Dangerous Winter Vehicle

[resler]

Thought I had leased a safe car to protect my family. WRONG . . . despite having all the latest safety equipment, Mazda failed to put decent tires on the CX-7. The result . . . on only 2 inches of snow you'll go straight through a turn. On 3 inches of snow, I couldn't make it up my driveway (slight incline). End result is that this car is extremely dangerous on icy or snowy roads, even worse, IMO, than most FWD vehicles. Yes, I could purchase Nokia's but I've leased the CX-7. BTW, only 17K miles on tires which have been routinely rotated. Let the buyer beware, this is one dangerous winter ride.

[njaremka]

never will i trust stock tires on my car for the winter. dedicated snows regardless of whats supplied on the car when new.

[evilmonkeyMSP]

you're dubbing a car unsafe for winter driving because you didnt take the correct precautions in putting on snow tires? how is that Mazdas fault?

All season tires doesnt really mean all seasons lol

[Wintermute]

Thought I had leased a safe car to protect my family. WRONG . . . despite having all the latest safety equipment, Mazda failed to put decent tires on the CX-7. The result . . . on only 2 inches of snow you'll go straight through a turn. On 3 inches of snow, I couldn't make it up my driveway (slight incline). End result is that this car is extremely dangerous on icy or snowy roads, even worse, IMO, than most FWD vehicles. Yes, I could purchase Nokia's but I've leased the CX-7. BTW, only 17K miles on tires which have been routinely rotated. Let the buyer beware, this is one dangerous winter ride.

Are they the Bridgestone Turanza EL42 or one of the Goodyear models (I found the Eagle RS-A and Eagle ResponseEdge)? I was looking at the ratings for OE tires on the CX-7 at Tire Rack and most of them have really crappy snow ratings. Sorry to hear that. I like the CX-7 too. Are you 100% sure they didn't give you summer tires? I wouldn't put it past them to do that. The CX-7 is marketed as more of a sports car than SUV so it wouldn't surprise me in the least that they started putting summer tires on 'em. You may want to switch them out for the Blizzak LM-25 if you are doing more winter driving.


All season tires doesnt really mean all seasons lol

True, but they should have better performance than that. What resler is describing sounds more like summer tires than even low grade all-seasons. The Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires for the MS6 have WAY better snow ratings than anything I found for the CX-7 but even so, they should provide some traction.

[sanblaster]

I have all seasons on my car and they suck ass on snow and shit.

[B1GHAM]

maybe its because of what I drive DAILY, but when I worked for the mazda dealer I took CX-7's out in the snow all the time. I'd Rather it than the tribute or the CX-9.

IMHO it drove like a champ (on stock tires). Very easy throttle modulation and controllability. I found it easy to take turns or swing the ass end around if necessary. Ground clearance was never an issue, and traction was easy to maintain with the right throttle control (as with any vehicle in the snow)

This was in 2-6" of snow with the most serious being a snow/ice storm we had that put down 6-8" of snow and ice.

could the tires have been better? HELL yea, but that can be said with any OEM tires in snow. I am just commenting that I found them to be adequate, I could certainly find worse all-seasons.

So its weird Ive heard a story of the exact opposite opinion here. I felt more than confident with the vehicle and never had an issue with getting stuck. Im not commenting on your ability to drive in snow as I dont know your background, but I find that most people assume that AWD/4WD = cureall for offroad and snow driving. The fact is, if you dont know how to drive it in the snow, youll still get stuck.

[Killer]

Thought I had leased a safe car to protect my family. WRONG . . . despite having all the latest safety equipment, Mazda failed to put decent tires on the CX-7. The result . . . on only 2 inches of snow you'll go straight through a turn. On 3 inches of snow, I couldn't make it up my driveway (slight incline). End result is that this car is extremely dangerous on icy or snowy roads, even worse, IMO, than most FWD vehicles. Yes, I could purchase Nokia's but I've leased the CX-7. BTW, only 17K miles on tires which have been routinely rotated. Let the buyer beware, this is one dangerous winter ride.

not mazdas fault. it is your fault for not having the correct tires on for snow and ice.

[Kurt07]

There is nothing like a good set of snow tires.

[zoomzone]

So, when it is not on the snow, would you still rate it as 'unsafe'? Most Mazdas come with performance tires, so they are not inclined to perform well in the snow.

[Mazda3]

Pretty much all of your 13 posts on this site are to complain about something. You're not happy with your car so you make a thread with a "scary" title to hopefully get back at Mazda some how by hopefully scaring some potential customers out of buying a CX-7? That about sum it up?

It's your responsibility not Mazdas to ensure you have proper winter tires. The CX-7 is NOT an unsafe winter vehicle, in fact with proper tires I would say it is one of the safest winter vehicles you could possibly buy.

[offset_98]

I don't buy it...we drive our 7 in the snow plenty - be it up in the mountains or on the occasion we get snow up here in the hills. We've never had a problem but then again - having lived in Chicago for 18 years prior, I know HOW to drive in the snow and ice.

