Mazda CX-7 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Mazda CX-7 as a used buy.

Mazda's heavy use of "Zoom Zoom" in its advertising was enough to tell you it was playing the sports card with its cars, no matter the model. The CX-7 SUV was no different. New From the moment the CX-7 was launched in 2006 Mazda pushed the sporty message, and it didn't back off with the introduction of the Series 2 in

Graham Smith reviews the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Mazda CX-7 as a used buy.

WE turn the spotlight on automotive's newest and brightest stars, as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. Ultimately, however, there is one question that really needs answering: would you buy one?What is it?A cheaper version of the Mazda CX-7 masquerading as a two-wheel drive. If you don't want or don't care about all-wheel drive or the benefits that it brings in terms of safety and handling, then save yourself a bundle and buy this one.How much?$33,990 plus on-roads. And that's with a five-speed 'manumatic' (if you want a manual then you'll have to buy the diesel).What are the competitors?You'd think Murano but the Nissan is actually a larger more expensive car. Otherwise you're looking at any of the two-wheel drive compact SUVs like RAV4, Holden Captiva, Mitsubish Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and the Renault Koleos for good measure.What's under the bonnet?A 2.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine from the Mazda6. But it's been reworked and generates a little less power and torque, but the torque kicks in earlier at 2000 instead of 4000 revs.How does it go?Very smooth but a bit doey unless you're in manual mode. It's 72kg lighter than the all-wheel drive model — but still 134kg heavier than a Mazda6 (which explains the performance).Is it economical?The biggest criticism of the CX-7 is its fuel economy. Rated at 9.4 litres/100km it's better than the all-wheel drive, but still too thirsty. We didn't get below 10.0 litres/100km. The good news is that this one takes ordinary unleaded.Is it 'Green?'Scores 3.5 out of five stars from the Govt's Green Vehicle Guide (Prius gets five), with a greenhouse rating of 5.5 and air pollution rating of 6.5 out of 10. Produces 223g/km of CO2.Is it safe?Gets a full five stars for safety. Gets stability control, six airbags and anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution. A reversing camera is also standard.Is it comfortable?Yep. Big and roomy with a high driving position. Easy to get in and out of, easy to see over the traffic ahead. Needs one-touch indicators though.What's it like to drive?Easy peasy, but unexciting. Stability system will keep it on the road. All-wheel drive only comes into its own in the wet. The rest of the time it tends to eat into your fuel economy — ask anyone who owns a Subaru.Is it value for money?Fairly well equipped with cloth upholstery, climate airconditioning and steering wheel audio controls and a full complement of safety gear — but misses out on Bluetooth.Would we buy one?Strong safety story. Rear legroom and luggage space okay but has a temporary spare. It's on the money but we'd miss all-wheel drive and the performance offered by either the diesel or turbocharged petrol models.

This is one of the more stylish ways to join the SUV set. The CX-7 has been a hit for Mazda for the four years since launch because it marries the high-riding SUV drive with car-like handling and swoopy exterior style with a touch of bling. It could do with more grunt, but you can't have everything and the mid-sized Mazda doesn't have too many shortcomings in the urban jungle.VALUEThe two-wheel drive model kicks in at $33,990, then it's a $5000 jump to the on-demand all-wheel drive of the Classic Sports. Neither comes with standard Bluetooth - that's on the Diesel Sports and Luxury Sports models - which shows just how much the wireless technology has invaded our vehicles since the CX-7 launched in 2006.When $15,000 base model vehicles have Bluetooth as part of the basic package, there's no excuse other than bad product cycle timing not to have it in more upmarket cars.Points though for having a reversing camera across the range and there's a lot of standard gear even in the Classic, including cruise control, auto wipers and lights, an MP3-compatible sound system and tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel.TECHNOLOGYThere's nothing outrageously new on or in the CX-7, though a major overhaul late last year freshened the bodywork and interior. It's hard to get excited about redesigned pistons that, if the engine is built the way you're paying for it to be, you hope never to actually see.Two-wheel drive models have a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine linked to a five-speed auto that's good for 120kW and 205Nm.  