Mazda CX-7 test drive since 2009 SUV

Mazda CX-7 VS Suzuki Grand Vitara: Off-Road Test Drive.

Kolesa.ru continues a series of publications about the adventures of Mazda SX-7, abandoned for a whole month to St. Petersburg from Moscow. This time, a compact compatriot of increased cross -country ability crossed the road, and we tried to find out how dangerous Suzuki Grand Vitara is for a SUV from Hiroshima ...

A week ago, we parked nearby Mazda SX-7 and Peugeot 4007 to figure out why the cheaper Franco-Japanese crossover of the Russian assembly was not as in demand as an imported opponent. Then we found out that the 4007th looked profitable only in more affordable, starting trim levels, and in the top version he practically lost the price advantage over Mazda, losing at the same time both in comfort and in equipment. And to Russian clients, stuffed crossovers for the conditional million two hundred thousand rubles were more necessary than empty and front -wheel drive worth nine hundred thousand.

Now we have another task to explain another strange pattern in the statistics of sales of all-wheel drive cars: why did Suzuki Grand Vitaras have been more than more sold by SX-7 for the past year?

It is impossible to say that there are no direct competitors to each other. Suzuki Grand Vitara, even in a five -door performance, is short -lived in dimensions to rivalry with the Mazda crossover. The length of the CX-7 4 meters 68 cm versus 4.5 meters (and then with a margin on the back door) Grand Vitara. Mazda is wider (1 870 mm versus 1 810 mm), but lower (1 645 mm versus 1 695 mm). However, the top -end Suzuki costs 1,239,000 rubles a penny in a penny as much as they ask for the basic Mazda! This is exactly what was the reason for us to look precisely towards Suzuki when we looked for an interesting opponent for the seven.

For the same money. Nearly
The List of Equipment of the Most Packed Grand Vitara includes a 2.4-liter 170-horsepower engine with a 4-speed automatic, a stabilization system, 6 airbags, ABS, MP3-magnet with a 6-disks CD, a leather salon, xenon headlights, cruise control , starting the engine with a button, adjusting the steering wheel and seat in height, hatch in the roof. In addition, the Suzuki transmission has a reducing transmission and the possibility of blocking the central differential. Impressive!

And the most affordable three-door Suzuki Grand Vitara can be bought for 829,000 rubles, truth, with a 1.6-liter engine and a mechanical gearbox. This is the only equipment in which there is no blocking of the central differential and the handout, but the full -wheel drive is in place. The car is equipped with the poorer than the SX-7, but there is still ABS, 4 airbags, air conditioning, electric windows, fog lights, and heating the front seats.

The base price of Mazda CX-7 in the Touring configuration starts from 1,239,000 rubles. So much is asked for a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine with a capacity of 238 hp. With a machine gun. This version has frontal and lateral pillows, side curtains of safety, ABS, EBD, steering column adjustable by departure and angle of inclination, rear -view mirrors with electric and heating, a driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support and adjustment in height and angle of inclination , route computer, CD player with mp3 function.

They meet on clothes
In the appearance of the machines, their difference in the class and the basic value is read; The premium label sits perfectly on Mazda, but only pure Suzuki does not bring the idea that its owner had just returned from the cottage. A two hundred -hundred -milemma clearance, an angular body and a unfavorable signal is converted to a swing rear door door: the owner of Grand Vitara is often outside the city. The view of the SX-7 is a stylish drop-shaped silhouette with smooth contours that its owner is a city resident, and he needs a clearance along with an all-wheel drive transmission for confident driving precisely on stone jungle.

In large cities, such as St. Petersburg and Moscow, to meet a double of one of the test pair is easier. We will consider this to be a minus of each of the models who will like to pay more than a million rubles for the car and come to the conclusion that three people are driving in your yard exactly the same car, two at work, and the grocery hypermarket is as if the Mazda car club was going Or Suzukovodov?!

Places for passengers ... with luggage
The Mazda CX-7 salon looks better and more expensive. The central tunnel adds its glasses, which distinguishes between the territories of Suzuki sitting in front, too, but has a deeper bend and is not so turned to the driver.

