High Speed, High Ground Clearance
by David Finlay (16 Sep 07)

There's an obvious question to be asked about the CX-7, and right now Mazda's UK people are not in a position to answer it. But it seems inevitable that at some stage in the future there will be a diesel version of the company's new SUV.

This is a Good Thing, partly because it will vastly enlarge the CX-7's appeal in the marketplace, and partly because, despite Mazda's current emphasis on sportiness, a slower but more economical diesel CX-7 would be a perfectly acceptable contender in the SUV sector.

There are several reasons for this, and we'll come to those shortly. First, though, let's take a look at the CX-7 in its current form. There is just one model, and it's fitted with the 256bhp 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine also used in the high-performance MPS versions of the Mazda3 and the Mazda6 .

This makes the CX-7 a significantly quick car. The effort of shoving such a large frontal area into the oncoming breeze means that its top speed is held down to 131mph; a more accurate guide to its straightline potential is a 0-62mph of exactly eight seconds.

There's roadholding to match - the CX-7 turns neatly into bends and has enormous lateral grip through them. But its handling qualities have not been achieved through making the suspension stiff and uncomfortable. On the contrary, the CX-7 feels strangely unsporty (though there's no question that it's exceptionally capable) and the ride quality is every bit as good as you could expect from a car of this type.

More . . .

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