2011 Mazda CX-7 i Touring

The Mazda CX-7 i Touring may look like a futuristic sports car, but it lacks the turbocharged engine and cabin tech options that make the Grand Touring trim level so appealing. If you've ever driven a Mazda , you probably already know the automaker has a knack for making small, nimble vehicles that are easy on the wallet as well as the amount of fuel they consume. Sometimes, though, you might only have to rely on feel. Take the 2011 Mazda CX-7. It just feels like a solid vehicle. Everything else then just seems to fall in line, well, that makes for a decent package.

 

At least in front, the Mazda CX-7 interior looks great; front seats are wide yet quite firm, and supportive for a wide range of sizes. The upright driving position affords a good view ahead, too. The story is less delightful in back. There's barely enough width to fit three across; adults will find plenty of headroom, but the low position leaves knees elevated and a general shortage of legroom. Cargo space is indeed limited, but folding the backseats forward yields 70 inches of flat cargo floor; the catch is that it's not very tall—the result of such a rakish design and a surprisingly high cargo floor—but enough to move a coffee table or love seat.

For 2011, you don't have to step up to the turbo engine in order to get the Touring trim, which gets you leather upholstery; there's a new 'i' Touring model. Top Grand Touring trims include automatic climate control, a SmartKey entry system, a moonroof, heated mirrors, the nav system, rain-sensing wipers, and xenon HID headlamps. All models but the base SV come with a Bluetooth hands-free interface—Bluetooth streaming audio is also offered—and for the first time, the top-of-the-line Grand Touring picks up a Blind Spot Monitoring System. For the upper trims, a top-notch Bose Centerpoint audio system is optional, as well as a touch-screen, voice-activated navigation system.

 

The Mazda CX-7 is a Mazda product first introduced in 2007. A crossover vehicle, the Mazda CX-7 is currently assembled in Hiroshima, Japan. As a mid size vehicle, the CX-7 has four doors, has a front located engine, and is offered in four-wheel drive. The engine housed in the CX-7 is the 2.3 liter MZR turbocharged I-4 and the vehicle has a six speed automatic transmission.