2010 Mazda CX-7 i Sport

Five-passenger crossover gains in fuel economy

By Nina Russin

2010 Mazda CX-7

Mazda has a talent for making the most mundane car fun to drive, without sacrificing practicality or value. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the CX-7: the smaller of the automaker’s two crossover vehicles.

This year, the five-passenger CX-7 gets a new four-cylinder engine, available on the front-wheel drive models. While it lacks the power of the 2.3-liter turbo, the new engine delivers exceptional highway fuel economy, while maintaining enough low-end torque to satisfy the average commuter. During the test drive, my highway fuel economy exceeded the 28 mpg EPA estimate.

Drivers will immediately find value in convenience features such as the rear backup camera, digital information display, multiple power points and Bluetooth interface. But greater value lies beneath the car’s surface.

For example, Mazda employs chain rather than belt drives, which are more durable over the long haul. Four-wheel vented disc brakes with four-channel antilock braking provide superior stopping power in a variety of weather conditions. Balance shafts eliminate the vibration and noise that can be the bane of large, four-cylinder engines. Read the rest of this entry »