All-wheel drive versions use a smooth six-speed automatic coupled to a 2.3-litre direct injection turbocharged four cylinder that's good for 175kW and 350Nm.The 2.2-litre turbodiesel isn't far behind with 127kW and 400Nm, but it's restricted to a six-speed manual gearbox.  All models come with a 4.1-inch screen as part of the multimedia interface, but only the diesel and luxury versions come with standard satnav.STYLINGThe Mazda designers applied the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" adage when facelifting the CX-7. It is a standaout looker in a carpark of clones. The lines now crisper and emphasise the curve of the roof and wheel arches and there's more attention to integrating the various components _ the fog lights with the front bumper and the console edges with the dash _ as Mazda happily leverages the premium tag drivers attach to the vehicle.The unseen changes are also subtle but significant. The A pillars have been redesigned to include a moulding that extends across the side window and limits pressure differences to cut wind noise by 5 per cent.SAFETYThe fundamentals of the CX-7 are sound: a solid chassis, decent brakes and a suite of airbags and driver aid software. That ensured it a five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2008. The chassis uses high and ultra-high strength steel to improve impact resistance and it feels reassuringly planted on the road.DRIVINGThis is one of the best handling SUVs around - and that makes it one of its own worst enemies. The ride and feedback invite drivers to push harder and the 2.3-litre petrol engine is happy to spin high up in the rev range.That's a commendable effort from a small donk, but to keep 1.7-tonnes on the move the turbo powerplant will down more than 14 litres of petrol over 100km. And that's without trying too hard - and with the CX-7 preferring premium unleaded (regular unleaded can be used, but will reduce power). Still, if that's the price y ou pay for a decent-driving SUV, I'll cop it.The ride position is comfortable, controls are smartly placed and easy on the hand and eye and the overall feel is light and upmarket.  Doors shut with a decent thunk, the seats are flat but supportive and the sound deadening means little traffic clatter makes its way inside.There are SUVs with more interior room, with the capacity to carry more people and with better off-road abilities. There aren't any others, though, that look quite this classy for anywhere close to the same price.MAZDA CX-7 CLASSIC SPORTSPrice: from $38,990Engine: 2.3-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinderPower: 175kW at 5000 revsTorque: 350Nm at 2500 revsTransmission: Six-speed automatic, all-wheel driveEconomy: 11.5 litres/100km (claimed, combined)CO2 emissions: 273g/kmBody: Five-door wagonSeats: FiveDimensions: length 4693mm, width 1872mm, height 1645mm, wheelbase 2750mm, tracks front/rear 1617mm/1612mmSteering: Power-assisted rack-and-pinionSuspension: MacPherson strut front, multi-link rearFuel tank: 69 litresFuel type: Premium unleaded (95 RON)Weight: 1761kgSpare tyre: Space saverBrakes: Ventilated discs front and rearWheels: 18-inch alloysTyres: 235/60Safety gear: ABS brakes with brakeforce distribution, six airbags, electronic stability and traction control

Top of the list is its new "one size fits all" philosophy as Mazda reveals it will next year make a single vehicle platform to suit different models.At its first showing in Berlin, Mazda previews its new diesel and petrol engines, new automatic and manual transmissions, and a raft of new chassis systems.Though shown within old Mazda6 bodies, the drivetrains will be seen - as early as next year in Australia - in the upcoming Mazda3, Mazda6, new SUV models including the future CX-5, commercial vehicles and further out, in the small B-class car bracket in which Mazda2 sits.Mazda also reveals it has achieved fuel consumption as low as 5.8litres/100km from a normally-aspirated 2-litre petrol four and 4.2-litres/100km from its new 2.2-litre bi-turbo diesel. More importantly, the engines meet future strict emission regulations including Euro-6. So here's what's new.ENGINESMazda rolls out its Sky-G (gasoline) and Sky-D (diesel) engine range. Technically, they represent a fresh wave of ICE development. For example, a diesel usually has a very high compression ratio of about 20:1 but Sky-D has an unusually low 14:1.The Sky-G also has 14:1 when normally-aspirated petrol engines are about 10:1. Powertrain Development Division head Mitsuo Hitomi says by raising the compression ratio and controlling cylinder head temperatures, it is possible to reduce fuel use. A side benefit - aided by a high-performance four-into-two-into-one exhaust system and long-stroke cylinder design - is a 15 per cent increase in torque while the longer stroker/smaller bore allows the cylinders to be placed closer and the engine block to be 20mm shorter and lighter.Sky-G is a 2-litre engine but Mazda is finalising a 1.3-litre version that is intended for the Mazda2. A smaller