Mazda MAZDA5 Review

2009 Mazda MAZDA5 Grand Touring Minivan Shown

Compact minivans have been very popular in Europe and Japan for many years. Families have found them to be very useful for dealing with narrow streets, limited parking and high fuel prices. Import automakers' attempts to bring these "space wagons" to U.S. shores in the early 1990s were largely unsuccessful, however, as Americans were more interested in modern SUVs and large "minivans."

However, with rising gas prices and some buyers looking to downsize from larger vehicles, Mazda decided that a small minivan might again have a chance with U.S. consumers and as a result, introduced the Mazda 5 compact minivan a few years ago. Although it's significantly smaller than other minivans on the market, the Mazda 5 provides six-passenger capacity along with the sporty looks and handling Mazda is known for.

For buyers who need affordable, fuel-efficient family transportation that's easy to maneuver in traffic and a snap to park, the Mazda 5 is a strong choice. As far as competition, the Kia Rondo is the most direct rival to this Mazda. The similarly sized Rondo offers available V6 power and is rated to carry seven passengers. The Kia has a performance advantage, but it lacks the 5's convenient sliding doors. Both small family haulers offer smooth, refined rides and boast inviting cabins with strong build quality. We suggest test-driving both before making a purchase decision.

Current Mazda 5

Debuting in 2006, the Mazda 5 mini-minivan brought an easy-to-handle size and twin sliding rear doors (that can be operated with just one finger) to the compact family vehicle segment.

Three trims ¯ base Sport, midlevel Touring and high-line Grand Touring ¯ are offered. The Sport includes dual manual-sliding rear doors, 17-inch alloys, ABS, air-conditioning with cabin filtration, a CD stereo and full power accessories. The Touring model adds leather wrapping for the steering wheel, a sunroof and a CD changer. The Grand Touring model adds leather-trimmed seating, HID xenon headlights and heated front seats. Touring and Grand Touring models also offer a voice-controlled navigation system. For safety, front seat side airbags and full-length head-protecting side curtain airbags are standard on all trims.

For 2008, the Mazda 5 received revised front and rear styling, and a new center control panel for 2008. Electroluminescent gauges were added, along with rear seat air vents and controls, additional flip-down armrests and an auxiliary audio jack. A five-speed automatic (standard equipment on the Touring and Grand Touring trims) replaced the previous four-speed unit, while a five-speed manual remained standard on the base-trim Sport.

In terms of passenger comfort, those in the second row will have plenty of legroom and headroom, but the third row is cramped and really suitable for small children only. Our editors found its front seats fairly comfortable, but they don't slide back far enough for long-legged drivers. When both the second- and third-row seats are lowered, the Mazda 5 provides about 5 feet of load floor and about 44 cubic feet of cargo room.

In road tests, we discovered that although it's based on the Mazda 3 platform, the Mazda 5 is much larger and heavier -- which tends to tax the 2.3-liter, 153-horsepower four-cylinder engine at times. It's the same smooth, quick-revving engine we've praised in the past in the 3, but it's just not powerful enough to push the van around at higher speeds with much authority. However, the 5 is comfortable, easy to drive and perfectly adequate for running errands around town.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.