And so I've come to the conclusion that this is not a man's car. And that's not a horrible thing to say. I think Mazda did a very smart thing here. The Mazda5 is the ideal “mom” car. It's easy to drive, easy to park, easy to load children/dogs/groceries/soccer balls in and out of, and it's stylish. There's nothing “mom” about the exterior look, or even the interior look.
Driving the Mazda5 is a lot like driving every other Mazda—which is a good thing. One thing I've always found with Mazdas is that their 6-speed manual transmission rides are so much more amusing to pilot than their automatic ones. Something comes alive in the Mazda5's 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that just isn't there in an auto trim. And with 157 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque, the Mazda5 offers just the right amount of power and pull to have a bit of fun when you want. Granted, the dog in the back might not appreciate the spirited journey too much.
Double-sliding doors, hidden storage beneath the second-row captain seats, room for 6, easily folded and unfolded 3rd-row seating, the Mazda5 is the ultimate non-minivan—and I love it for that. With the 3rd row folded, the Mazda5 boasts 426L of cargo space, and with the 2nd row down as well, that number jumps to 857L.
While the Mazda5 GS isn't an overly exciting vehicle to drive or look at, it's also not boring. It strikes a perfect balance between attitude on the road and creature comforts within. While it might not be big enough for uber-large families, it does the trick for new families (kind of like a starter home) or for those who want a little more space without crossing into the compact SUV realm.
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| With 157 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque, the Mazda5 offers just the right amount of power and pull to have a bit of fun when you want. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
Driving the Mazda5 is a lot like driving every other Mazda—which is a good thing. One thing I've always found with Mazdas is that their 6-speed manual transmission rides are so much more amusing to pilot than their automatic ones. Something comes alive in the Mazda5's 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that just isn't there in an auto trim. And with 157 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque, the Mazda5 offers just the right amount of power and pull to have a bit of fun when you want. Granted, the dog in the back might not appreciate the spirited journey too much.
Double-sliding doors, hidden storage beneath the second-row captain seats, room for 6, easily folded and unfolded 3rd-row seating, the Mazda5 is the ultimate non-minivan—and I love it for that. With the 3rd row folded, the Mazda5 boasts 426L of cargo space, and with the 2nd row down as well, that number jumps to 857L.
While the Mazda5 GS isn't an overly exciting vehicle to drive or look at, it's also not boring. It strikes a perfect balance between attitude on the road and creature comforts within. While it might not be big enough for uber-large families, it does the trick for new families (kind of like a starter home) or for those who want a little more space without crossing into the compact SUV realm.
 |
| With the 3rd row folded, the Mazda5 boasts 426L of cargo space, and with the 2nd row down as well, that number jumps to 857L. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
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