Mazda heads off road

26 May 2005

Mazda has confirmed that it will start its off-road charge with a new BMW X5-sized model arriving in 2006.

MX-Crossport concept gives clues to how CX-7 will look

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Mazda has confirmed that it will start its off-road charge with a new BMW X5-sized model arriving in 2006.

Called the CX-7, the first of the company’s three planned 4x4s will be a production version of the MX-Crossport concept seen at the Detroit motor show in January.

Like the recently launched Nissan Murano, the CX-7 will be a road-focused 4x4 with, according to Mazda boss Jim O’Sullivan, ‘the soul of a sports car’. Expect to pay around £25,000.

Mazda insiders have already told Whatcar.com that another pair of off-roaders are also in development. While it has confirmed they will also use the new CX badging, other details have not yet been released. A smaller Land Rover Freelander-sized model is likely to be the next arrival, although not before 2007.

    • Talking to Whatcar.com, Mazda product boss Joe Bakaj also revealed plans for more rotary-engined sports cars. He said the first of these would be a two-seater successor to the RX-7, which was sold in the UK until 1995. Expect more than 230bhp and a price tag of around £24,000.