas the run of the mill SUV would be generally a heavy vehicle powered by an engine that labours hard to keep it going, the CX-7 is a pleasant surprise when it comes to the power department. With a 2.3 litre engine that is turbocharged, and delivers 234 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque, the CX-7 has plenty of get-up-and-go. Transmission is either 2WD to the front axle, or 4WD through a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Response to throttle is instantaneous, and if you thought that SUV’s are slow coaches, then the CX-7 is one that will make you do a re-think. There are some SUV’s in the market that do have good performance, but they would cost quite a bit more than what you would have to pay for the CX-7 – also part of the philosophy is making the vehicles at an affordable price.
Shod with 18-inch wheels and 60 Series profile tyres, the independent suspension and coil springs all round help to make the CX-7 a good handling piece of machinery that drives like a car. I had the chance to drive one up to Cameron Highlands, and also use it as a commuter around Kuala Lumpur for a couple of days. I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable vehicle. You tend to forget that it is actually quite a large vehicle on account of the lightness of the throttle and the quick response to your demands for power. The light steering and good handling makes the CX-7 very pliable in your hands, and very enjoyable to drive. Acceleration, thanks to the turbo-charged engine, is always exhilarating, if you care to put pedal to the metal. What does suffer a little would be fuel economy, but if you know how to maintain a good balance between down-to-earth driving habits and that occasional need-for-speed type of driving, you can strike a good balance.
Typical of a SUV, interior space is generous – if you are big, then the CX-7 would be a good fit. If you need generous-sized seats, great legroom, and plenty of headroom, then you will find it in the CX-7. Built as a 5-seater and with good stowage space behind, the CX-7 makes a good family run-about if you have a couple of kids. Room at the back is ample for three adults, and legroom is of no issue at all.
Stopping will never be a problem – with front and rear ventilated discs, and huge discs, the braking feel is very reassuring. We drove hard and fast up and down Camerons, but the system took it all in its stride, never faltering even for a moment.
Handling, surprisingly, is very good in the CX-7 – push it around a corner, and it feels like it is stuck to the road, challenging you to go even faster than you would normally dare to. Straight line stability is excellent, and lane changes can be executed without fear of tipping over. The CX-7 does lean over a little, but only a little, after which it settles down and takes the corners with ease.
The CX-7 comes packed with many features – leather seats with split and fold function, dual zone air-conditioning, and an electric sunroof. The driver gets electric seats, a leather-bound steering wheel, and a leather shift knob. Headlights are auto leveling and really light up the night. For entertainment, there is a great audio system with a 6-disc CD changer and a 9-speaker Bose system.
Safety features that come as standard equipment include ABS, with EBD and BA. Supplementing this is DSTC (Dynamic Stability Traction Control), and six airbags. One of the most useful features would be the reverse camera that is really helpful when parking or reversing.
All in all, the Mazda CX-7 is a great vehicle for people who want some performance in a SUV. Of course this fun comes with a price, and that is in the form of additional fuel – there are no free lunches, and typical fuel consumption would be in the region of 13 to 15 litres per 100 kilometres, depending on how heavy your foot is. A light-footed driver would get by with around. The unit we tested was equipped with front-wheel drive, and price-on the road without insurance is approximately RM265k with a few ringgit in change.