diesel is also being developed. Both diesel and petrol engines - and manual and automatic transmssions - come with Mazda's "i-stop" stop-start system.TRANSMISSIONSThere are four transmissions branded Sky-Drive: six-speed manuals and six-speed automatics for petrol and diesel applications. The big story is the lock-up system for all cars that Mazda claims allows up to 7 per cent fuel savings while delivering rapid shifts. Mazda is considering paddle shifters in some automatic models and even a "sports" shift button to accentuate shift points.CHASSISMazda shows the next Mazda6 body and chassis details and says it will be used across the board - with the same suspension design, steering and brakes. So Mazda3 would use identical Mazda6 components but sit on a smaller platform.In the case of the Mazda6, the body itself is only marginally bigger than the current Mazda6 but sits on a 50mm longer wheelbase. Front track is up 18mm but because of a new rear suspension cross-arm that can accommodate a rear drive system, the track is up 27mm.Mazda has dispensed with front double-wishbne suspension and will, from the new Mazda6 late next year, use MacPherson struts. The steering is all-electric assistance with the motor set within the cabin, halfway up the column.Total body weight is claimed to be down 100kg even though no aluminium is used.DRIVINGFour test 'mules' are available in Berlin with 2011 mechanical components under '06-model Mazda6 bodies.The first car I drive - a Sky-G petrol manual - is quiet and smooth. Mazda makes a lot of noise about the shift feel of the manual gearbox but it feels pretty much like the transmission in today's Mazda6. The petrol's outputs of 123kW and 210Nm feel irrelevant on the tight country lanes and open speed limit autobahns near Berlin. The engine has good response but perhaps its best feature is its smoothness and linear power delivery.The automatic petrol is a better drive. The automatic torque converter unit is far snappier on upchanges. But the Sky-D diesel is the standout engine. It has 420Nm of torque and that's possibly too much in the Mazda6. The manual transmission model can easily be short-shifted or gears can be skipped. In the auto, upchanges are quick and the engine would rarely need to exploit Mazda's engineering that allows it to spin to 5200 revs - unusually high for a diesel.Engines aside, the steering is a vast improvement. It has sufficient feel through the bends to come close to a hydraulic system and unlike many rivals, isn't overly light and vague.

The traditional prestige players are priced beyond the means of most of us -- but the qualitative difference separating the business class and the topline versions of the rest has diminished to the point of non-existence. All right, you'll look better in the car park comparison stakes if you drive the exxier choices listed here, but you're by no means always driving the better car.WAGONSOne's a classy Volkswagen Group sport wagon with a direct injection turbo petrol engine with the option of a cutting-edge transmission. And so's the Audi.The Czech-made Skoda is essentially a bigger in the body, more discreet, better riding and cheaper VW Golf GTI, the car that more than any other blurs the distinction between the prestige pack and the rest.The handling-enhancing electronic diff of the new GTI is on its way to the RS, so while the twin clutch DSG adds $2300, the generous standard kit (including tasty 18s) and skinny options list means there's not a lot more to spend. Rare is the Audi of which that can be said.The output of the front-wheel-drive Avant's turbo four is similar (132kW/320Nm plays Skoda's 147kW/280Nm), limited for its continuously variable transmission. Quattro and the full-fat engine sets you back another $13,000 -- and the premium is already just a bit silly.SEDANSOne's a perfectly balanced, rear-wheel-drive, inline petrol six with great steering and a six-speed ZF automatic. And so's the BMW.All right, we're comparing a big tarted-up Aussie taxi with a thoroughbred mid-size Bavarian sport sedan here, but what of it? Priced $33K south, this Falcon is probably the best-value car in the country on a metal for money basis and that price difference buys a lot of basic unleaded petrol for that 4.0-litre atmo six with its whacking 195kW/391Nm. If there's a quickish car that rides as well as the Falcon, it's known not unto us.As to the Bimmer, well, you'd go there if you could, even if the peerless handling comes at the price of run-flat tyres and an options list to make your eyes bleed.DIESELSOne's a European-built front-wheel-drive with a sophisticated turbodiesel engine and bank-vault build quality. And so's the Volvo. Now the first prestige Euro to be owned by a Chinese company, Volvo did rather well out of its association with Ford (certainly better than Saab did out of GM). But the years of proximity invite comparison.Long the choice of UK sales reps and families, the