Friday May 25, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 21 |
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Friday, Aug 29, 2008
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Zero to Sixty |
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| 2007 Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring All Wheel Drive | |
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by J.T. Hills -
SGN Contributing Writer TOP - Stylish design - Roomy interior - Competitively priced BOTTOM - 4-cylindar with the gas mileage of a 6 - Some fit and finish details look a bit cheapy - Expensive upgrades All new for 2007, the Mazda CX-7 is a sophisticated crossover loosely based on the Mazda 6 platform. Designed specifically for the North American market, Mazda is taking aim at childless couples 30-40 years old. There's plenty of room for four adults or -- in a pre-menopausal panicked pinch -- up to three kids in the back. It comes in both two wheel and all-wheel drive versions with three different trim levels. After a week with the 2007 Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring All-Wheel Drive, I've compiled a brass tacks list of highly technical scientific data based upon observations, experimentation, tabulations, inspections and so forth. Here we go: A crossover made for childless Gen-X-ers? By the looks of the faux snake skin trim on the seats; I'm thinking that's corporate speak for the Gays. The crossover market has become extremely competitive over the past couple of years; with consumers wanting the convenience of a roomy SUV with the driving characteristics of sports sedan. I suppose its design necessity really. With all those willy nilly Explorer divers flipping them into ditches because they drove them like the Saab they had before they conceived 2.5 kids and refused to buy a minivan. Unlike the CX-7's competitors, it doesn't come with built in car seats and back seat DVD entertainment system for hours of Barney and Friends on a loop. Quite frankly it's nice to see a manufacturer design a crossover for those near middle aged holdouts who got too fat and old for their Miata's and refuse to buy a Camry. There's a real need for fashionable niche marketing. The CX-7 Grand Touring comes with the same 2.3 liter turbo-charged engine found in the Mazdaspeed 6. The turbo charged four cylinder engine is rated at 244 hp with 253 lb ft of torque matched to a 6-speed automatic transmission with sport shift, and gets an estimated 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. The engine is responsive and delivers a remarkable 258 lb ft of torque at 2500 rpm's. The down side is that you get the same mileage as you would if you had a six cylinder engine. So why wouldn't you just put a V-6 in it? So you can spend more money for the CX-9 silly. Out on the highway the CX-7 handles superbly with sports car handling-ish characteristics. It doesn't handle quite like an Infiniti FX, but then again it doesn't cost as much as an Infiniti either. The CX-7 would put and Acura RDX through its paces though, and look better doing it. The interior of the CX-7 is smartly designed with some interesting design elements. Mazda forgoes the pretense of faux wood trim in favor of a black laquer-ish finish that has gained popularity in European SUV's. As an added design treat, the Grand Touring edition has the added benefit of a reptilian patterned stripe down the seating surfaces. A design sequence I don't believe I've encountered before outside of a customized Stutz Bearcat from the late 70's. The optional touch screen DVD Navigation system is intuitive to use, and easy to navigate between screens. The test model also came with an optional rear back-up camera that made parallel parking in the city easy. Because of the sight lines, I can't imagine driving a CX-7 without one. The 9-speaker Bose audio system was excellent, but the optional Sirius satellite radio module looked aftermarket and didn't fit the body color of the car. It also tended to loose the signal a lot going under bridges, in the rain, or if you sneezed. OK, for a before tax price of $33,080 what do you get? The Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring All-Wheel drive comes with a long list of standard features, and some pricey options. A quick look at the favorites includes: Performance - 2.3 liter 244 hp four cylinder turbo charged engine - Six speed automatic transmission with sport shift - Active torque split AWD - 18" alloy wheels - Roof spoiler Safety - Driver and front passenger front airbags, side impact air curtains - Dynamic Stability control and traction control system - 24-hour roadside insurance - Xenon Headlamps - Fog lamps - Heated power mirrors Comfort and Convenience - Automatic Climate control - 8-way power drivers seat - Heated front seats - 3-spoke leather wrapped tilt wheel with repeated audio controls and cruise Options - Rear bumper guard ($50) - Sirius Satellite radio ($450) - Technology Package: 240 W Bose 9-speaker surround sound system, DVD Navigation, rearview camera, In-Dash 6-disc CD Changer, Power moon roof, Keyless entry and start system, perimeter alarm ($4,005) |
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copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2007