By FRANK A. AUKOFER
Scripps Howard News ServiceMazda is making a grass is greener move with the 2010 CX-7 crossover utility vehicle.
When it was introduced in 2007, the CX-7 aspired to be a mid-level five-passenger CUV, competing then with the likes of the Acura RDX, Nissan Murano and Mercury Mariner. It pitted its 244-horsepower turbo four-cylinder engine against some competitors' six-cylinder motors.
But the grass is always greener on the other side, as the old saying goes. The Mazda folks saw the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 racking up sales, along with the Ford Escape and others in the compact class.
So for 2010, the CX-7 is being jiggered downward in price and power to take on the lower-priced models of competitors.
But the original has not gone away. You can still buy a CX-7 with the 244-horsepower turbo, six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The combination can push the price well into the $30,000 reaches.
But now you can also order a CX-7 with a less powerful non-turbo four-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, and a base price tag of $22,300. That puts it into an entirely new competitive territory.
The new power plant actually is an older one. It is the same 161-horsepower four that drives the popular Mazda 3 compact sedan and hatchback. In the CX-7 with the standard five-speed automatic transmission, it delivers 20/28 miles to the gallon on the EPA's test cycles.
As might be expected, the engine is more challenged in the CX-7 because, at 3,496 pounds, it weighs 432 pounds more than the 3 hatchback.
But it comes across as a worthy alternative to front-drive models of the CR-V (166 horsepower and 20/26 fuel economy), four-cylinder RAV4 (179 horsepower and 22/28) or, for that matter, the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox with its four-cylinder engine (182 and 22/32).
At 15 feet 4 inches long, with passenger/cargo volume of 99/30 cubic feet and similar pricing, the CX-7 fits right into the competitive set of the RAV4, CR-V and Equinox.
The tester was a CX-7i Sport (the i designates the non-turbo four-cylinder engine) with a base sticker price of $23,090. It comes only with front-wheel drive.
Standard equipment included traction and stability control, side air bags and side-curtain air bags, antilock brakes, tire-pressure monitoring, manual-shift operation of the automatic transmission, manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 capability, 17-inch alloy wheels, remote locking, a multifunction display with trip computer, and illuminated vanity mirrors.
Options on the test car included a $1,750 package that combined heated front seats, a motorized sunroof, power driver's seat, automatic climate control and a rear-view camera. Stand-alone options were Sirius satellite radio, a cargo cover and net, and fog lights. All of this brought the sticker price to $25,990.
Certainly anyone who favors more performance or needs all-wheel drive would choose the CX-7s with the turbo motor. But the combination adds more than $5,000 to the sticker price and cuts the fuel economy to 18/25. So if you can get along without those enhancements the tested CX-7i Sport provides a desirable package.
The upholstery is a sturdy and comfortable cloth, with the front seats heated on the test car, and the seats are shaped for long-distance support. There is even decent room and comfort in back except for anyone banished to the punishing center-rear position.
Nice touches in the interior include a large console that can hold a laptop computer and also contains auxiliary and power outlets as well as trays to hold different sized items. Out back, there are remote levers that release the rear seatbacks and allow them to flop forward. But they do not fold flat. The seatback is divided 2/3rds and 1/3rd.
The interior on the test car was all black, relieved only by titanium-look plastic trim. Another CX-7 had a more attractive combination of black and beige.
The test car cruised quietly on the highway, with little wind and road noise, and only a roar from the engine when it was working hard -- which, of course, was often. On steep hills, you have to really get your foot in it, and it obviously would be a struggle with a load of passengers and cargo.
There is some help from the transmission's manual-shift mode. It allows you to hold a gear and prevent "hunting" by the automatic transmission seeking the proper gear.
Considering its relatively tall profile, the CX-7i handles well, with a confident stance around corners. It's no sports sedan, but won't cause anxiety either. The ride is compliant, with a suspension system that soaks up most bumps without bruising or jarring the occupants.
One drawback is the design of the instruments. They are recessed in three deep pods behind the steering wheel and they do not have daytime lighting. So despite the fact that the markings are done up in white on black for better visibility, they are difficult to read on a bright, sunny day because the eyes do not adjust quickly enough to the dark recesses. Readouts at the top of the dash pose a similar problem.
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. For more columns, go to scrippsnews.com
