A crossover that stands out

There are literally hundreds of sports crossover vehicles on the market in the UK with not a lot to differentiate between them.

One that does stand out is one of the latest additions to the sector - the Mazda CX-7. Mazda promised the CX-7 would create a niche within a niche, rather as the Mazda RX-8 sports coupe did in the sports car segment following its launch in 2003.

And it has.

Some sports utility vehicles emphasise their off-road ability and others their passenger carrying capability. Neither of which are really adequately met.

Instead Mazda has gone for the sports element in terms of styling and driving. And it has style in shedloads. Much more than any other in the sector.

As for driving and handling, it is just like being in an estate car - and if you wanted one with similar attributes add on at least £10,000 to the cost of the CX-7.

You get just one engine and trim - a 2.3 litre turbocharged four-sylinder petrol engine, four-wheel drive with a six-speed manual transmission and Mazda's unique Active Torque-Split 4WD system.

This system sees power put down to the front wheels under normal use but any sign of slip and 50 per cent of torque is switched to the rear pair.

It is priced from £23,960 on-the-road and is highly specified with standard equipment including leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, anti-lock braking, electronic brake force distribution with emergency brake assist and dynamic stability control with traction control and a BOSE premium audio system.

See what I mean about upping the price tag by £10,000 to get a similarly equipped estate car?

With the rear seats up, the boot is more than 100cm long, large enough to carry three golf bags, and has a load volume of 455 litres (to the belt line).

The split rear seats can be folded 60:40 using Mazda's unique Karakuri system with a one-touch rear seat back release located in the boot trim. With the back seats folded, load space is increased to 774 litres.

The boot floor has a reversible water-proof trunk board made of robust plastic so soiled items can be transported without staining the carpet.

It's a great drive and great value for money. What's more it looks very individual and stands out from the crowd - perfect for those who want to be different.

By Sharon Walters