THE GTI OF SUVS
As you will have read in this month’s news section, unlike other countries, such as our near neighbours across the water, sales of SUVs here in Ireland are on the increase, up almost 30% on the same period last year. Paddy Comyn reports
Despite the threat of increased charges on cars such as ones for the next year, which are looming on the horizon, the Irish consumer continues to buy into the genre in droves.
There has always been a bit of a compromise in buying an SUV until recent years. While people loved the height and the sense of security this was often at the expense of driving dynamics. This changed with the introduction of crossover vehicles, which had the look and part of the ability of an SUV but with more of the poise and handling of a saloon car. The likes of the BMW X3 and X5, Land Rover Freelander and Honda CR-V would be examples.
ABSOLUTE ABILITY
Mazda have not offered us an SUV in Ireland since the frankly awful Tribute, which is best forgotten. They are back, however with the CX-7, a crossover vehicle that aims to change some opinions about how this type of cars should behave.
The USP of the CX-7 is that it is a sports car meets SUV and with Mazda’s undoubted ability in the former then adding a hint of MX-5 and RX-8 to an SUV should be an interesting recipe. The CX-7 has been available in the US for some time now, but Mazda were keen to point out that the model that arrives here is very different to the US version. Here in Europe we like our cars to go around corners, because for a start we have some and our roads demand more from a car’s chassis and suspension than some of the highways do in the States. So Mazda tuned the suspension of the car at none other than the Nurburgring in Germany and fitted it with the 2.3-litre Turbocharged engine that we have already sampled in cars like the nutty Mazda3 MPS and Mazda6 MPS.
SPORTY MEETS SUV
Visually the car is a nice piece of design. Mazda avoided the temptation to make it look like it could cross a mountain when it clearly can’t. Instead they have opted for the lines of a sports hatchback instead and it really is a smart looking machine. From some angles you would be hard pressed to think it was an SUV at all. Inside it is a nice set-up too. The specification level is amazing. You really don’t need to look at an options list because everything is thrown in as standard. The list includes leather seats, air-conditioning, a nine-speaker Bose stereo system and smart 18” alloy wheels. There is adequate space up front and in the rear and a useful 455-litres of boot space which can expand out to 1,348-litres with the back row of seats folded flat.
POWERFUL FORCE
Under the bonnet is a 2.3-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which feels as potent as the 258bhp figure suggests. While you are used to feeling loads of diesel torque in SUVs like this, the snappy turbo is unusual but thankfully it is twinned with astonishing handling for a vehicle of this kind.
The lack of a diesel engine is a drawback and while there are rumours about a 2.2-litre diesel at some stage this is unlikely to appear for a year if at all so that may put some Irish buyers off the CX-7 but it really isn’t after the type of customer who wants to be frugal anyway. This is a definite choice for someone who wants a vehicle that has the look and practicality of an SUV but with all the performance and dynamics of a hot hatch.
COST EFFICIENT CONTENDER
The price is not bad, either, when you look at what you are getting for the money. The standard equipment list and the performance is more than a match for more upmarket rivals such as the Lexus RX350 but at a much lower price and while it won’t worry the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe or Toyota RAV4 in the sales charts it will appeal to a very specific niche.
Published in the September 2007 Issue of Irish Entrepreneur
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