Mondeo's marriage of the diesel with an auto and capable dynamics give it a comfortable niche position at this level of the market. The Titanium edition gives the long Ford the trim and kit to compare with the premium brigade.Despite its more potent five-cylinder engine and Swedish aura of invulnerability, we just can't see the extra spend in the stolid Volvo.SUVSOne's the best-driving compact SUV and... uh, that's the BMW, actually. We've often said that if BMW made front-wheel-drive family cars they'd handle like Mazdas, so the two brands' respective four-wheel-drives should logically be even closer.Not quite, but not to the extent that the X3 is nigh-on $20K better. The X3's only real advantage in Australia's restricted conditions is its standard six-speed auto. Stop us if you're tired of hearing this, Mazda doesn't yet have a slusher for its diesel.While the Mazda's engine is slightly bigger and more potent than the BMW diesel, it has to haul a nearly two-tonne kerb weight. The X3 is 250kg lighter but, within, it's also the most dated Bimmer.How much is that badge worth, again?

Such is its broad appeal that it's hard to peg down the Mazda CX-7, but that's the nature of the new-age so-called 'Crossover' vehicle. For some it would be a stylish family wagon, for others it might be a sporty all-rounder perfect for a weekend on the run. The reality is that it could satisfy many and varied uses for all manner of people. Mazda itself tried to define by saying it was a "sportscar on steroids" when launching it, claiming it would appeal to young parents in the 35-45 age group 'who wanted a car with style, performance and driving fun'.MODEL WATCHAlthough the CX-7 looked much like a traditional four-wheel drive wagon, and boasted all-wheel drive, it was not really likely to be used for anything more than light off-road driving. With limited ground clearance and the massive 18-inch alloys filling its wheel arches the CX-7 it was clearly aimed at city dwellers. But with accommodation for five it wasn't for the large family either, it was clear it wasn't trying to compete with the likes of the Ford Territory, the Holden Captiva or the Toyota Prado, which all offered seating for seven. No, the CX-7 was best suited for smaller families, or those with no kids at all.The engine was a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit, the same engine that powered the sporty Mazda6 and Mazda3 MPS models, but it was detuned for the CX-7 and put out 175 kW at 5000 revs and 350 Nm at 2500 revs. In the CX-7 it had to lug around a rather large lump of a car weighing almost 1800 kg and that put something of a dampener on the CX-7's performance and fuel economy. A six-speed automatic transmission was standard, and Mazda didn't offer a manual alternative.Final drive was through all four wheels and split between the front and rear as its active AWD system determined was for safe traction. Mazda offered two models, the base CX-7, replaced by the Classic in 2007, and the Luxury, the latter with a host more standard equipment. All had air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, a trip computer and an MP3-compatible sound system. In addition the Luxury had automatic climate control air, six-stack CD player, and leather trim instead of the cloth of the base model.IN THE SHOPIt's early days on the life of the CX-7, but so far owners are giving the big Mazda a clan bill, of health in terms of reliability. Carsguide has received very few complaints from owners, those that have been received are of a minor nature and mostly concerned with higher than expected fuel consumption. Despite the good field report make the usual checks to confirm regular servicing and look for signs of offroad use. Few are likely to have been driven offroad, other than down a gravel road, but it's worth making sure.IN A CRASHANCAP awarded the CX-7 its highest rating of five stars, which was not surprising given it had front, side and curtain airbags, antilock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assistance, traction control and electronic stability control.AT THE PUMPThe weight of the CX-7 makes it difficult to get decent fuel economy out of it, and not surprising that's the most common complaint of owners. Mazda claimed an average of 11.5 L/100 km, but the real life reality is 14-15 L/100 km. Adding to the cost brought on by the high consumption is the requirement to use Premium unleaded fuel.OWNERS SAYTony Gigliotti bought a CX-7 Classic in 2007 and has done 28,000kms in it since. He says the styling is well ahead of anything else of its type, and rates the ride and handling as excellent. He also likes the visibility afforded by the high ride height, the split rear seats, cup holders and the privacy blind over the cargo area, and reckons the retained value is high compared to others in the class. He's not so enamored with its fuel consumption, the 'cheap' plastics inside, the lack of