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| The steering wheel that frames the instrument cluster is among the best in the industry, as is true of all Mazda products. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Visibility is also excellent, out the front windshield, side windows, when looking toward the back via the rearview mirrors, and when using the large, tall side-view mirrors. The efficient gauge cluster is also extremely legible. I say efficient because it includes every necessity a driver might employ, including a large speedometer, semi-circle tachometer, and various ancillary gauges, and does so in a very compact, hooded binnacle. Depending on trim level four buttons, or mock buttons, line up in a row along the lower dash between the driver's door and steering column, while to the right is an attractively designed centre stack featuring a stylish audio interface up top, that unfortunately is not iPod compatible, and a wonderfully functional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) module below. Why so functional? I just like the way the system is laid out, with large rotating knobs incorporating buttons with digital readouts at their hubs, and the ability to actuate each even when wearing gloves - not that I was doing so on such a warm summer's day.
The steering wheel that frames the instrument cluster is among the best in the industry, as is true of all Mazda products. It's a thick, meaty wheel, wrapped in leather and featuring three spokes, the top two with thumb indents ideally placed for optimizing the proper 9 o'clock, 3 o'clock hand positioning. Allow those thumbs to wander inwards and standard steering wheel cruise and audio controls are easily accessible, the latter connecting through to a very capable stereo system incorporating an in-dash, six-disc CD player.
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| The 157-horsepower mill churns out all that's needed for a pretty quick trip to highway speeds. (Photo: Mazda Canada) |
The leather-wrapped five-speed manual shifter knob is well placed at the lower end of the centre stack, protruding slightly from the dash for a comfortable grip. This would be the only manually-equipped minivan on the market, and as you can expect, the sportiest for its inclusion. While a four-speed automatic version with manual shift mode was made available to those taking part in the ride and drive event, I didn't have the opportunity to drive it and therefore can only comment on the standard-shift 5. What's it like? The shifter and clutch pedal combination is quite smooth and easy to operate, causing no disconcerting effort at all. Actually, I believe that its general feel would be indistinguishable from that in Mazda's 3, so the term car-like seems fitting.
