looking at a cx7,question about gas mileage and octane?

[bmf5150]

me and my wife just looked at a used 2007 cx7 with 16,000 miles on it.we loved the way it drove and the power of the vehicle.i came home and started researching the vehicle like i allways do when im about to spend $17,000.00 on a vehicle.do you have to use higher ocatane or can you use 87 octane without having engine problems?what are most people getting gas milleage wise city driving?what can i expect?is there any difference in the 09 cx7 and the 07 cx7 with the way the vehicle will handle lower octane useage?thanks for your help..stan

[Zoom49]

Yes with the 07's you must use high octane fuel as they are tuned for 91 octane. There have been numerous reports of engine knock when lower grade fuel is used on the 2007 models. Changes were made to the engine computer to allow the regular use of 87 octane in the 2009 models.
We get 18 city 24 hwy in our FWD 2007 and dont mind the use of premium
in exchange for the great performance. AWD models get about 1-2 mpg less than the front wheel drives.

[bmf5150]

Yes with the 07's you must use high octane fuel as they are tuned for 91 octane. There have been numerous reports of engine knock when lower grade fuel is used on the 2007 models. Changes were made to the engine computer to allow the regular use of 87 octane in the 2009 models.
We get 18 city 24 hwy in our FWD 2007 and dont mind the use of premium
in exchange for the great performance. AWD models get about 1-2 mpg less than the front wheel drives.

so im better off waiting and getting the 2009 model..is the 2008 the same as the 2007?

[Cue]

In the manual, it says that 87 is OK to use, but still recommends 91. Are you modding? If you are, if you get the standback and pnp, you can lean out your fuel mixture quite a bit and get an extra 20-40 miles per tank..

[marciano]

2008 is same as 07 except you can use 87 octane. But you will not get the same hp and mpg- i noticed a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zoom49]

so im better off waiting and getting the 2009 model..is the 2008 the same as the 2007?

We love the 2007 and dont mind the extra $3.00 per tank. In a test report on the 2007, Road and Track said when they ran 87 they got about 15% lower
fuel economy. So you can either use more expensive fuel or use more of a lower cost fuel. Is $150.00 per year, reason not to enjoy the power and handling of the CX-7? I dont mind at all and even when gas costs go higher
the same $3.00 per tank applies. Go for it if you like the car.

[bmf5150]

i contacted a service dept at my local mazda dealer,and they told me that the only difference between the 2007 and 2009 is a software up date to deal with the difference in octane,so you dont have pinging..they said they can update an 2007 cx7 and it would cost about $100.00 for the update.do any of you guys know about this or have had it done?did it help..i dont mind paying for better gas now when gas is $1.70 per gallon but when it gets up to $4.00 per gallon again when the economy turns around,it will be too expensive for the prem gas..

[bmf5150]

In the manual, it says that 87 is OK to use, but still recommends 91. Are you modding? If you are, if you get the standback and pnp, you can lean out your fuel mixture quite a bit and get an extra 20-40 miles per tank..

no stock vehicle for the wife..thanks for your guys help!!

[bmf5150]

anyone get that upgrade?

[Zoom49]

anyone get that upgrade?
I have a severe pinging issue with my 2007 even when using 91 octane California gasoline. I have had it to the dealer 5 times to try to solve this issue with no results. There is a new Service Bulletin out for this issue with the 2007. I have not had this done yet. There are other hardware differences
between the 2007 and 2008 units. If you cant pay the $3.00 per fill up for premimum I suggest you look at the 2008 or 2009.

[fsfishnchips]

so does this fix basically upgrade the 07 to an 08?

[offset_98]

I was under the impression that the octane "fix" was not applicable to the '07.

[wannabe]

yeah, supposedly there is more to it than just ecu. i think they changed the injectors or something too....

[bmf5150]

thanks guys fort he advice.i ended up buying a 2008.im a ford employee and with my discount on the cx7 and the zero percent financing it was not worth buying the used one..i have a brand new 2008 on the way.so did they upgrade this problem on the 2008?

