Seats are not comfortable at all, my but hurt a lot.
cheap plastic dashboard
not sound proof at all, I can hear everything just as clear as outside ( well almost)
suspensions too stiff, I can feel any little line or mark on the street
lights not in line, dealer cannot adjust without charging you.
no lock for the glove box
noisy motor for the sunroof,
cheap bricky buttons
not smooth, not professional at all....
big disapointmet...sorry Mazda
I choose the CX-7 over an X3, and I am so sorry, I think I would be happier even with a used old X5,...yes the car looks good and feels good and sharp at first drive test, but once you drive it every day, you see it all.
No gadgets at all, not pockets in the dors, no light for the vanity mirrors, `everything so cheap plastic, carpet very hard to vacuum, for 30 000 dollars, they could do better.
MPG terrible. there is no gadget to tell you how many miles left you have for the gas left in your tank, like any junk car has. it's because they lie about it's MPG. what I get is 13 mpg city and 18mpg HW.
Don't be fooled by the dealers first review... I say many CX-7 returned... people don't like them... it's all about the looks... trust me. I will trade mine for a BMW... those are real cars.
The dealer even lied to me saying I got a lower credit score and gave me a higher interest... after I went home and pulled out my credit score I realized that he told lied to me with 23 points on my credit score. (Trans Union). I was so...so mad. I went back and told him and he said... well we can't do anything about it now. (with a smirk on his face).
That is too bad that you purchased a vehicle that now you are having difficulty living with.
I agree with your comments about the seats. A few months ago, I was shopping for a small xUV, given that the choices among station wagons were too limited and nothing fit the bill for me.
I will say that my experience definitely brought to light the need for longer test drives, as also reflected in this poster's review.
One of the vehicles I was cross shopping was the CX-7. I went on a test drive of a used one, Touring trim. The dealership would only let me do a brief test-drive (maybe 10 minutes). During that time, I was impressed by the responsive steering and braking. So, the CX-7 stayed in the running.
Later, when I had my choice down to the CX-7 and one other vehicle, I decided to take another test drive of the CX-7. The previous tester had leather seats, and if I purchased, it would be one with cloth seats. I wanted to see how the seats felt.
The next dealership I went to was happy to give me a longer test drive (~30 minute loop). Well, during this drive I noticed two problems. The first was that the seats were uncomfortable. The previous leather seats were too stiff, but the cloth seats were stiff and lumpy/uneven. Both my passenger and I independently came to the conclusion that it felt like one side of our butt was higher than the other! The second, was something about the car made me start feeling nauseous. Not sure what it was, a fume from the plastic, the extra slight rocking that comes from the turbo kicking on and off, or what. I ended up having to cut the test drive short, because I was feeling so ill.
Needless to say, I did not choose the CX-7, but I was very glad to have that extended test drive! My reason for writing this is to let anyone researching this vehicle know that it is a good idea to find a place that will let you do more than an around-the-block test. Try another dealership if you need to.
Why don't you try a Hyunday Santa Fe once? but the diesel one...
The Santa Fe vs. X3 vs. CX-7: Hyundai makes a great product for that market segment! (we don't get diesel engines in N.America) Even if it isn't as sporty as the Mazda, it offers slightly better fuel economy, more room and waaaay more features; that's right, it even has lights for your vanity mirrors! Oh, and lets not forget, it is more reliable than an X3 and certainly an X5! Wow we're on a roll!
But wait dearest comrades!
Let's check out the other side of the medal just for a second (the less practical one) shall we?
The truth is, you will never get the same status, the same kind of panache offered in the BMW, or in this case, a Pretty-Boy-ZoomZoom-Turbo-Blaster-Glitzy-Glamor CX-7, which seems like what the original writer of this thread was also after when he/she bought his/her ride. Perhaps an Edge or MKX were too domestic? Toyota RAV4 V6 Limited was too bland (fastest of 'em all!)? Acura RDX was too funny-looking? Hmm... puzzling.
In the end, I say YAY to extended test-drives with mixed driving and an eye on the fuel gage! They'll save you tons of headaches, cash and booty pain too!
My wife was looking for an AWD crossover, so we had to take the CX7 out for a drive.
The vehicle looks great from the outside - nice lines.
The overwhelming feeling I got from the inside was: CHEAP. Plastic everywhere - plastic this and plastic that. It even smelled like plastic.
We took it around the block - loud and again, cheap. We later found out that the engine is manufactured by Ford. An American engine in a Japanese vehicle - not a good mix. Most likely it will break down sooner than later.
