All of that adds up to a mid-sized 4×4 that is really good to drive. It handles well and is loll-free through corners, yet the suspension is forgiving enough not to loosen fillings. The engine has more than enough shove at any speed and is quiet on the motorway, though there’s more road noise than in some rivals.
Even so, the cabin is a good place to spend long stints with its comfortable seats and plenty of space. There’s a generous boot, too, that’s easily extended thanks to handles in the side walls which release the 60/40 split rear seat to leave a large, flat load floor.
The CX-7 is only available in one generous trim level, which includes leather seats, 18in alloy wheels and an excellent stereo. The only disappointment is the optional satellite navigation looks like an afterthought stuck on the top of the dash rather than being incorporated into the centre console.
The lack of a diesel engine limits the CX-7’s business user appeal, but for a small tranche of drivers it provides that rare thing: a 4×4 that lives up to the ‘Sports’ part of the equation and is not so expensive it’s unlikely to appear on the company car list. Whichever way you describe it, that’s a good thing and we approve of the Mazda CX-7 for delivering it.