However, landing in Suzuki is more convenient thanks to a more grown and successfully re -eliminated front chairs. In Mazda, the chairs, although softer, and there are electrical adjustments, but they hold the back worse. We have repeatedly complained that on long trips, the driver of the CX-7 often has to knead the tired spine. And, unfortunately, we continue to complain

The mazda steering wheel is literally dotted with buttons, and in Suzuki they are busy with only one knitting needle with them only an audio system can be controlled. The devices are very similar, as if sred from each other; There is no difference in architecture at all, except in Grand Vitara there is a strip of on -board computer inside the speedometer in the Mazda this screen is given much more space in the upper zone of the central console. Another difference in the color of the backlight, which in Mazda is bright red, and in Suzuki white-moon, like a semaphore on a free railway move. The second option seems less annoying at night.

In the space in the back row, Mazda wins: three passengers will not be crowded, but in offense the front chair is still a more comfortable place in the car.

In terms of trunk, let's not forget that the Mazda is wider and longer than the Suzuki in front of the CX-7, but with the backs of the rear seats, Grand Vitara wins about 50 liters! At the same time, both cars offer a perfectly even floor. So, having bought a refrigerator or a surfing board, you do not need to order delivery in the store.

Very strange off -road
Speaking of stores. After driving after washing a large shopping center for parking, we suddenly decided to arrange a cross -country tester and an SUV. Difficulties in wait for us in an unexpected place; Along the parking lot, there are curbs (curds approx. Ed. For readers from Moscow) about a meter wide, limiting the territory of the marked parking lot and side driveways. We tried to overcome these obstacles at an angle in order to hang one in turn one front and rear wheel on each of the cars. There are no questions: take an obstacle, while at the same time running into it with two front wheels, not any of the cars will cause problems. And if everything is done in a word?

Peppercorns were added by snow lying both on the very side of the sidewalk, raised above the road by 15 centimeters, and in front of it

None of the cars coped with the task! The failure of Suzuki Grand Vitara was especially amazing, because before each attempt to conquer a step ridiculous for the SUVs, I turned on the blocking of the central differential and even lowering the transmission to all firefighters. But only one of the front wheels was able to climb onto a mini-trotual, after which the second front and opposite rear wheels spin helplessly without load, scattering dirt from under the arches. He said his word in the test and snow, for which the wheels could not cling, the city, albeit winter, tires were also affected ... Nevertheless, the result is interesting.

We know very well what both cars are capable of. They are able to move in the snow, sand and dirt. Our unexpected obstacle showed only that despite the clearance and all -wheel drive, crossovers and almost SUVs (may Grand Vitara) must be expected wisely, otherwise you can get stuck or overheat the clutch even in the most innocent conditions.

On the asphalt: even, but not everywhere
The difference in management on city roads characterizes cars as clearly as their appearance. Mazda moves heavy, but smoothly. It is not particularly important at what speed you overcome it, whether it is small or large irregularities, it almost does not affect comfort. Grand Vitara more clearly repeats the profile of asphalt.

Mazda is controlled a little sharper and closer to the light than Suzuki, although the behavior of both machines on the road can be called understandable and even pleasant for a person demanding on the active running characteristics of the car, such as handling and stability on the road.

Eventually
Unlike the duel Mazda CX-7 and Peugeot 4007, in the dispute of Mazda and Suzuki Grand Vitara their word said the price and capabilities of cars. Mazda is more comfortable and more pleasant in management. But also significantly more expensive. But Suzuki can be bought in a three -door version, as well as in minimally equipped (and means more affordable) trim levels, which are more in demand by those who are more often on bad roads than on good ones. In addition, the very fact of the availability of blocking the center and lowering transmission attracts even those who will be needed no more than once a year. And on Russian roads on off -road, not only summer residents are increasingly being.


Author: Alexander Sigalo
Photo: Roman Ostanin






 

Source: Wheel magazine [April 2011]