Mazda works hard to maintain a sporty image with its extensive stable of cars. Indeed, Mazdas in general are fun to drive. This “zoom-zoom” sporty image has prevailed with the latest “crossover” SUV, the CX-7. It is a fun to drive machine.

The CX-7 is a worthy entrant in the new crossover market of smaller, car-based wagon/SUVs. It competes with the new Acura RDX and soon will be joined by its big brother, the CX-9, and the CX-9’s Ford clone, the Ford Edge.

Mazda CX-7

The three all-wheel drive models, the $25,450 Sport, the $27,200 Touring and the $28,000 Grand Touring, use the same 2.3 liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection 244 hp engine, borrowed from the MazdaSpeed 6 sport sedan. This motor is no slouch, moving this 3,900-pound SUV to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds. A responsive six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift option is standard. Three front-wheel drive models also are offered at $23,750 for the Sport, $25,500 for the Touring and $26,300 for the Grand Touring.

The test car was a Grand Touring model with all-wheel drive, a moonroof and a Bose sound system with six-disc in-dash changer, which bumped the price of the test car up against $30,000. The turbo is a little thrashy sounding when pushed, but quiet when cruising. The CX-7 interior is actually quite hushed with road noise subdued and wind noise minimal.

The ride is comfortable, but firm, and twisty road handling is remarkable for a vehicle this size and weight. The brakes are sensitive and powerful. You could even sell your two-seat sports car and still have fun driving this wife-loving SUV. After a while of driving this car, you begin to wear it, like a comfy reliable sweater.

The instrument cluster is clear and easy to read. At night it is reminiscent of VW clusters with a soft blue background and red numerals. Quite pretty. Materials used inside are well short of luxurious, and the bright aluminum can easily be scratched.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but for this tester, the exterior is sleek and well balanced, and the front is reminiscent of Mazda’s true sports car, the RX-8.

Crossover SUVs have been propelled to market to reduce SUV fuel costs in these days of heady gas prices. The CX-7 accomplishes a little of this with an EPA rating of 18 city/24 highway, although the test car was disappointing with an overall (mostly freeway driving) of 18 mpg. Car & Driver in its review experienced only 14 mpg overall.

Other crossovers in this market include the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV 4. Both are tough competition at lower prices with better reliability records, better fuel consumption and a loyal following.

Interior storage capacity is large with both rear seats folded down, and there’s lots of headroom and legroom for six-footers.

Options for all three models are a moonroof, Bose and changer package for $1,585, or a technology package which includes the above items and adds a navigation system, alarm and remote control entry system for $4,005. Sirius satellite radio adds $430, a trailer hitch receiver adds $335, remote control engine start adds $350, automatic inside mirror with compass adds $250 and fog lights add $250.

The optional Bose sound system is excellent and gives no ground to any other -- a concert house on wheels.

The warranty offered by Mazda is three years or 36,000 miles with a powertrain warranty of five years or 60,000 miles.

Safety is obviously a priority with Mazda; side airbags and front and rear head curtains are standard.

Mazda is partly owned by Ford and has contributed a good deal of useful technology to Ford automobiles, in this case resulting in the soon to beintroduced Ford Edge. Although the Edge is not exactly a clone of the CX-7, it borrows the CX-7 platform, extended for the larger Ford, and uses many CX-7 parts. The larger Mazda CX-9 will be introduced in January at a starting price of around $29,000 for a front-wheel drive model and $39,000 for a fully loaded all-wheel drive model.

The crossover market niche is highly competitive and will probably continue to be so for the near future. The CX-7 should do well here. Its intended market is 30 to 40-year-olds, middle class, with small families. It seems like a good fit.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at austin@sandiegometro.com.