Changing its product line to meet the demands of today, Mazda has decided to shut down the production of its Mazda CX-7 midsize SUV in order to replace it with the smaller 2013 CX-5. This is to be the last model year for the CX-7.

The move comes five years after the CX-7 rolled onto the American market. Since that time, the SUV failed to be a large seller and only garnered a bit more than 35,000 units in 2011. Industry insiders believe that it was the CX-7’s odd, tweener size that prevented its success. It was considered too small to be a full-size SUV, yet too large to compete with the compact SUVs. Mazda is betting that the smaller CX-5 will perform well in this latter market and be welcomed by the consumers of today who have gas prices in the forefront of their minds.     

The 2013 CX-5 is already on sale at $20,695 and available with a 72 month car loan. It features an EPA-estimated rating of 26/32 mpg city and highway.