Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is pleased to announce that it sold a total of 4,272 CX-7 Crossover SUVs in October. The surge in sales has nearly offset the decline in Mazda3 due to availability trouble. MNAO also divulged that its overall sales dropped 652 units to 18,843 - about 3.4 percent month over month. However, Mazda's year-to-date sales are 228,082, up by 3 percent over the first 10 months of 2005.

"Two factors negatively affected our overall sales picture this month, our lack of Mazda3's and our planned reduction in fleet sales,? said Jim O'Sullivan, MNAO president and CEO. ?However, our overall retail sales are up year over year and we nearly beat last October's sales, thanks to another dramatic monthly increase in CX-7 sales, which are being driven by strong media praise and consumer enthusiasm."

Both MNAO's Canadian and Mexican operations reflected strong sales in October. Mazda Canada, Inc. (MCI) reported 5,978 sales ? 8 percent more than its previous record. Further, MCI is up four percent year to date on sales of 71,160 units. The newly-opened Mazda Mexico branch with 10 dealerships, sold 804 units.

MNAO, which is headquartered in Irvine, California, supervises the sales, auto parts and customer service support, as well as sales performance MCI and Mazda Motor de Mexico. MCI is situated in Ontario, Canada while Motor de Mexico is in Mexico City.

Mazda CX-7, launched in May this year, is styled to epitomize the soul of a sports car in an SUV. It was built on an entirely new Mazda platform that blends SUV practicality to the sports car vitality. The vehicle uses unique Mazda auto body parts to boosts its stunning appeal. It is given prominent front fenders, sharply raked windshield, and 5-pointed grille. It also boasts its Mazda steering and the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine that produces 244 horsepower. The vehicle is estimated to deliver 23 mpg in combined driving.

The CX-7 is designed with a sophisticated and sporty craftsmanship that can draw crowds closer. ?When I first saw the CX-7 in person, I fell in love with its design ? the movement and shapes of the vehicle are extremely bold,? said Dave Green, owner and namesake of DG Motorsports, during the 2006 SEMA show in the Sin City. ?The CX-7 is already a highly styled vehicle, which made it a lot of fun to take it to that next level and create art. I knew the job was well done when my teenagers saw it for the first time and gave me the thumbs up.?