Mazda CX-7 (07 on) - Review

The CX-7 is roomy enough for five adults and comes with leather seats and electronic climate control as standard, as well as electric windows and cruise control. Although the ride is relatively firm in order to minimise body roll in corners it is still fairly comfortable and soaks up bumps and potholes well. Both the petrol and diesel engines are quiet too - even when revved hard - and the Mazda makes a surprisingly good motorway cruiser.

With the rear seats in place there's a decent 455 litres of luggage space and this can be expanded to more than 1,300 litres with the rear seats folded. The seats split 60/40 and there is a simple single action for folding them forward. Up front there is a decent sized glove compartment and generous storage space in the front arm rest.

It feels like a top-quality product, the only let-down being the hard dashboard material which doesn't feel in-keeping with the rest of the car. The driver's seat is electrically adjustable, but the steering wheel only adjusts for height. The influence of Mazda's sportier models is evident in the design and the materials used throughout the cabin. Rear visibility is pretty good despite the tapering glass area towards the rear thanks to the slim rear pillars.