Schomp Honda

Safety

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Honda CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Honda CR-V's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-7's side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

 

The Honda CR-V has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CX-7 doesn't offer a whiplash protection system.

 

The Honda CR-V has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The CX-7 doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

Compared to metal, the Honda CR-V's plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-7 has a metal gas tank.

 

Both the Honda CR-V and the CX-7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V is safer than the CX-7:

	CR-V	CX-7
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Head Injury Index	283	408
Chest forces	36 g's	39 g's
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg injuries (L/R)	854 / 459	780 / 856

More stars indicate a better overall result. Lower numbers indicate better individual test results.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with 'good' or 'acceptable' geometry. In these ratings, the Honda CR-V is safer then the CX-7:

	Honda CR-V	CX-7
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	35 mm	60 mm
Distance Below Top of Head	48 mm	48 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Neck Force Rating	Low	Medium
Max Neck Shearing Force	26	86
Max Neck Tension	453	787

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

Warranty

 

There are over 41 percent more Honda dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier to get service under the CR-V's warranty.

 

Reliability

 

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Honda CR-V's reliability will be 74% better than the CX-7.

 

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Honda CR-V second among compact multi-activity vehicles in their 2010 Initial Quality Study. The CX-7 isn't in the top three in its category.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 18th, below the industry average.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 63 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 29th.

 

Engine

 

The Honda CR-V's 2.4 DOHC 4 cyl. produces 19 more horsepower (180 vs. 161) than the CX-7 i SV/i Sport/i Touring's standard 2.5 DOHC 4 cyl.

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

On the EPA test cycle the Honda CR-V FWD gets better city fuel mileage than the CX-7 i SV/i Sport/i Touring FWD (21 city/28 hwy vs. 20 city/28 hwy).

 

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-7 with the 2.3 turbo 4 cyl. engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

 

Environmental Friendliness

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Honda CR-V as an 'Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle' (ULEV). The Mazda CX-7 is only certified to 'Low Emissions Vehicle' (LEV) standards.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

The Honda CR-V stops shorter than the CX-7:

	Honda CR-V	CX-7
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

 

Tires and Wheels

 

For better traction, the Honda CR-V has larger tires than the CX-7 (225/65R17 vs. 215/70R17).

 

The Honda CR-V's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-7 SV/Sport's standard 70 series tires.

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The Honda CR-V has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-7's suspension doesn't offer gas-charged shocks.

 

Chassis

 

The Honda CR-V is 4.7 inches shorter than the CX-7, making the Honda CR-V easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

 

Passenger Space

 

The Honda CR-V has 2.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-7 (103.8 vs. 101.7).

 

The Honda CR-V has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 1.6 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-7.

 

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Honda CR-V's rear seats recline. The CX-7's rear seats don't recline.

 

The front step up height for the Honda CR-V is .9 inches lower than the CX-7 (17.6'' vs. 18.5''). The Honda CR-V's rear step up height is 1.1 inches lower than the CX-7's (17.9'' vs. 19'').

 

Cargo Capacity

 

The Honda CR-V has a much larger cargo area with its rear seat up than the CX-7 with its rear seat up (35.7 vs. 29.9 cubic feet). The Honda CR-V has a much larger cargo area with its rear seat folded than the CX-7 with its rear seat folded (72.9 vs. 58.6 cubic feet).

 

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Honda CR-V easier. The Honda CR-V's cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.3 inches, while the CX-7's liftover is 30.3 inches.

 

The Honda CR-V's cargo area is larger than the CX-7's in almost every dimension:

	CR-V	CX-7
Max Width	55.2''	53.5''
Min Width	41.6''	41.5''
Height	40''	32.7''

 

Servicing Ease

 

The Honda CR-V has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery's water level. The CX-7 doesn't have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery's cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

 

Ergonomics

 

The CX-7's power locks don't automatically lock the doors. The Honda CR-V's standard power locks automatically lock the doors when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights. (The power lock's automatic feature may have to be activated by your dealer.)

 

The Honda CR-V EX-L's standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won't have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The CX-7 doesn't offer dual zone air conditioning.

 

Economic Advantages

 

Insurance will cost less for the Honda CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Honda CR-V will cost $480 to $1420 less than the CX-7 over a five-year period.

 

The Honda CR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Honda CR-V will retain a greater percentage of its original price after two and four years than the CX-7.

	CR-V	CX-7
Four Year	42% to 45%	26% to 28%
Two Year	59% to 64%	44% to 46%

 

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Honda CR-V is less expensive to operate than the CX-7 because it costs $534 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Honda CR-V than the CX-7, including $481 less for an alternator, $32 less for front brake pads, $328 less for fuel injection, $40 less for a timing belt/chain and $392 less for a power steering pump.

 

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda CR-V will be $9682 to $21568 less than for the Mazda CX-7.

 

Recommendations

 

The Honda CR-V has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Honda CR-V	CX-7
Consumer Reports Recommends	TRUE	FALSE
Car Book 'Best Bet'	TRUE	FALSE
Kiplinger's Awards	2	0
Intellichoice	A 'Best Value'	no award

 

The Honda C-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver's 'Top Five Trucks' for 2 of the last 9 years. The CX-7 has never been a Car and Driver 'Top Five Truck' pick.

 

The Honda CR-V outsold the Mazda CX-7 by over seven to one during the 2010 model year.

* [1]  Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.