Needless to say, we did not purchase this vehicle and, in fact, due to the overwhelming amount of Ford parts, stayed away from Mazda completely.
It was rather funny when we asked the salesperson about the Ford parts. She hung her head and admitted that many others felt the same way. It was obvious that she was embarrassed by this fact.
We bought a Honda - quality and built to last. My advice, if you are going to buy Japanese then buy Japanese - nothing else will do.
Jim.
Of course it has Ford parts, Ford owns a portion of Mazda. Look at the Ford Escape and the Mazda Tribute, it's not a surprise their twins. One opinion said the CX7 drives like truck, and another one says it has Ford parts all through the vehicle. Not to put any body's opinion down, but Ford and Truck = GOOD PRODUCT. I have a 1998 Mazda B4000 a.k.a. Ford Ranger, I'm going on 10 years, and the only problem that's cost a fair amount of money has been a gasket. Total bill $600. Not too shabby coming up on 150,000 miles.
Yes, Ford does own a controlling interest in the Mazda Motor Corporation but that doesn't mean that every Mazda is related to or based on a Ford model. There are many Mazda models that are either based on Fords or are re-badged Ford models but the CX-7 isn't one of them... it was designed and is built in Japan by Mazda. Also, it does not have a Ford engine... The 2.3 liter 4cyl that's used in the CX-7 is a Mazda designed engine that a number of Ford models use as well. If your salesperson told you that the CX-7 contained any Ford parts then she was mistaken and should learn more about the product she's selling.
My 2008 has comfortable seats, I don't know why everyone else is complaining. And I've got a skinny behind so it was an issue for me.
As for mileage; not so good with 10% ethanol (17 city 23 MPG highway) but with straight gas I was impressed, 21 city 28 MPG highway.
I guess the worst feature is the noise with the windows down. You just can't drive it that way over 25 MPH.
I have a 2007 CX-7 with 48000 km on it, for the last 25000km I've been having problems when accelerating over 80 to 100 kmh. It seems to vibrate, took it to dealership 3 times, but each time they found nothing. Does anyone have this problem?
I have a 2007 CX-7 AWD and enjoy driving it every chance I get. I have been in cars with more comfortable seats and others with less comfortable ones. No issues with soundproofing unless the windows are down and I'm driving fast. Like the stiffer suspension - sportier tuning, which is the feel that Mazda seem to have been going for.
Lights are not meant to be in line. Driver side one is adjusted slightly lower deliberately. Very common on a lot of SUVs/trucks.
As for no lock on the glove box... well there's that huge center compartment that fits a full size laptop and has a lock on it...
I find the ride a perfect balance of sportiness and comfort. Haven't driven many other cars that making winding roads more enjoyable. Agree with the post above about longer test drives. Everyone has different tastes, but there are certainly a lot of people who enjoy the drive of the CX-7.
Agree about the poor mileage when using ethanol blend. Much better with straight 92 octane.
Not sure what to say about your dealer lying to you... guess you just have to make sure you know your stuff and stand up for yourself, 'cause it's his job to sell you a car and some people have no ethics.
For the person with the problem accelerating from 80 - 100 km/h this is a problem that some people have had and the dealer can fix with a computer update. Search for the Mazda CX-7 forum and there'll be a long thread on the topic, with a specific update that needs to be done and fixes the problem completely. I've not had that issue, but mine only has 50,000 km on it.
I have an Australian 2008 CX-7 Luxury (leather AWD)
Seats are perfect, I spend 4 hours a day in the car, this is NOT an issue. It is NOT plasticy or cheap in anyway inside.
Maybe the American version is not as nice? But if you're an Aussie reading this looking for a great car, go test drive one, they are soo much nicer than a Subaru or X trail in this class!
Mazda isn't lying about gas mileage. Nobody is, with the possible exception of car dealers. Gas mileage estimates you find on manufacturer websites and whatnot are EPA numbers. Mazda isn't paying the government to overestimate the gas mileage of the CX-7. EPA estimates should only be used as a rough guide.
It's true that Mazda is partly owned by Ford. A lot of people assume that Mazdas are made by Ford and/or have a lot of Ford parts. It depends on the model. The CX-7 isn't a rebadged Ford.
And the engine in this particular car is an award winning engine. And not made by Ford.
The award winning engine in this vehicle is not made by ford.
This award winning engine is consistently on the top ten best engines in the world list year after year published by Wards Engine Magazine.
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