[AWmustang]

The OEM Turanza's are definately the worst all-season tires I have experienced in snow. But even the best all season will be beat in snow by a dedicated winter tire.

You wouldn't complain that a pair of hiking shoes didn't work well in a race. And you would probably laugh at a woman who was shoveling the driveway wearing a pair of high heels.

The same goes for tires. You have to have the right ones on for the conditions.

[1Sleepy93]

Stock tires suck in the snow but stick some decent tires or chains on it and everything is fine. Hell mine isn't even the AWD model.

[joevac10]

Thought I had leased a safe car to protect my family. WRONG . . . despite having all the latest safety equipment, Mazda failed to put decent tires on the CX-7. The result . . . on only 2 inches of snow you'll go straight through a turn. On 3 inches of snow, I couldn't make it up my driveway (slight incline). End result is that this car is extremely dangerous on icy or snowy roads, even worse, IMO, than most FWD vehicles. Yes, I could purchase Nokia's but I've leased the CX-7. BTW, only 17K miles on tires which have been routinely rotated. Let the buyer beware, this is one dangerous winter ride.

I live in Chicago where we get tons of snow. I've had my CX-7 for over a year now going through two winters and about a half dozen snow storms. I have the stock tires on my Mazda with AWD. The suv is absolutely amazing in the snow and I have had no problems driving in the snow. You might want to take some snow driving lessing to learn how to drive properly in the snow. It sounds like you don't know what you are doing and you don't know what you are talking about.

[erhayes]

+1 Mazd3. We have a malcontent troll. Ed

[hectik1]

I don't buy it...we drive our 7 in the snow plenty - be it up in the mountains or on the occasion we get snow up here in the hills. We've never had a problem but then again - having lived in Chicago for 18 years prior, I know HOW to drive in the snow and ice.
I agree. If you know how to drive there are no problems. The DSC does wonders for turning in snow.

[resler]

To all who question MY driving . . . I truly believe we have MUCH more snow in NW MI than in moderate Chicago (by comparison). As such, yes, I am accustomed to driving in snow as my 40+ yrs. driving experience would indicate. FYI, the tires are Goodyear Eagle RSA's and yes, they do NOT perform in snow. And, remember, I'm only talking about 2-3 inches of snow, any respectable all season tires should perform adequately. Last point, to the moron who complained that my few posts were negative, well, I didn't realize you could only post positive CX-7 experiences. I've said I loved the car, appearance wise and for the ride BUT when you have a white knuckle experience every time you get a measly 2 inches of snow, something's wrong.
And, I won't put close to $600+ in tires on a leased vehicle. Perhaps I expect WAY too much for a vehicle that cost nearly $30K.

[Mazda3]

There's an almost identical thread going on in the CX-9 forum. The CX-7 is a sporty "CUV" not an "SUV". To increase the sporty handling it comes with a sporty tire. As it turns out that tire is total crap on ice. Lease or not it's not Mazda's resposibility to equip the CX-7 with snow tires. Yes there are all-season tires that perform better in the snow, but they might not perform as well on dry pavement. The dry handling is a major selling feature on the CX-7. The title of this thread is misleading to the inexperienced potenial buyer, because the CX-7 is an excellent winter vehicle, one of the best on the market.

Bottom line is that tires are your responsibility and have nothing to do with the design or quality of the vehicle.

[AlbanianDude]

To all who question MY driving . . . I truly believe we have MUCH more snow in NW MI than in moderate Chicago (by comparison). As such, yes, I am accustomed to driving in snow as my 40+ yrs. driving experience would indicate. FYI, the tires are Goodyear Eagle RSA's and yes, they do NOT perform in snow. And, remember, I'm only talking about 2-3 inches of snow, any respectable all season tires should perform adequately. Last point, to the moron who complained that my few posts were negative, well, I didn't realize you could only post positive CX-7 experiences. I've said I loved the car, appearance wise and for the ride BUT when you have a white knuckle experience every time you get a measly 2 inches of snow, something's wrong.
And, I won't put close to $600+ in tires on a leased vehicle. Perhaps I expect WAY too much for a vehicle that cost nearly $30K.Just because you leased the vehicle doesnt mean you dont have to put tires on it, even as a lease you cant take it back with bald tires. By far this is a safe vehicle just like anything needs winter tires. I have a 300C SRT8 and that came with shitty tires for a high performance vehicle so suck it up and buy a set of tires when you rear end someone you cant say my car came with shitty tires. Tires Breaks and any wear and tear are your responsibility even on a leased vehicle. GROW UP

[Killer]

:darwinthread:

[vbbuilt01]

To all who question MY driving . . . I truly believe we have MUCH more snow in NW MI than in moderate Chicago (by comparison). As such, yes, I am accustomed to driving in snow as my 40+ yrs. driving experience would indicate. FYI, the tires are Goodyear Eagle RSA's and yes, they do NOT perform in snow. And, remember, I'm only talking about 2-3 inches of snow, any respectable all season tires should perform adequately. Last point, to the moron who complained that my few posts were negative, well, I didn't realize you could only post positive CX-7 experiences. I've said I loved the car, appearance wise and for the ride BUT when you have a white knuckle experience every time you get a measly 2 inches of snow, something's wrong.
And, I won't put close to $600+ in tires on a leased vehicle. Perhaps I expect WAY too much for a vehicle that cost nearly $30K.

