Mazda gives new meaning to Zoom-Zoom by unveiling two vehicles last Nov. 12. The carmaker known for its vehicles with a sporty personality pulled the covers off two crossover SUVs.

Steven Tan, vice president for marketing and sales of Mazda Philippines, said: "With Mazda's reputation of providing cars that bring a greater pride of ownership and style, we are proud to unveil today not one, but a pair of globally acclaimed sport crossovers - the Mazda CX-7 and CX-9, sport crossover SUVs that blend the athletic attributes of a sports car with those of an SUV, carrying with it advanced emotional styling, outstanding features and exceptional handling."

The Mazda CX-7 makes its debut in the Philippine market while the 2010 CX-9 introduces improvements to the model for the coming year.

The CX-7 takes the sporty approach as opposed to its larger CX sibling. The front facade seems carried over from the RX-8 sports car with prominent wheel arches and a large lower intake being the borrowed design cues.

Large 17-inch wheels, foglamps, and side mirror turn signal repeaters are standard equipment. The embedded logo and five point grille make it fit perfectly along the rest of the Mazda vehicles. Other standard exterior trim include a roof spoiler and clear jewel effect tail lamps.

Inside, a mix of black and dark grey material create a sophisticated interior. Blue and red lighting emanates from the instruments. Leather seats pamper passengers while the folding second row can take on a variety of bulky cargo. In-car entertainment, climate and other vital trip info are displayed on a screen mounted in the center dash.

All the necessary controls are arranged neatly and intuitively. The entertainment system with CD, radio and auxiliary inputs can also be controlled remotely from the steering wheel.

Underneath the hood is 2.5 liter inline-4 that produces 163 horsepower and 205 Nm of torque. This travels through a 5-speed auto with a manual mode. This then proceeds to power the front wheels.

The whole vehicle is held aloft by MacPherson struts in front and a multilink system with stabilizer bars at the rear. The fully independent system is paired with a variable speed steering system to return more responsive handling.

Of course, CX-7 also has a long list of standard safety features starting with dual front, side, and curtain airbags. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Dynamic Control Stability (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS) also bring the car well under control. Remote keyless entry and a burglar alarm system add some extra peace of mind.

All in all, the vehicle hopes to retail for P1,495,000 (unit price only). Its price and size will likely draw comparisons from competitors’ crossovers and pickup-based SUV segments. Despite this, the CX-7’s distinctly modern and sporty characteristics should allow it to easily stand out.

Sharing the limelight with the hotly anticipated CX-7 is the 2010 CX-9. The redesigned front strikes a closer resemblance to the rest of the Mazda line-up. A bolder five-point grille, a floating horizontal chrome strip and a new set of front combination lamps and fog lamps comprise the changes. Larger, more aerodynamic side mirrors, new tail lamps, and rear garnish add more flair to the exterior.

Improvements to interior comfort have also been added to please the senses as well as the eyes. For those purchasing a Sparkling Black Mica vehicle, a Sand Beige interior is now an available option.

As for comfort, a redesigned fully-automatic front and rear climate control system grant better control of the air conditioning system. A new 4.3-inch, full color LCD display provides intuitive operation of the AM/FM radio, MP3-capable CD changer, auxiliary input jack, and iPod connectivity, as well as functioning as the display for the back-up monitor system. A wide-angle camera returns an improved field of vision when the view behind is displayed on the monitor.

Finally, a new palette of colors — Copper Red Mica, Aluminum Metallic, Crystal White Pearl Mica, and Sparkling Black Mica — offers more incentive to look into the vehicle.