Slower But Better
by David Finlay (16 Nov 09)

A little over two years ago, Mazda launched the original CX-7 in a distinctly unusual form. Its employees spoke hopefully of a diesel engine some time in the future, and indeed it seemed odd to the point of perversity that there wasn't at least one of those in the range, but in fact the CX-7 had been given the 256bhp 2.3-litre turbo petrol engine also found in MPS versions of the 3 and the 6, and if you didn't like that you had to buy another car instead.

Well, now the world has been turned the right way up again, and the new £25,785 CX-7 has a diesel engine. Nothing but a diesel engine, in fact. It's a 2.2-litre unit producing a maximum of 171bhp, and the most important thing about it is that it give the new CX-7 combined fuel economy (37.7mpg) and CO2 emissions (199g/km) figures which were completely beyond the scope of the old one. The CO2 situation means that the CX-7 costs a full £190 less to tax each year, and the effect of the 10mpg improvement in economy may be imagined.

The 85bhp drop in power has an obvious effect on the straightline performance. The top speed is, at 124mph, actually quite close to what it was before, since even the MPS engine struggled to push the CX-7's considerable bulk through the air, but the 0-62mph has soared from 8.0 seconds to 11.3 seconds.

Does this matter? No, not a bit. The older car was considerably faster than it needed to be, and the performance of this one is quite adequate. What's more, the diesel is if anything even better to drive than the petrol model was. Its ride quality is absolutely outstanding for something so large, and it handles more nimbly than its shape would lead you to imagine. Everything is smooth and well-controlled, even when you're horsing along a deserted back road.

The height and weight of the CX-7 become more apparent the harder you press on, of course, but there is never a sense that the car is saying, "Stop! This is too much for me." The message is more like, "I have no problem with this, but do bear in mind that I'm larger and heavier than the hot hatch you seem to take me for. As long as you remember that, we'll be fine."

Mazda includes retuned suspension and revised gear ratios in its list of things that have changed in the CX-7, but frankly in the switch from petrol to diesel it would have impossible to avoid them. More significant alterations include a stiffer bodyshell, better sound insulation (which has worked well - even on full load the diesel is impressively quiet) and a minor facelift which includes a larger grille and rear spoiler, new - and again larger - 19" alloy wheels, xenon headlights and a little extra chrome.

Some things remain the same, though. There is, for example, just one trim level, and it includes leather seats, climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, heated front seats, a Bose surround-sound audio system with nine speakers and a 6-CD autochanger, satellite navigation (though the screen is small and far away, and the graphics crude by modern standards) and Bluetooth connectivity.

The bodyshell is largely the same before, so the CX-7 still offers 455 litres of luggage space when the 60/40 split folding rear seats are in place, and 774 litres (to the level of the parcel shelf) when they are put down, a process achieved by a single touch of a release mechanism mounted in the side of the boot.

Comment on this story on Facebook or Twitter.

Back to Mazda Road Test index
Back to main Road Test index