Design is different from quality. So, while the Mazda CX-7’s interior looks terrific, it also looks a bit cheap. Hard plastic is the rule, the exceptions being the upper door panels and the center console armrest. Mazda skipped the trend to woven mesh headliners, installing an inexpensive material that resembles outdoor carpeting. The leather barely passes muster, and the strange crocodile-style fabric stripes are sure to trap dirt and crumbs over time. Piano black plastic trim on the dash and steering wheel looks classy when it’s clean, but that’s infrequent. Usually it looks dusty and smudged.