2007 Mazda CX-7 First Drive

Typically, more money buys more motor. Base models usually get the so-called fuel-efficient engine, while the upper trims draw power from a couple extra cylinders or a sweet turbocharger. Mazda has done things a bit differently with the 2007 CX-7. Every model, from the base front-wheel-drive Sport to the all-wheel-drive Grand Touring, gets the same engine, a turbocharged 2.3-liter, dual overhead cam four-cylinder with direct injection that’s good for 244 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. The Hitachi Warner turbo maxes out at 14.9 psi, and the exhaust runs straight back to the dual chrome tips to lessen back pressure. A six-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode directs power to a front- or all-wheel-drive system and, subsequently, standard 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/60 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires.

Based on the Mazda 6 platform, the five-passenger CX-7 weighs in between 3,710 – 3,929 pounds and rides on an independent MacPherson strut suspension up front and a multi-link setup in the rear, first used on the Mazda 3 then adapted for the Mazda 5 and once again for use on the CX-7 SUV. Front and rear anti-sway bars are standard. The optional all-wheel-drive system, borrowed from the Mazdaspeed 6, pushes 100 percent of the engine’s power to the front wheels under normal conditions, yet unleashes an equal 50/50 split front and rear when grip is compromised. Of the 40,000 units Mazda expects to sell annually, half are expected to be equipped with all-wheel-drive traction. Regardless, all 2007 CX-7s come with stability and traction control systems, antilock brakes with vented discs on all four corners, electronic brake-force distribution, and speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering.