Cargo capacity is always a hot topic with vans since owners feel the need to choose between cargo and people. Mazda feels that in 99% of the cases, owners haul either cargo or people. The example I used was that you don’t take six people to the grocery store, so folding the third row for grocery space is fine. If you are into hockey, then you are only going to take four because you will need the third row to hold the equipment. In short, you adapt to what the vehicle can do for you and the Mazda5 is quite adaptable.
Once you get the interior sorted out and get behind the wheel, driving the Mazda5 is like driving an agile car. The 5 is nimble enough to make its way through city traffic and the mirrors are large enough to keep you out of harm’s way when zipping from lane to lane during rush hour. Seating position is such that you may not be as high up as a full-sized van, but you are high enough up to have a good view of what is going on.
When you get out of town and out onto the highway, you had best plan on using the cruise control. Keeping the Mazda5 down to 110 km/h can be a difficult task. If you relax and enjoy the drive, you will be going much faster than you think. On calm days there is virtually no wind noise and very little inside the vehicle. In a strong crosswind (more than 30 km/h), there will be some wind noise that you can hear if you turn the stereo off.
I had the most fun with the Mazda5 when it came to going around corners. This van made short work of clover leaf ramps and entrance-ramp acceleration lanes. It may not be “sports car” handling, but it certainly goes around corners better than the average van. In fact, it will corner hard enough to get you a reprimand from your very own side-seat cruise control.
The single best thing about the Mazda5 is the fact that it does not attract attention and yet handles so well. No one ever took a second look at me if I went by because I was just another van. I figure that if you do not want to attract attention to yourself and want to have a clam sedate vehicle that can put a grin on your face, you have to take a Mazda5 GT for a ride.
photo:Charles Renny
Once you get the interior sorted out and get behind the wheel, driving the Mazda5 is like driving an agile car. The 5 is nimble enough to make its way through city traffic and the mirrors are large enough to keep you out of harm’s way when zipping from lane to lane during rush hour. Seating position is such that you may not be as high up as a full-sized van, but you are high enough up to have a good view of what is going on.
When you get out of town and out onto the highway, you had best plan on using the cruise control. Keeping the Mazda5 down to 110 km/h can be a difficult task. If you relax and enjoy the drive, you will be going much faster than you think. On calm days there is virtually no wind noise and very little inside the vehicle. In a strong crosswind (more than 30 km/h), there will be some wind noise that you can hear if you turn the stereo off.
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| Once you get the interior sorted out and get behind the wheel, driving the Mazda5 is like driving an agile car. |
I had the most fun with the Mazda5 when it came to going around corners. This van made short work of clover leaf ramps and entrance-ramp acceleration lanes. It may not be “sports car” handling, but it certainly goes around corners better than the average van. In fact, it will corner hard enough to get you a reprimand from your very own side-seat cruise control.
The single best thing about the Mazda5 is the fact that it does not attract attention and yet handles so well. No one ever took a second look at me if I went by because I was just another van. I figure that if you do not want to attract attention to yourself and want to have a clam sedate vehicle that can put a grin on your face, you have to take a Mazda5 GT for a ride.
photo:Charles Renny
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