[Zoom49]

thanks guys fort he advice i ended up buying a 2008. I have a brand new 2008 on the way.so did they upgrade this problem on the 2008?

I think that this is a good choice. I have a 2007 and love it but the 2008 seems to be way more issue free. You can try mid grade or lower and see how it goes. I think that the 2008 can be upgraded to the 2009 maps on
fuel but I believe that the used one can not.

[wannabe]

the 2008 it is "recommended" premium. it gets worse gas mileage and doesn't shift as well on regular.

[Shaz]

the 2007 is a hit and miss and so does the 2008. My 07 has been problem-free. I guess I'm lucky. All applicable TSB has been done by the dealership. I have been using mid-grade every now and then without issues. I have also filled up using regular one time without any issue.

[AlbanianDude]

My 2007 was awesome never had any issues... i miss it sometimes but then i step on the pedal on my 08 5.6L Pathfinder and hear the intake breathing and i go back to smiling again lol...

[marciano]

i drive a 2008. it was made in november 2007 and have no issues whatsoever....i only use shell 93 octane by the way

[offset_98]

I have the gas cap issue on and off -- which is fine for now. When it's out of warranty however, I will not pay for them to fix it since it's been back there 4 or 5 times already. I'll go out of my way to dump the car if they try to make me pay.

[AlbanianDude]

I have the gas cap issue on and off -- which is fine for now. When it's out of warranty however, I will not pay for them to fix it since it's been back there 4 or 5 times already. I'll go out of my way to dump the car if they try to make me pay.

I have never had that issue at all and seems like its pretty popular for these units.

[hectik1]

me and my wife just looked at a used 2007 cx7 with 16,000 miles on it.we loved the way it drove and the power of the vehicle.i came home and started researching the vehicle like i allways do when im about to spend $17,000.00 on a vehicle.do you have to use higher ocatane or can you use 87 octane without having engine problems?what are most people getting gas milleage wise city driving?what can i expect?is there any difference in the 09 cx7 and the 07 cx7 with the way the vehicle will handle lower octane useage?thanks for your help..stan
Buy a new one. We tried selling my wife's CX7 and supposed it was only worth $9k at 2 different dealers. $17k is way high for price, considering how much it is worth.(idhitit)

[bmf5150]

I think that this is a good choice. I have a 2007 and love it but the 2008 seems to be way more issue free. You can try mid grade or lower and see how it goes. I think that the 2008 can be upgraded to the 2009 maps on
fuel but I believe that the used one can not.

upgraded to the 2009 maps on
what is this?

[bmf5150]

can i expect descent gas mileage in the city driving if i keep my foot out of it?i pickup up my new one on saturday.love the one i test drove,it like a sports car thats a SUV..

[hectik1]

can i expect descent gas mileage in the city driving if i keep my foot out of it?i pickup up my new one on saturday.love the one i test drove,it like a sports car thats a SUV..My wife (who has the lighter foot) gets about 20 MPG driving in the city.

[mazdaspeedster3]

me and my wife just looked at a used 2007 cx7 with 16,000 miles on it.we loved the way it drove and the power of the vehicle.i came home and started researching the vehicle like i allways do when im about to spend $17,000.00 on a vehicle.do you have to use higher ocatane or can you use 87 octane without having engine problems?what are most people getting gas milleage wise city driving?what can i expect?is there any difference in the 09 cx7 and the 07 cx7 with the way the vehicle will handle lower octane useage?thanks for your help..stan

NO! I have posted a thread on the octane usage necesary and the results in my 07 CX7 that we just turned in back in Nov. I never once ran anything higher than 89 octane and had ZERO problems with the car, at all! I am in very good standing with my dealership and the service department and have had numerous conversations about the octane and negative effects on the 07. THe 08 had optional octane choices and the 09 is not high octane mandated. Again, 24k miles in 18 months and zero problems running 89 octane and sometimes even 87 octane. We averaged 22 MPG and while my wife was driving it after I got the Speed3 she actually got 28 MPG on the freeway going to Northern Michigan. Not to bad considering. I will say this... Do not buy a CX7 unless it is the AWD model. We thankfully had the AWD but have a friend with an 08 FWD and they hate it in the snow and slush. Horrible balance.
What color are you looking at? Wonder if it is ours. LOL... Not likely but could be. We had a black sport AWD with Tan interior. If it is you got a great car, I take really good care of my cars. All mobil 1 full syn oil changes at 3k no matter what, K&N drop in filter (oil reduced) and BRAND new tires.

