1. Five of the best compact SUVs on the market
2. Volkswagen Tiguan
3. Land Rover Freelander II
4. Mazda CX-7
5. Honda CR-V
6. Toyota RAV4

The Mazda CX-7 is actually referred to as a crossover by the Japanese company, not just an SUV. It's easy to see that Mazda's designers have tried to meld coupe and off-roader in one package and the operation was largely successful.

Distinctive, sporting styling sets the Mazda apart from its competitors. The exterior features a bold front end and bulging wheelarches to good effect. Even though the rear end is quite stylish, with its kicked up waistline, interior space has not been compromised; the CX-7 is simply huge inside. The boot space is massive too, allowing room for whatever lifestyle paraphernalia you need to carry around - or so the marketing men would have us think.

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The sporting nature is continued with the style of the dashboard and the distinctly road-biased driving characteristics. The only real downside is a single engine choice - a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit - that may not appeal to buyers looking for a diesel-fuelled model.

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