Alternative review of Mazda CX-7

Big bumpers, bulging wheelarches and ferocious looking grilles were a big part of what fired 4x4 vehicles to mainstream popularity. They were a bolder choice than a conventional car with extra attitude and a youthful image that had a powerful appeal for a lot of people, even if off-road driving wasn't on their agenda. Today, 4x4s have become a lot more circumspect in the way they look and Mazda's CX-7 is a perfect example. In these more environmentally enlightened times, maintaining a lower profile is a more attractive option and 'car-like' is a quality that's increasingly highly prised. Few 4x4s do car-like more effectively than the Mazda CX-7. When it first emerged in the UK, the CX-7 had a powerful turbocharged petrol engine which was great unless you were picking up the fuel bills. Today it has a diesel which makes it a realistic option for many more customers. The CX-7 now has the big names of the compact 4x4 market in its sights and on first inspection, there seems to be no reason why it can't make headway.

The CX-7 will net some sales purely on the basis of the way it looks. Probably the most striking aspect of the car is the steeply-raked windscreen. Most SUVs have a rather bluff frontal aspect but the CX-7 has the sort of screen angle that wouldn't look out of place on a Lamborghini. The overall effect is to give the Mazda a very sleek, purposeful look and to instantly rid you of any possible notion that the thing should be taken off-road. The latest models feature a lower bumper and a front end dripping in Mazda design cues. There's also an enlarged air-intake shaped into a crazed grin to help the diesel engine breathe. Space in the rear is adequate but the rear seats aren't endowed with any sliding or reclining features. At least they do fold forward to form a flat load floor. Efforts have been made to upgrade the interior quality on today's cars. There are some stylish tweaks to the instrument cluster and a revised multi-information display that's located for easier reading. Lots of the trim materials look and feel a cut above those present when the CX-7 first arrived on UK shores.

The 2.2-litre common-rail turbo diesel is the only engine now offered. It's a 171bhp unit which means it's still more muscular than many of the engines employed elsewhere in the sector. There's a whopping 400Nm of torque to call upon from 2,000rpm so nobody's going to complain that the sensible CX-7 is underpowered. The bald statistics are less impressive. There's an 11.3s 0-60mph time and a 124mph top speed, but the mid-range urge from all that torque should define the driving experience in a positive way for most. The CX-7's other ace in the hole is that it gives only the merest nod to the concept of off-road ability, preferring instead to concentrate its efforts on the tarmac ride and handling that owners will experience day to day. There's four-wheel-drive, Mazda's Active Torque-Split system no less, but the CX-7 is no mud-plugger. Its low ride height and lack of body protection see to that. What you do get is enhanced grip and ability in slippery conditions as the 4x4 system automatically distributes torque to the axle that can best use it. There's also fully-independent suspension to bring added finesse to the drive.

I have a lot of time for the CX-7 and that's coming from someone who can generally take or leave 4x4s. Its focus on on-road driving suits me fine and it looks good too, which is always a help.