I wanted to adore the 2010 Mazda CX-7, but every time I drove it I could only think of one word: vanilla. The mildly restyled CX-7 looks a little sporty, but it doesn’t stand out in a crowd — even with its love-it-or-hate-it smiling grille. Where’s Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom factor?
It’s not under the hood. A crossover of this heft, with Mazda’s spunky reputation, needs more oomph under the hood. I was in an all-out pout while driving the CX-7, wondering why it couldn’t be more powerful. My test car, a CX-7 Sport trim, came with a four-cylinder engine, and I learned quickly that I couldn’t make a hasty move in traffic because this car didn’t have the power to back it up. Higher trim levels come with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine; I guess that’s where the Zoom-Zoom is hiding. The CX-7’s MSRP starts at $21,700; my test car cost $26,190.
I may catch a lot of heat from Mazda fans for saying so, but I also wasn’t impressed with the CX-7’s handling. Don’t get me wrong, it was fine, but I can get fine out of most cars. With a Mazda I expect more from a performance perspective, and the CX-7 didn’t come through for me this time.
The CX-7 left me longing for something — power, cool features or styling — thrilling.
EXTERIOR
The CX-7’s looks are certainly consistent with the rest of the Mazda family. In fact, it really reminded me of an inflated Mazda3. From the side, the CX-7 looked like an oblong bubble that hasn’t been released from the bubble wand. Take a look for yourself. I did like the way both the headlights and taillights crept around the crossover’s corners. It adds some interest to this otherwise bland-looking crossover.
My test car had the new 161-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine, but I couldn’t help but long for more horses under the hood during my test drive. I would’ve preferred the 244-hp, turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four-cylinder engine. There was a plus side to my test car’s non-turbo engine: It gets an EPA-estimated 20/28 mpg city/highway and takes regular gas. The turbo engine takes premium gas and gets 18/25 mpg.
My boys were able to climb easily into the CX-7, and I was able to open the liftgate without any problems. I would’ve liked a power liftgate with an auto-close button, though.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Some
INTERIOR
The CX-7’s interior is more cumbersome than comfy with its plump seating and bulging center stack, which has oversized knobs and dials.
Even with the standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel, I wasn’t able to find a comfortable driving position in the five-seater. My test car had a Sport Convenience Package ($1,750) that added heated seats, which I enjoyed, automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, power moonroof and a backup camera.
The CX-7 has a sizable bi-level center console and a handy cubby in front of the gearshift. There’s also two cupholders within easy reach of the driver’s seat and two cupholders in the backseat’s armrest.
My boys were comfortable in the backseat, but a teen or an adult will find the legroom to be lacking. The backseat doesn’t slide or recline.
The cargo area is large enough to handle the bags from a day filled with errands. If you’re thinking of hitting the garden center, the folded rear seats create an almost-flat floor and the seatbacks and cargo area have a plastic coating that makes cleanups easy.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
SAFETY
The CX-7’s lower Latch anchors sit behind slits in the backseat’s fabric. They’re easy to find, but I had problems using them with my sons’ booster seats. Our booster seats have rigid Latch connectors that can’t be adjusted. In the CX-7, I couldn’t get the boosters to work correctly with its Latch anchors. When I got the rigid Latch connectors attached to the anchors, the booster seats covered the seat belt receptors. I had to dig out our old-school booster seats and move them closer to the windows, freeing up the seat belt receptors for easy buckling.
The lack of legroom in the second row could be problematic for those installing rear-facing convertible and infant-safety seats.
The CX-7 has standard antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control and traction control. It also has standard front- and side-impact airbags for the front row and side curtain airbags for both rows.
All-wheel drive is optional on trim levels with the turbo engine. It also has an optional backup camera and a blind spot warning system.
I didn’t have a blind spot warning system in my test car, but I wish I had. I often found that the CX-7’s pillars around the crossover impeded my visibility.
Get more safety information on the 2010 Mazda CX-7 here.
