Didn't know what to expect when the all-new, 2006 Mazda5 got scheduled for a week-long test drive. Quite frankly, I wasn't quite sure what it was once it arrived. Mazda calls it a multi-active six-seater sports vehicle; it's probably best described as a mid-size van/wagon.
Mazda received excellent feedback when its Mazda6 mid-size sedan entered the market a couple of years ago. In fact, Mazda's automotive partner Ford (which owns 33.4 percent of Mazda) liked the sedan so much, the underpinnings were used to create the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zepher mid-size sedans all of which debuted last year.
In the 2004 model year, Mazda3 debuted as a compact competitor to the likes of Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cobalt and Ford Focus. I guess I was envisioning another sedan when the Mazda5 was on its way (because logically 5 is somewhere between 3 and 6). As usual, journalistic logic got in the way. Keep in mind the Mazda5 is different from the Mazda MX-5, a two-door roadster once commonly known as the Miata. Mazda is making decent vehicles, the names just need to better match the product.
Mazda5 can best be described as a mini minivan; a crossover of sorts between let's say a Toyota Matrix (which is already a crossover of a small SUV and sedan) and a conventional minivan. The front-wheel drive Mazda5 has three rows of seating and dual manual sliding rear doors, but is powered by an economical four-cylinder engine and is shorter and a bit lower in stature than a conventional minivan. Mazda already has the larger six-cylinder MPV minivan in its stable of vehicles. The Japan-built Mazda5 is based on a stretched platform of the Mazda3.
The most appealing aspect may be the price. Our nicely equipped uplevel Touring test vehicle had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $18,950 and a bottom line of $20,410 when adding in a $900 automatic transmission and $560 destination charge. A base 'Sport' model with five-speed manual starts at $17,435.
Both included a nice array of safety features including three rows of side curtain air bags, driver and front passenger side and front air bags, remote keyless entry and anti-lock brakes. Other standard equipment includes air conditioning; power mirrors, locks and windows; steering-wheel mounted cruise control and secondary radio buttons; variable assist power steering; rear wiper; compact disc player and rear window defroster. Our Touring test vehicle also featured a moonroof, fog lamps a liftgate spoiler and upgraded six-speaker stereo. A DVD navigation system is optional only inthe Touring model.
It's powered by a 2.3-liter 16-valve, double overhead cam inline four cylinder engine delivering 157 horsepower. A similar variant is offered in both the Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedans. This vehicle requires regular unleaded fuel and generates an estimated 21 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 m.p.g. highway with automatic transmission and one mile per gallon more in each category with manual transmission. These fuel figures are a bit disappointing since many V-6 conventional minivans come close to the Mazda5's four-cylinder numbers. Unlike most conventional minivans, the optionalfour-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission includes a clutchless manual-shift mode most usually associated with sports cars. This allows the driver more control of shift points when desired. If not desired, just switch back to 'regular' mode and the engine does the automaticshifting.
The 50/50 split rear third-row seats easily fold down by pulling a release strap on the seatback accessible when the rear hatch (hinged at the top) is open. Second-row captain chair cushions fold forward, than seatbacks fold flat also fold down flat creating a flat storage region. With the third-row seat up, there is still room behind the seat to accommodate three weeks of groceries for two adults, a canine and a manageress of finches.
Maneuvering into the third row is easier than many other vehicles on the road with this family-friendly feature. Both rear doors slide back far enough and both middle-row bucket seats gently slide forward on a floor track far enough for a relatively easy move to the back row which handles two riders and enough headroom for those approximately 6' 3" or shorter. Leg room in the third row varies depending on how far the two second-row caption's chairs are moved back. Seating is also 'theater' style, with the second row slightly higher than the first, and the third higher than the second.Second row caption's chairs also recline back when desired (i.e. make sure no one is sitting in row number three). Cloth seating comes standard. Second-row windows power down, a feature not always found in conventional minivans with a static-type design. Ceiling handles are found above all four doorway entries.
Drivers have excellent views in all directions with minimum blind spots. The attractive dashboard layout is user friendly and includes many small storage areas for coins, candy and the ever-present I-Pass. The center region includes a brushed-aluminum backdrop surrounding the stereo and ventilation controls, both of which incorporate large, easy-to-grab dials. A rectangular digital message center with green backlighting provides temperature, radio frequency and other information. A multitude of cup holders abound throughout the vehicle. The optional automatic transmission shifteris also surrounded by brushed aluminum and is located below the center dashboard. The flat, mostly analog instrument panel includes circle and semi-circle gauges and a convenient, vertical gear shift indicator.
From the outside, Mazda5 includes large, high-mounted, rounded, multi-colored tail lights. With an overall length of 181.5 inches, it's more than eight inches shorter than the 189.3-inch Mazda MPV minivan. The 64.2-inch height is also four inches shorter than MPV. In fact, it's two feet shorter then the Honda Odyssey minivan The steeply sloped hood leads up to a long, front A-pillar for a rounded front silhouette. The third-row's small, static windows combine with a roof line gently sloping down when reaching the liftgate creating a slightly rounded appearance. Side-view mirrorsare conveniently super sized for easy viewing. In front, Mazda's circular wing M logo is front and center with a honeycomb air dam along the bottom front.
The Mazda5's key selling point may be the $17,435 starting price which includes three rows of seats standard. By comparison the 2006 Mazda MPV minivan starts around $22,115 while a Toyota Sienna minivan starts at $23,625 in 2006.
The Mazda5 handles more like a car rather than a truck. Keep in mind for 2006 at least, power sliding rear doors are not offered (keeping prices down); however, the doors are comparably light weight and close relatively easily. Because this a mid-size variant, cargo volume is not as great as an 'extended minivan,' so if you're a large family taking multi vacations a year and ever square inch is put to use, you may need to shop elsewhere. However, the Mazda5 carries six riders and even though it's powered by a four-cylinder engine, the 156 horses provide adequate get-up and go. |