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Mazda expands its lineup with a car-based SUV in spring 2006 called the CX-7. While the entry was previewed by the 2005 MX-Cross Sport concept, the production car was unveiled at Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows in January 2006. As with other car-based, post-modern SUVs, or crossovers, the five-seater CX-7 comes standard in front-drive form with an optional AWD system available. The CX-7 will be built in Japan, and is not directly related to the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX new-for-2007MY entries also being introduced to at the Detroit auto show.
VehicleVoice (http://www.vehiclevoice.com) will showcase the CX-7 at the Los Angeles Auto Show in an upcoming videocast.

Turbocharged Four-Cylinder Power: More Horsepower than Mazda V6, Better Fuel Economy
CX-7 launches with the 244HP turbocharged 2.3L DOHC 16v direct-injection I4 found in the MazdaSpeed 6, rather than a V6 engine. The only transmission choice is a six-speed automatic, and Mazda claims the combination is expected to deliver a combined 23 mpg rating. (The Mazda6 V6-equipped car has an EPA rating of 19 city/27 highway.) Though North American buyers tend to prefer V6 engines to four-cylinders in their SUVs, launching the CX-7 with the turbo four-cylinder gives some differentiation in a crowded market. Its power output and fuel economy are better than that of the current 215HP Mazda6 V6.
Mazda will be able to promote the SUV as having competitive power as well as decent fuel economy numbers. Compared with the MazdaSpeed 6 version of the 2.3L turbo four, when found in the CX-7 it is optimized for better throttle response at lower engine rpm thanks to a new turbocharger. The CX-7 gets 258 lb-ft of torque, with at least 99 percent of that torque available from 2500 rpm through to the 5000 rpm horsepower peak.
Comfort and Safety for Five
The CX-7 overall look is not much different from the concept, though in production there is seating for five instead of four. The CX-7 is wider and longer than the Mazda5, and focuses on being a comfortable five-seater rather than trying to find room for squeezing two more seats in the rear. This decision to stick with seating for five rather than seven was taken for Ford Motor Company siblings Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge as well.
With the focus on five passengers and cargo, the CX-7 offers a flat load floor in the cargo area, with a small lip to prevent items from rolling out. The rear seats fold with a 60/40 split. The front seats are form-fitting buckets. Among the convenience features expected are a DVD-based navigation system, rear-view camera system, keyless entry and start, six-CD changer, and a surround-sound system. The base model is expected to offer standard six airbags, power windows and locks, manual air conditioning, and cruise control.
In terms of electronic aids and chassis development, standard mode is front-drive, though AWD can be ordered. Mazda’s system, called Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive in Mazda-speak, delivers as much as 50 percent of the torque the rear when needed. Standard electronic aids include ABS, traction control, and stability control. Standard wheels are eighteen-inch units, a bit larger than is common amongst the competition.
The CX-7 may break the mold usually found in too-small Mazda products and provide more headroom and shoulder room. It must, if Mazda is to meet its goal of selling more units of this entry than the Mazda Tribute. And Mazda urgently needs entries with the ability to expand sales.