[mazdaspeedster3]

Oh, secret to the gas mileage is letting the turbo do its job. People used to driving NA cars tend to get on the gas more not understanding or waiting for boost to kick in. Then, when they feel the boost love it and get addicted to it and then are on the gas more than necesary thinking it gives them more boost. Let that turbo boost and dont go over 3-3.5K RPM's and you will get decent mileage.

[bmf5150]

NO! I have posted a thread on the octane usage necesary and the results in my 07 CX7 that we just turned in back in Nov. I never once ran anything higher than 89 octane and had ZERO problems with the car, at all! I am in very good standing with my dealership and the service department and have had numerous conversations about the octane and negative effects on the 07. THe 08 had optional octane choices and the 09 is not high octane mandated. Again, 24k miles in 18 months and zero problems running 89 octane and sometimes even 87 octane. We averaged 22 MPG and while my wife was driving it after I got the Speed3 she actually got 28 MPG on the freeway going to Northern Michigan. Not to bad considering. I will say this... Do not buy a CX7 unless it is the AWD model. We thankfully had the AWD but have a friend with an 08 FWD and they hate it in the snow and slush. Horrible balance.
What color are you looking at? Wonder if it is ours. LOL... Not likely but could be. We had a black sport AWD with Tan interior. If it is you got a great car, I take really good care of my cars. All mobil 1 full syn oil changes at 3k no matter what, K&N drop in filter (oil reduced) and BRAND new tires.

i just bought a new 2008 liquid platinum fwd,i pick it up on saturday.cant wait..i didnt get the awd,i was afraid of the gas mileage from what i have been reading on these forums..cant wait to pickup the new cx7.

[bmf5150]

Oh, secret to the gas mileage is letting the turbo do its job. People used to driving NA cars tend to get on the gas more not understanding or waiting for boost to kick in. Then, when they feel the boost love it and get addicted to it and then are on the gas more than necesary thinking it gives them more boost. Let that turbo boost and dont go over 3-3.5K RPM's and you will get decent mileage.

well that makes sense,ill keep it in mind...

[bmf5150]

merry christmas everyone!!!

[marciano]

i love my fwd cx-7

[my3rdimport]

my 2007 AWD gets 18.4 mpg on the highway.

Thats doing 75-90 mph for 300+ miles. My biggest gripe about the car is the 300 mile range for a tank of gass. usually when on road trips, i dont have to stop for a bthroom break untill the 400 mile mark :)

[bmf5150]

my wife just re filled the tank and doing the math i got 17.9 mpg around town.i wasnt driving it very light on thef oot,so we shall see if i can get better or not..

[bmf5150]

well just did my second fill up,city driving and some country roads.19.8 mpg,i was supprised.so far im really lovin this vehicle.fun to drive,handles more like a sports car,like it alot.i have been letting it shift around 2500 rpm for the most part,but a few times i have gotten my foot into it .it has plenty of power.happy with the mpg thus far..

[mgmarsh39]

My 08' sport avg 19-21mpg easily. Some of you guys must drive this thing like a race car :).

[Alpha Wolf]

Unlike many cars, the CX7 is very sensitive to driver technique with regards to gas mileage.

I have gotten 22 mpg freeway only at 70mph with a roof pod.

My normal mix of city and highway is 19 mpg

But with a lead foot in town you can easily drive this down to 13mpg as my wife has done so I do not normally let her drive my car as she has a lead foot.

If you keep the rpms below 2,300, upshift manually to the highest gear possible as soon as possible and keep freeway speeds at or below 70mph while using a really light foot on the gas pedal you too can get this mileage.

It is not fun to drive this way but if you are so worried about mileage then that is not what you are after. And the fun is just a little pressure away if you want or need it.