rear cooling vents, and the blind spots in the rear quarter.The Gianakopoulos family uses its 2008 CX-7 Luxury mainly as family transport for two young children as well as the usual shopping trips. They have racked up 15,000 km in the time that they have owned the car and report that they have not had a problem with it. It seems well built, it's comfortable to ride in, and is a pleasure to drive, and they are happy with it overall. Their only complaint is its fuel use, which has been 16.7 L/100 km on average.David Devlin's CX-7 has done 30,000 km and the 66-year-old says it's a great car, one of the best he's owned in the last 45 years. He likes the power seats, rear camera and large storage areas, but dislikes the high fuel consumption.LOOK FORSporty looksRoom for five plus luggageGood ride and handlingSlurps fuelWell built.THE BOTTOM LINE: Looks good, drives well, but has a thirst for fuel.RATING: 75/100

The Mazda CX-7 is a serious contender in an increasingly well-supplied section of the market – comfortable SUVs with just enough ability to let you wander off the road on weekends. But a lack of real ground clearance, coupled with the absence of a locking differential, means that those who want to head into truly rough terrain have to look elsewhere.However for the majority who will drive their CX-7 around the urban battleground, the six-speed manual transmission in our test car could prove to be a trial, even if it’s mated to the punchy 2.2-litre intercooled turbodiesel. At 3500 revs the engine spits out 127kw of power, but it’s only once you get through the 1500 mark that you feel any extra gravity, and you are left waiting for the engine to catch up with your intentions on the first two gear changes off the line.The reported economy of the diesel engine is good at 7.6 litres for every 100kms travelled on the open road, but you can expect around 9 for city driving. You can also expect to put 202 grams of CO2 into the atmosphere for each km you travel.The structured curves of the CX-7 front are attractive and flow pleasingly from front to rear, but a walk around the back disappointed a little, even if it did provide an answer to the age-old question of ‘who ate all the pies’. The slender top of the tailgate seems out of place on the wide mid-section and square bottom, and inside reflects this with an almost triangular luggage space. I also found the cargo area cover required two hands to secure it; a hassle if you have a set of golf clubs or a baby under one arm.In the cabin, the well-configured dash keeps everything important at your fingertips with large-enough buttons on the centre console to keep your eyes on the traffic while you scroll between CD’s in the six-stacker.   I’m not a fan of the Mazda instrumentation and its use of the silver-rimmed tube (deeper on the CX-7 than other models), but having said that, it’s easy to keep an eye on your speed and revs under a wide range of driving conditions.A generous goodies list includes climate control aircon, heated front seats with eight-way power adjustment, cruise control, leather trim, power mirrors and windows, Bluetooth and MP3 compatible 240 watt Bose audio system, reversing camera, sat-nav and trip computer among the impressive list of interior features.The 18-inch alloy wheels are halted by an anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist (EBA), while the safety is upped by dynamic stability control and  six airbags (front / side; driver and passenger, curtain; front and rear).Without being exceptional, the seats are comfortable for several hours of driving or watching, and the interior layout is pleasingly usable.   While on the small side, the sat-nav and reversing camera were a welcome inclusion and the map seemed up-to-date during our test.But the glare from the sat-nav to dash to windscreen at night is annoying — and surely something the engineers could have avoided.   Setting up the voice-command Bluetooth connection was intuitive and easy, and it came in handy in situations where both hands were needed to shift and steer.The manual transmission and slightly finicky clutch will most likely put off a segment of otherwise interested buyers who spend significant time in start-stop traffic, but the benefits of the high-torque drivetrain outweighed the trouble of regular shifting.Initially I was surprised to find myself craning around or behind the A-pillar during right-hand turns, but seemed to get used to this the more I drove it.   On the highway it felt sure and slightly caged, with the little 6 on the gear shifter tempting you to push past the speed limit and into a licence-risking range.It’s on more flowing stretches of sealed roads that the CX-7 really turns up, especially when you find some well-manicured curves to point the unseen bonnet into.  