Geneva Show: Mazda CX-7 Facelift with new 173HP 2.2-liter Diesel Engine

Making its European debut in Geneva, Mazda's facelifted CX-7 crossover enters 2009 with a mild styling makeover in and out but more importantly, it offers the option of a diesel engine for the very first time. On the outside, the 2009 CX-7 gains a larger grille with a more prominent badge, a new design for the front fog lamp bezels, a chrome bar on the tailgate handle, while a larger rear roof spoiler and newly designed 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels complete the changes.

Moving to the interior, the facelift CX-7 features a new steering wheel with integrated control switches, revised meters on the instrument panel, new materials and trim while the vehicle's unique double-roof instrument panel is modified as well.

Whereas the North American market CX-7 gained a new entry-level 160HP 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, for Europe, Mazda wisely chose to equip the crossover with a new 2.2-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine that joins the 260HP 2.3-litre DISI turbo petrol engine.

Matted to a six-speed manual gearbox, the next-generation MZR-CD 2.2-litre inline four-cylinder turbocharged diesel delivers a maximum power output of 173-horsepower at 3,500 rpm of 400 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm.

With the new turbo diesel under the bonnet, the revised CX-7 can sprint from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 11.3 seconds and go on to reach a top speed of 200 km/. That's compared to 8.0 seconds and 209 km/h respectively for the 2.3 petrol variant, but the CX-7 Diesel does return 31.3mpg US (7.5lt / 100 km) in the combined cycle, an improvement of around 9mpg US over the gasoline model.

2010 Mazda CX-7 Receives Subtle Facelift and New 160HP 2.5-Liter Engine

It could have been revealed at chose this week's Chicago Auto Show or even at the upcoming Geneva Salon in March, but Mazda to perform the world debut of its facelifted 2010 CX-7 crossover at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The most significant change is hidden under the hood as Mazda decided to present a new entry-level version of the CX-7 equipped with the same 160-horsepower 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder that we find in the Mazda6 and Mazda3. There's no official press release as we speak, so it remains to be seen if this version will come to the States.

Just for the record, the 2010 CX-7 will continue to be offered with Mazda's 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 244-horsepower.

Powertrains aside, Mazda's designers updated the CX-7 exterior styling with a new front bumper, clear crystal tail lights and a new rear apron. In the cabin, changes include the restyled gauges on the instrument panel, newly designed center air-vents that look like they came from an Audi parts bin and a 4.1-inch color TFT information display.

Via: Autoblog.com