As car companies go, I've always found Mazda to be a tough one to place. On one hand, it has some phenomenal successes: its Mazda3 generally sits around the top of the sales charts, only slightly trailing (and sometimes topping) the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla; its Miata MX-5 is considered the benchmark in lightweight sportscars; and it has all but perfected razor-sharp handling and performance at a popular price.

But for all that, it often seems like Mazda is the "forgotten" Japanese automaker; so often, when I'm asked to comment on cars and I mention the company, I get a blank look from people who never considered it. But the automaker is moving into new segments that will put it even more in the public eye; now, it moves into another category with the all-new CX-7.

The company calls it a "crossover utility vehicle", and while that title is one of the more overused ones in the industry, it's actually well-suited to the CX-7:

2007 Mazda CX-7. Click image to enlarge

it's bigger than a sedan, not as large as a conventional SUV, and best of all, it handles far more like a car than a truck. This appealing vehicle is one of the better examples of the breed.

The CX-7 comes in two trim lines, the base GS or my GT tester; the main differences between the two are the addition of the GT's bright trim, Xenon headlamps with manual levelling device, fog lights, automatic climate control, power sunroof, eight-way power driver's seat, leather upholstery with heated seats, electroluminescent gauges and cargo cover. The sunroof can be added to the GS, while the GT can be upgraded with a "Luxury Package" of six-CD changer and Intelligent Key system, or a navigation system with rearview camera.

Both CX-7 trim lines use the same engine, a 2.3-litre inline four-cylinder with direct injection and a turbocharger that delivers 244 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque; the latter kicks in at a respectable 2500 rpm. It's the same powerplant that lurks beneath the hood of the Mazdaspeed6, but with a new turbo that the company says has a refined inlet port to enhance throttle response at low rpm and reduce boost lag.

2007 Mazda CX-7. Click image to enlarge

Perhaps, but I still found a noticeable delay when I asked the CX-7 to perform, and it snaps your neck back when it finally spools up. It's also not easy to modulate; the car wants to go fast, and it can be difficult to feather the pedal if you want to move slowly away from a stop. Of course, when you're in the mood to go, the CX-7 is stinky fast, with most of the torque available right to the 5000 rpm mark, where peak horsepower kicks in, and it's great fun to drive when it delivers. Still, I'd love to see this vehicle available with a V6 and corresponding 89-octane fuel recommendation, which would probably make it more appealing to a wider variety of drivers.

Power travels through a six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode; it shifts smoothly, although it can tend to hunt for a gear on inclines. An available all-wheel drive system uses a computer-controlled coupling that can transfer up to 50 per cent of torque to the rear wheels should the system detect slippage. Anti-lock brakes, traction control and dynamic stability control are standard features.

Where this vehicle really shines is in its handling; it's almost like driving a larger version of the Mazda3. The CX-7 has independent suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bars front and rear, and speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering. It's a tight package with no body roll, and the ability to snap out of one turn and straight into another without hesitation; slam the binders, and the CX-7 brakes quickly with very little nosedive. All too often, combining two segments can result in too much compromise - the Mazda5, for example, is a sedan-turned-minivan, but it lacks the multi-passenger comfort of a van and doesn't perform as well as a car. The CX-7, on the other hand, is as good as the sum of its parts: it has the capacity of an SUV but doesn't drive like one. In combined driving, with a fairly heavy foot, it returned 11.7 L/100 km for me.

2007 Mazda CX-7. Click image to enlarge

The CX-7 is lovely inside: the leather-trimmed seats on my GT tester were comfortable and supportive. Rear legroom is suitable for average-size passengers, although it would be nice if the front seat risers were set a bit higher, so that rear-seat riders could slip their feet under them. The GT's electroluminescent gauges feature Mazda's trademark red instrumentation, with a soft blue background glow at night.

The unusual centre stack "floats" above the console, and contains large, simple push-and-turn dials for the climate control, and a slightly more complicated set-up with small pushbuttons for the stereo. The air vents spin or close completely with a touch. Backlighting is almost complete, but the lock button needs to be illuminated as well.

The folding rear seats drop by pulling a handle, opening the cargo area from a length of 100 cm to 165 cm when they're down; the liftgate is beautifully balanced, and opens and closes with only a slight tug. The cargo area contains tie-downs but, alas, no grocery bag hooks. These simple but very useful hooks should be standard in all so-called "utility" vehicles; don't auto designers buy groceries?

2007 Mazda CX-7. Click image to enlarge

My GT was optioned with the Luxury Package, which includes an "intelligent key"; it's a proximity system that allows you to lock and unlock the doors, and start and stop the engine, without taking the key from your pocket. It's a handy system, but who on earth designed the key? It's a flat piece of plastic, eight centimetres long, that looks like a credit card with buttons on it. It's too big and clumsy for a pants pocket; it'll slip into a shirt breast pocket, but besides that being a rare piece of equipment on women's clothing, don't most of us clip the car key to a ring so we can also carry a house key? Once it was on my ring, I felt like I was carrying the key-with-a-stick that gas stations use so you'll be sure to return the washroom key.

Although the CX-7 shares the same general shape with the upcoming Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, and all three models fall under the Ford ownership banner, Mazda says its version is unique to the company and shares nothing with the other two. Should you be inclined to compare them, though, expect the Edge to be more utilitarian and the MKX to provide considerable luxury touches. The CX-7 falls in the middle: a lovely but not overly fussy interior, turbocharged engine, and laser-sharp handling that makes it an absolute pleasure to drive. Zoom-zoom, indeed.

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