Entering corners with steady power felt comfortable and controlled, while breaking late or entering under power tended to pull the front in slightly, helped along by the grip of the 18-inch alloys.Despite the reported improvements in cabin isolation from the previous model, on b-grade sealed roads the tyre roar was surprisingly loud — but no match for an extra couple of points added to the nine-speaker Bose sound system.It’s off-road that the CX-7 shows that it is a true SUV rather than a 4WD with the low road clearance of 170mm (the Sorento gives 184mm, the Tiguan 195mm, and the Grand Vitara and Captiva are both 200mm) requiring extra care to avoid grounding the car on rocks and in the muddy ruts left behind by bigger trucks. However, on flatter or better groomed sections of dirt it maintained the sureness it displays on tarmac, thanks in part to the traction control system.It had no trouble with a weather-worn fire track at low speeds, easily coping with some steeper sections where the footing could be unsure, but we didn’t feel confident enough in its balance to test above third gear — even on a road I am reasonably familiar with.   On any surface the driver could be caught short by steeply pitched corners at low revs, and this clutch / gearbox combination certainly wasn’t designed with snap-shifts in mind.Serious off-roaders would most likely be looking elsewhere for their next ride, but I was pleasantly surprised by the way it handled and the range offered by the miserly diesel (7.6 L / 100km) could help sway the casual camper. Indeed, I would like to re-run this test with 500+kg of people and gear in this car, as my guess is that some of the sharpness would be clipped from the suspension and the available torque would show why it’s really there.

I don't often lament the presence of a clutch pedal and I'm not about to now. But it seems such a shame that so few people will get to experience this particular diesel, just because they won't swap their own cogs.The Mazda CX-7 has been revamped and the highlight of the upgrade is the addition of the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine to the specs sheet.The diesel packs a 400Nm wallop in this and the Mazda6, but the CX-7 gets the AdBlue emissions system that cuts nitrogen oxide (NOX) - something to assuage the guilt perhaps, but that and the single-digit fuel consumption that can regularly appear on the trip computer might help as well.The diesel claims a fuel economy figure of 7.6 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 202g/km, with the AdBlue system cutting NOX emissions using a urea-based natural chemical reaction within the exhaust system.It's a comfortable cabin that has all its features falling easily to hand, Mazda says they've used improved-quality plastics, more sound deadening and given it more to combat vibration and it feels like its all been done to good effect.The dashboard and instrumentation has thankfully followed the path of the Mazda3, with the dashboard-mounted multi-information display to control sat-nav (when fitted), the Bluetooth phone link, the sound system, the reversing camera and the trip computer.The standard features list includes stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assist, dual front, front-side and full-length curtain airbags, the multi-information display, a reversing camera and a trip computer.There also is climate control, a 6-disc in-dash MP3-compatible CD sound system, an auxiliary jack for an MP3 player, cruise control, a leather-wrapped gearshift and steering wheel, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, reach'n'rake adjustable steering and variable intermittent wipers and 17in alloys.The added features on the diesel include sat-nav, powered and heated front seats, heated front exterior mirrors, leather trim and the up-spec Bose nine-speaker sound system.Anyone looking to hit anything other than A-grade dirt roads should be looking elsewhere - with 170mm of clearance this is not an offroader, it's an SUV that is definitely a sealed-surface machine, a good one at that.  Its ride is not uncomfortable in day-to-day traffic, but this is where the lack of an auto hits home.Given the close proximity in fuel pricing at the moment, the solid shove of the diesel powerplant is attractive given the turbo petrol's thirst, although the servicing will make up for some of that - let's hope Mazda has a good automatic on the way to complete the package.The six-speed manual is a nice-enough transmission to use, although the clutch is a little snappy, making it less at home in the traffic and better when slinging it around on a country road.That's where this machine is more at home, whisking its passengers quietly along a country road, gently sipping on the tank as its makes good use of its torque. Pointing into corners has little of the body roll and vagueness normally associated with the SUV segment.It still has its limits, it is a tall-bodied machine after all, but the enthusiasm for corners is well beyond the norm for a segment that still has plenty of trucks in it.