Resler, down here in northern VA, it only snows moderately. Last winter, my 2007 came equipped with OEM Goodyear RSA. One day, mother nature dumped over 8 inches. The CX-7 performed admirably. It hugged the road and I was truckin' through unplowed 5 - 6 inch snow on the interstate, doing 45 MPH while most other vehicles were crawling along the right lane doing 10. I wasn't slipping or sliding. I could feel traction control kick periodically. No swerve, no slide. I've also driven on icey roads and of course, I slow down and drive more conservatively, but still, the CX-7 handles quite well.

You may claim you have 40 years experience, but I'm not a newbie, either. Total thumbs up for the CX-7 !!

You may poo-poo the CX-7 but for me, the CX-7 is a fabulous vehicle and I've now logged over 38K miles.

Instead of whining about the CX-7 why not do something positive - get rid of the CX-7, get another vehicle. You'll be able to channel all of that negative energy into positive pursuits.

Take care, Vince.

[resler]

What many fail to understand is that the tires, I feel, make this an unsafe vehicle for winter driving. Perhaps my expectations of more than 17K miles before unusual wear is overly ambitious. Last winter, I didn't experience the same issues as it was the 1st winter with the Goodyear RSA's. Hey, I'm not made of money, that's why I won't buy a new set of snows for a vehicle I'll be turning in at the end of my lease in 6 mo's. If you're not experiencing any problems, great, I can only tell you what I've experienced. It's not due to bad driving, lack of experience, being a malcontent, or anything else. It's just that it's been my experience. Unfortunately, unless your experience is positive, your input on this forum isn't valued. Vince, you're right, I will get another vehicle, I really don't have enough time to reply to insults from others who only want to read positive reviews and flowery praise. Peace!

[xtrememps]

Resler, it's not that negative input isn't valued...it's just that you're not going to get much sympathy from the folks on this board when the CX-7's poor handling in the snow (and it's not bad at all IMO..I've driven even FWD ones in the snow and was fine at the dealership I work at) comes down to the tires.

It's easy to get better tires on there. Even more "all around" all seasons would probably make you happier if you don't want to swap snows on/off. And then hey...sell the old all seasons and make a few bucks and you won't have to complain that much about your money.

[jred321]

normally i'd agree with the "shoulda bought snow tires" crowd but come on, it's an SUV. it should be equipped to handle a little snow without a dedicated snow tire

[SuperStretch18]

normally i'd agree with the "shoulda bought snow tires" crowd but come on, it's an SUV. it should be equipped to handle a little snow without a dedicated snow tire

It is; he basically said in his last post (I'm paraphrasing here) that the tires are worn and he is not replacing them because he is turning in at the end of lease in 6 months. Others have posted their experience and maintain their cars appropriately.

Fortunately, this is a moot point for me. S. FL FTW! (outie)

[erhayes]

The thread title is misleading. After reading comments from the author I feel the title should be changed. Worn tires on my vehicles cause driving problems in deep snow.

[SuperStretch18]

Just found this and thought it provided an interesting counter-arguement to this thread (not me BTW):

Winter - Snow Driving Update - CX-7 ROCKS (http://www.mcx7.com/showthread.php?t=2387)

[CX-7owner]

Yeah, the thread title should be changed to:
Dangerous CX-7 driver refuses to buy new tires because he's too cheap and puts value on new tires over family's safety.

[Mazda3]

I agree with you that the RSA's are crap in the winter, especially if they're half worn out already. Where we disagree is that Mazda has somehow wronged you. Again, the CX-7 is marketed as a sporty "CUV" not a rugged "SUV". It has to come with a tire that will provide the sporty handling. In this case that particular tire doesn't do as well as some in winter conditions. I realise that the RSA isn't the best dry handling tire available either, but it provides the CX-7 with the minimum excepted handling and was probably dirt cheap for Mazda.

Most auto manufacturers don't spend more on tires then they have to. It was mention earlier that the 300C SRT8 came with a mediocre performance tire when it probably should have come with tires comparable to a Corvette ZO6. It's your responsibility to put proper tires on whatever car you buy.

To those debating the performance of the RSA in the snow, I think they are ok in the "snow", its the extreme "icy" conditions where they suck. Driving down an unplowed road with 6" of snow on it is no problem, its sliding through an intersection covered in glare ice where this tire lacks.

Lastly, the reason everyone is jumping on you is the title of the thread. The CX-7 is not a POS because it came with crappy tires. The vehicle itself is great, but some might need different tires to meet there expectations in certain situations, this is the same with all vehicles. A better thread title might have been something like "Why does Mazda put these crappy tires on the CX-7 ?"