So my wife is wanting to part with her 2002 Saturn SL2, so we looked around as she wants a SUV type vehicle. We checked out the Toyota rav4 and the chevy equinox, but today we looked at a CX-7. We both loved it. It's AWD, powered by a 2.3 liter turbo charged 4 cylinder similar to the Mazda speed 6. Anyone have experience with this vehicle or opinions? It's said to make like 244hp, but peak torque is I think 265 at 2750rpm? The test drive felt like driving a 6 cylinder, and for her to highway commute to work and have an all season vehicle, I think it'll work out real well.

 

It's a solid crossover vehicle, and is rather good in the snow. As off road goes, I wouldn't suggest rock climbing, but if local commute is what you're after, it's a good ride.

 

I've got a 2010 AWD 2.3T and love it. My only complaint is the mileage, if you have a heavy foot you'll feel it in your wallet.

I've only owned it since January, so time will tell how reliable it will be.

 

GF and I looked at one, it was at the top of her price range, and she couldn't afford the turbo awd version. It was kind of dumb, because in order to get the sunroof, you HAD to get the turbo and the awd. It was something like a $10k package just for a sunroof.

We went with the Mazda 3 instead, slightly less room inside, but it had many more features for a grand or two less. She has her sunroof, automatic, bluetooth, and bose stereo for $20,000, where as the base CX-7 was $22,000 with no sunroof, bluetooth, or bose system.

 

This particular one has a Bose system and the sunroof. The dealer wants just a little over 16 for it after our $900 Saturn trade allowance. It has 38000 miles on it.

 

Ah, we were looking at new. If you can handle the mileage change from the Saturn (30ish?) to the Mazda (20ish), it's a good deal.

 

FYI they are all turbocharged. Remove the muffler and it will sound like a speed 3. The muffler also weighs like 70lbs or something crazy.

 

70lbs? That's almost a 1/10 of a second in the 1/4 mile on her way to work! Seriously though, no muffler should weigh that much.

 

WRONG. They have a 2.5 NA with 161hp. Could be new for this year though, I've only looked at '10 and '11.
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/conf...modelYear=2010

 

Yeah the 2.5 is new for this yeah. SORRY I had not looked at them recently, I'm not exactly in the market for one.

 

No rudeness meant, it's that time of month.

 

Skip on the shitty SUV...obviously it's not needed for anything useful. If you're worried about safety, reliability and good value, pick up a Subaru Impreza RS. All the goodness of a Subaru, none of the problems of a WRX.

 

We just bought an '07 CX-7 with 31,000 miles. Traded in the Saturn and paid $14000 out of pocket. I think we made out. AWD, intercooled turbo, balance of factory warranty. Yeah, we're happy.
Now if I could only trade my 2000 Silverado for a 1970 chevy pickup, we'd be set. I prefer old and simple...she needs new and updated with all kinds of unnecessary bells and whistles. I guess opposites attract!

 

Sweet! I test drove one of those 3 years ago and loved it but my wife wanted a van so we ended up with a Mazda5. I still wished we bought the CX7,

 

Heh, we just picked one up for the wife yesterday, got an '08 AWD with 25k miles. Now just a mazda family.

 

Thread resurrection in process...
Cx7 is now used as primary baby hauler, but it blows on fuel mileage. It gets like 20mpg on a good day with 92 octane. What can I do to this thing to improve mileage?
I was thinking about a corksport intake. Anybody want to tell me the best way to improve fuel economy? There is a slight aftermarket for these things, but I don't want to make it a 13second 17psi race car, I want to improve the efficiency and that's it.

 

Trade it in for a CX-5.

#1 is drive gently

Increase tire pressure

Cold air intakes are worse for economy. Hot air intake would improve it. Hot air=Less energy=open throttle more=less pumping losses.

 

Diesel swap.

 

Intake on those motors actually gives very large gains power wise...which means it will hep fuel economy as well. Definitely worth a few mpg and you'll be able to hear the turbo and bypass valve. I had a speed 3 back in the day.

Also I was able to get a little over 30mpg on the speed 3... I wouldn't expect quite as good on the CX7, it being heavier, AWD, etc., but it should be pretty decent.

A popular thing to do on the speed forums is "seafoam" the intake tract. One thing that plagues these engines is carbon buildup on the intake and intake valves, due to it being direct injection and all.

 

Thought about that, but we like the power the 7 makes. The 5 is also too small.

How is hot air an improvement? Also the CAI would be a better design than the restrictive / turbulent stock air box. It should lower IAT temps, and make it easier to flow air...which is where the power increase comes from...because it makes the engine more efficient.
My theory is, unless you ad forced induction to an engine, you don't get gains in power. Things like exhaust systems and CAI's "free up" lost power because they're sometimes less restrictive than stock designs.
When you read an ad that an exhaust system gained HP/ tq...it's not like you bolted on a power adder. You simply bolted on a less restrictive item that "freed up" the restricted power.
My question with the cx7 is, how many restrictions are on it that cause it to have such poor economy?