The U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently tested the 2007 Mazda CX-7 in both frontal and side-impact crash tests. The CX-7 earned the highest possible ratings, five stars, in both tests. For the frontal crash test, the CX-7 was crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, with crash test dummies buckled in the driver and front passenger seats. This crash test is equivalent to a head-on collision between two identical vehicles each moving at 35 mph. Instruments measure the force of the impact to each dummy’s head, chest and legs. The five star rating attained by CX-7 indicates a 10% or less chance of serious injury to a belted occupant in the front seat. Side-impact crash testing represents an intersection-type collision with a 3,015 pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph into the CX-7, with crash test dummies buckled into the driver and rear passenger seats. CX-7’s five star rating, the highest possible, indicates a 5% or less chance of serious injury.