lilarry
3/31/2006 12:20:32 PM
As the owner of 3 Jeep Grand Cherokees over the last 10 years I'm ready for something that gets better mileage (I get around 12mpg) and is more sporty (the Jeep is, well, a Jeep). I'd been eyeing the Nissan Murano, but I am absolutely loving everything I see and read about the CX-7 and I can't wait for it to be available. My wife and I also owned a Miata, my wife drives a "6". We are definite Mazda fans - we even get along great with our local dealer - so I'm definitely leaning toward waiting for the CX-7. BUT - from all the pics it looks like these new CUVs have very little cargo space - much less than the "6" sedan (which has amazing cargo space). In the pics, a couple of duffle bags seem to fill it up. Are these pics deceiving or is there a problem here? I haven't seen any cargo specs yet. Has anyone?
Also, we sometimes pull a small trailer. I notice the CX-7 Grand Touring model (which I'd get) has an optional trailer hitch - but no wiring harness. The base model does come with a wiring harness. What's up with that?
Larry
michael91077
3/31/2006 2:40:13 PM
as for cargo space, here is the spec listed for that:
with the rear seatbacks up : 29.9 cf.
with the rear seatbacks down: 58.6.
The towing capacity for the CX-7 is 2000lbs.
So with the seats folded down, you have double the space, and keep ip in mind, this is a crossover suv, not a full size one, like a jeep so it will have less space than a Jeep. here is the link to the site showing the specs.:
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=upcomingCX7§ionParameter=featuresSpec
The Mazda 6 specs for cargo space looks to be less than 20 cf of trunk space, thats on the 4-door, on the 5 door it is 22 cf. So the CX-7 does have more room than the 6, but does not have a third row seat, so it only seats 5 people.
lilarry
3/31/2006 5:43:55 PM
Thanks for the link for the specs. I'd been all over that web site but somehow missed the specs page.
Hmmm - premium fuel required I see. I forgot about that. Will offset the mileage advantage - slightly. The Murano drinks the good stuff as well. So does Acura MDX. Honda Pilot and Jeep take regular, but with an exceedingly high boredom factor. And the Jeep drinks so much gas it still costs much more per mile to run.
And I wonder about mileage. Murano gets 1mpg better city than CX-7 - for whatever that's worth. Those EPA estimates are essentially useless, anyway. EPA rates the Mazda 6 with V6 at 19/27, yet our's has been averaging only around 18 mpg with lots of highway driving. The Jeep is rated around 15 city, but we've been getting only around 12, again with lots of highway. How will the CX-7 estimates compare to reality? But - I babble ...
The CX-7 is a great looking vehicle and from our past experiences I expect a lot from Mazda. We'll see.
Larry
michael91077
3/31/2006 7:25:39 PM
the reason for the premium gas though is because of the turbo it has, the Nissan Murano and the Acura MDX i believe dont have a turbo. that will offset the gas savings, especially with the price of gas going up now and thru summer.
mazda guy
4/2/2006 3:13:59 PM
wow, that will hurt the Cx-7 sales. Why dont they offer a standard 4 cylinder model for the Cx-7?
87 turbo II
4/2/2006 4:47:03 PM
I don't know, but a turbo V6 is pretty cool.
sstlaure
4/2/2006 8:26:36 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: 87 turbo II
I don't know, but a turbo V6 is pretty cool.
It's not a turbo V6, it's a turbo 2.3L I4
the_gray_mazda6
4/2/2006 9:42:10 PM
gas prices are shootin around 2.65 for regular in my area
87 turbo II
4/2/2006 11:17:55 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: sstlaure
quote:
ORIGINAL: 87 turbo II
I don't know, but a turbo V6 is pretty cool.
It's not a turbo V6, it's a turbo 2.3L I4
oh....... ok not as cool. They should offer N/A and make a turbo V6 an option.
Tracker
4/3/2006 9:38:43 AM
a turbo 4cyl. isnt bad to me but then again it is for a SUV, i agree with 87 turbo II a turbo V6 in a SUV sounds nifty.
michael91077
4/3/2006 10:31:47 AM
Mazda doesnt make a turbo v6 engine though, they are using the engine from the Speed6, 2.3L I4 DISI Turbo. I think another reason for using that engine, just toned down, is for gas mileage. if the had a turbo v6, it would drink gas, and since this is a not a full size suv, people dont expect gas, they expect decent gas mileage, and this will give that. maybe for another model year they will offer an N/A 4-cylinder. they will have more suv's coming though.
sstlaure
4/3/2006 11:02:27 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: michael91077
Mazda doesnt make a turbo v6 engine though, they are using the engine from the Speed6, 2.3L I4 DISI Turbo. I think another reason for using that engine, just toned down, is for gas mileage. if the had a turbo v6, it would drink gas, and since this is a not a full size suv, people dont expect gas, they expect decent gas mileage, and this will give that. maybe for another model year they will offer an N/A 4-cylinder. they will have more suv's coming though.
Not to mention that you are much better off delivering 1 powertrain package that has been properly developed/proven out and using it across car lines, rather than have unique powertrain packages for each car.
lilarry
4/3/2006 5:06:17 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: mazda guy
wow, that will hurt the Cx-7 sales. Why dont they offer a standard 4 cylinder model for the Cx-7?
Not so sure the premium fuel requirement will hurt sales. It seems the CX-7 will be competing most with Nissan's Murano (even looks a little similar). The Murano drinks premium as well. So does Acura and BMW. Around here premium costs about $0.20 more per gallon than regular. At today's prices that's around 7% more. The CX-7 should get about 30% better mileage than my Jeep. That still puts me 23% ahead, even with the need for premium.
Larry
