This week I am driving a Metallic White 2010 Mazda5 GT. I have always described it as kind of a mini-minivan. It has sliding side doors, a higher roof profile and a third row of seats. It first hit the market back in 2006 and since people that own them, love them, very little has changed on it.
Mazda calls it a multi-activity vehicle and that is a pretty good description. It is similar in size and price to the PT Cruiser, close lengthwise to that of the Honda CR-V, but yet it has features that are very similar to some minivans. Overall it is a bit of everything!
Taking the entire shape in, it looks like a small van or maybe a tall wagon. I don't really like the look of it; I would have preferred a shorter, less angled front end. But the vehicle has a look to it that sets it apart and many people will find that attractive.
You can't tell from the outside that the passenger doors slide open. And I think that the sliding side doors are most likely one of best selling features of this vehicle. It makes getting people and cargo in and out of tight spaces very easy. I am not sure I like the sliding doors when my hands are full though. At least the doors are lighter than those on a real van, but I still think that they are harder to open and close than traditional door.
The interior is very nicely arranged. I am a big fan of a simple dashboard - I think it keeps everything looking clean. There is a triple gauge cluster with the speedometer being the largest in the center and therefore the easiest to read. There are also three knobs on the centre console to work the heat and fan. A few buttons for everything else and it looks great!
The fit and finish are what you would expect from Mazda. The mix of materials is classy, but I am not crazy about the black piano finish on the centre portion of the dash. It looks gorgeous at first, but within hours it is covered in fingerprints and dust. I find that I am constantly wiping it off to keep it shiny and clean.
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| It is a pretty great vehicle now and it looks like it might be getting even better. (Photo: Lacey Elliott/Auto123.com) |
Mazda calls it a multi-activity vehicle and that is a pretty good description. It is similar in size and price to the PT Cruiser, close lengthwise to that of the Honda CR-V, but yet it has features that are very similar to some minivans. Overall it is a bit of everything!
Taking the entire shape in, it looks like a small van or maybe a tall wagon. I don't really like the look of it; I would have preferred a shorter, less angled front end. But the vehicle has a look to it that sets it apart and many people will find that attractive.
You can't tell from the outside that the passenger doors slide open. And I think that the sliding side doors are most likely one of best selling features of this vehicle. It makes getting people and cargo in and out of tight spaces very easy. I am not sure I like the sliding doors when my hands are full though. At least the doors are lighter than those on a real van, but I still think that they are harder to open and close than traditional door.
The interior is very nicely arranged. I am a big fan of a simple dashboard - I think it keeps everything looking clean. There is a triple gauge cluster with the speedometer being the largest in the center and therefore the easiest to read. There are also three knobs on the centre console to work the heat and fan. A few buttons for everything else and it looks great!
The fit and finish are what you would expect from Mazda. The mix of materials is classy, but I am not crazy about the black piano finish on the centre portion of the dash. It looks gorgeous at first, but within hours it is covered in fingerprints and dust. I find that I am constantly wiping it off to keep it shiny and clean.
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| The fit and finish are what you would expect from Mazda. (Photo: Lacey Elliott/Auto123.com) |