Today we have the Mazda CX-5 and CX-9, although the latter will soon receive a complete redesign. It is seven years old, after all. But just before the CX-9 was launched, its younger sibling, the now discontinued CX-7, went on sale. It was a solid and competitive crossover for its time, but the competition quickly caught up. The smaller CX-5 ultimately replaced it. However, there's still a gap in Mazda's crossover lineup that could still be filled.

While we're waiting for the next CX-9 to debut, a Mazda executive told Australia's Car Advice that a new CX-7 is very much a possibility. More than likely, it would once again fill the slot between those aforementioned Mazda crossovers. Is this something that could be sold in the US? Possibly, considering the crossover market in general is hot right now. The CX-5 may be too small for some families, while the three-row CX-9 simply has too much space. What we could see happen is a shortened version of the next CX-9, which is expected to launch in the coming year or so. By having a three model crossover lineup, Mazda would be in a far better position to compete with just about all other mainstream automakers.