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In the new CX-7, Mazda says it has created a niche within a niche – the sporty SUV.

That may sound like a contradiction in terms; after all what makes an SUV good off the road usually makes it pretty poor on it.

And naturally when Mazda told this to the group of journalists assembled for the first opportunity to drive it anywhere in Europe, some of us took it as a bit of marketing doublespeak.

Then we got to see the car, and it really is as sporty-looking as an SUV is likely to get. There's hints of the Mazda's other hot models, the 3 and 6 MPS and the RX-8 coupe wherever you look.

The CX-7's front has Mazda's trademark three-vent front bumper, and the twin rear exhausts and funky rear lights are heavily influenced by the Subaru Impreza-rivalling 6 MPS.

It’s a handsome beast from nearly every angle with the pumped-up wheel arches and a 'kick-up belt line' which sees the window line rise at the rear, reminiscent of the Mk3 Ford Cortina.

The windscreen is nothing like the 1970s saloon car though; it slopes at 66 degrees – more than many sports cars. From the side, it gives the CX-7 a really sporting stance.

This sporting theme carries on inside, with a 'double roof' instrument panel which creates a gap between its louvered edges to house readouts for the radio and air-con.

A typically-Mazda three-dial instrument cluster sits in front of the driver, along with a steering wheel lifted straight from the diminutive MX-5.

The leather seats, complete with a crocodile-look strip through the middle (it looks far more tasteful than it sounds), proved very supportive throughout our several hundred mile test drive.

There's plenty of room for the driver and all the occupants; as there should be in an SUV. The boot is a roomy 455 litres, although that's less than the much smaller than a Honda Civic hatchback. The seats fold easily at the pull of a handle each side, but while the seats-folded space in the Civic is a 1,350 litres, the CX-7 manages just 774 litres to the window line.

So it looks sporty, but does it offer a sporty drive?

According to the bumpf supplied by Mazda, the CX-7 is powered by the same 2.3-litre turbocharged engine which powers the 3 and 6 MPS performance models. Its 260bhp powerplant transfers its power to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

The petrol engine/manual gearbox configuration is the only one available at the moment; Mazda may consider a diesel engine or an automatic gearbox if the demand is there.

But as the CX stands, it adds just the right amount of sportiness. It can dash to 62mph from rest in eight seconds, before heading to a top speed of 130mph.

The CX-7 constantly monitors the steering, acceleration and grip and can distribute up to 100 per cent of the power to the front or rear wheels to maximise its prowess through corners.

And that's exactly what it displays at speed. While many SUVs pitch and roll through bends with their softly tuned suspension for off-road capabilities, the CX-7 is the opposite.

Through the winding roads around the north west of Paris, the CX-7 proved to be an exciting steer. It's not quite up to the standards of class-leading hatchbacks; but it is an SUV, after all.

So the CX-7 looks good and drives well. Surely there must be some drawbacks.

It emits a hefty 243g/km of CO2 placing it in band F, meaning it will soon cost £400 a year to tax. And it will drink a gallon of unleaded every 27.7 miles too.

But it is cheap to buy. At £23,960, the CX-7 undercuts the majority of its rivals, especially when the excellent level of kit is taken into consideration.

There's only one model in the range, which features ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution with brake assist alongside stability and traction controls. There's also driver, passenger, front side and front and rear curtain airbags, 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, electric windows all round, climate control, leather seats and a 240-watt Bose stereo.

Unlike most other SUVs on the market, there's no built-in sat-nav; not even as an option. Gadget-hungry buyers will need to specify a dashboard-mounted freestanding unit from Mazda, or buy an aftermarket version.

There's no doubting the CX-7's abilities on the road, and Mazda should have little trouble shifting the 1,000-1,500 cars predicted for the UK. However, the lack of a diesel engine or automatic gearbox will put some buyers off.

But for performance junkies with an active lifestyle, the CX-7 should be just the ticket.

Rivals
Hyundai Santa Fe
Nissan X-Trail
Jeep Patriot

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