[bmf5150]

My 08' sport avg 19-21mpg easily. Some of you guys must drive this thing like a race car :).
thats what i was thinking to,because i just let the thing shift in automatic around 2500 rpm most of the time.there was a few times that i florred it to pass people and i still got some great gas mileage..

[ljmattox]

My 2007 GT FWD has 30k + miles, with several tanks of regular vs. premium Never had any knock / pre-ignition issues of any kind. I "think" it's a bit snappier on premium but haven't instrumented tank-to-tank runs.

My experience on long trips (midwest mostly, pretty flat terrain) is that we'll get 22-23 at 65-70 average, but 18-19 if I'm leadfooting it a bit (75-80 average). First vehicle I've had that drops off so significantly with a bit more speed. It is a larger vehicle to push through the wind compared to autos I've owned.

No issues outside of the TSBs / recalls, and none at all since Oct '07. Swapped the stock Turanzas for Nokian real snow tires so it could be driven in winter...the first snowstorm here immobilized it completely, those stock Bridgestones were useless in the snow. It's now mostly unstoppable in anything that we get here in STL.

[Cue]

My 2007 GT FWD has 30k + miles, with several tanks of regular vs. premium Never had any knock / pre-ignition issues of any kind. I "think" it's a bit snappier on premium but haven't instrumented tank-to-tank runs.

No knock on regular really surprises me.... Did you measure/log KR at WOT between 4000rpm and 5200rpm using regular?

[ljmattox]

No measurements here...but no knock observed/heard/felt on WOT through most of 3 gear changes on the on-ramp for freeway merging, multiple times.

[carlos_hathcock]

I bought my sisters 07 CX7 i is by far one the best vehicles I've driven so far. It has 28k miles on it so far we took it to the dealer because of some noise it had, it sounded like a diesel engine, and when you started it sounded like someone was raping an alligator (just trying to exagerate here). The service supervisor was a real dick head, but once i found out he was in the service I told them I'm still in the military and that was my ice breaker, the car had a problem with the variable valve timing actuator, the timing chain tensioner and i don't remember what else. I asked him specifically about the 87 octane and he said quietly (between you and me, 87 is just fine, and after doing all this recall work, you shouldn't have a problem, the 91 octane is just for them to give a reason to not honor warranties). So that's what he told me. I trust the guy, and looking at his wall from all his awards and certifications, i can be comfortable following anything he says. Also a mechanic who doesn't try to upsell you anything you really don't need is great in my book.

[carlos_hathcock]

WTF? Over...

[JGreen215]

I'm buying a 2008 GT AWD this weekend. I can't wait.

[Zoom49]

[QUOTE=carlos_hathcock;4992994] I asked him specifically about the 87 octane and he said quietly (between you and me, 87 is just fine, and after doing all this recall work, you shouldn't have a problem, the 91 octane is just for them to give a reason to not honor warranties).QUOTE]

I believe he gave you wrong advice, for the 2007 models 91 octane was manditory. They changed the PCM in 2008 to allow use of lower octane fuel.
There are numerous reports on this forum of owners with engine knock on 2007 models even when using 91 octane. My 07 had the PCM replaced due to
numerous trips to the dealer with severe engine knock even while using premimum 91 octane. If yours was a 2008 you could substitute 87 or 89 octane with lower performance.

[offset_98]

Yeah, DO NOT use less than 91 in your '07. You're only asking for trouble. If you do and something does happen, I'll tell you now, that service adviser will deny what he said to you until the day he dies.

[erhayes]

I believe someone is misinformed that it is only a software re-flash to enable an 07 to run 87 or 89 octane safely. Mazda has stated in emails to others that there are some mechanical changes in addition to software changes (not just a re-flash) on the later model years. I have tried my 07 (with all latest re-flashes) on 87 & 89 octane. 87 was a lost cause from the first block. 89 seemed to run OK at light or medium throttle but, when exiting a corner in 3 d gear and pushing it, I got the death rattle and the computer shut the engine way down-not a safe thing in traffic. I now use and recommend that 91 or higher, like the factory requires be used.