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| 2006 Mazda5 GT (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123) |
The first thing you notice inside the Five is how easy it is to get into and out of. You don't step up, like in a full size minivan, nor do you drop down like in a coupe. Just a lateral slide does the trick, no agility needed. Next, you sit in a comfortable and supportive height adjustable driver's seat and look around. There is dark plastic all over, with metallic pieces added for a sense of brightness and class. Dark plastic and aluminum must be in this year, because it's been done and done again. Its not boring and overdone looking so much as it is youthful and energetic though The execution of the interior reminds me of a wristwatch: Rolex materials and craftsmanship meets the ruggedness and functionality of a Timex Ironman. If I have ever been in a vehicle in this price range with a more perfectly assembled interior, I can't remember what it was. The materials are all top notch. There is no give to any of the paneling, anywhere, meaning they are solid and tight and won't squeak or rattle over time. All the seams are perfect, with no bits of plastic hanging out here and there from the cutting process in the factory. The digital climate control is the focal point of the center stack, with a digital display sitting on top, allowing you to quickly keep an eye on all of your settings. Large, rubber-feel knobs allow you to change those settings easily without taking your eyes off the road. The 6 speaker stereo system has two tweeters and sounds good, and there is ample room for a subwoofer in back if you like.
The maneuverability is excellent too. While reversing, there is so much glass, everywhere, that you don't even second guess smacking into something. It's low enough that you don't feel as though you are in a huge cumbersome vehicle, and accordingly, you feel a lot more confident moving it around in tight quarters, no 15 point Austin Powers turn required. It is very easy to work in a parking lot while backing up, when you consider all the visibility and the tight turning radius.
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| 2006 Mazda5 GT (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123) |
Passengers can arrange their belongings into the hidden storage compartments built into the bottom of each back seat, so no one will have their stuff lying about. The GT model even gets an activity center that folds out from within the second passenger seat that can hold onto your lunch, two drinks, or a small coloring book and some crayons, if your passengers are really young or otherwise like to color, for whatever reason. These middle row seats fold ahead to allow rear passengers reasonably easy access. Space in the back row is tight when the 5 is fully loaded, but remember it isn't a full sized minivan, and the benefits of its compact size far outweigh the downfalls. Once settled in back, there is still ample headroom. Thankfully, the center row seats recline, and slide on rails just like the ones in the front, meaning you can optimize the precious rear leg room depending on everybody's size. Not carrying a full load of passengers? All the rear seats fold into a flat space where you can haul around just about anything. This versatility in the seating, and added storage, makes for a very usable, flexible package.
