By the numbers, the Mazda5 is only 180.5 inches long and 68.9 inches wide. Midsize sedans are bigger. A Chrysler Town and Country measures 202.5 inches long and 76.9 inches wide. Those more diminutive features mean the Mazda5 feels a lot more maneuverable than any minivan on the road today. It can actually slip into a tight parking spot.
2012 Mazda5
While it's not a minivan, the Mazda5 deserves some minivan comparisons because of its shape. Everyone thinks it's one — except Mazda and the people who buy it.
The second-row sliding doors, which prompt some of the minivan comparisons, are absolutely fantastic. While they are manually operated, they provide a giant hole for access. For young parents, this means it's easier to strap a child into a safety seat. And as the kids get a little older, they won't swing open the door and leave a dent in the unsuspecting Mercedes parked next to it. I only wish more family vehicles came with sliding second-row doors.
A little bit of sportiness
The new, redesigned 2012 model certainly offers some sportiness.
The Mazda5 proves zoom-zoom can come in a box. The new 2.5-liter I-4 (which replaces the 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine) produces 157 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. That makes the Mazda5 pretty zippy in city traffic, though the high roofline does cut into some of its cornering capabilities (the fear of tipping over is not desirable in any vehicle).
But for a car, which it's not, the Mazda5 does a good job on the road. The independent suspension and long wheel base help give the Mazda5 a nice ride on just about any surface. The electro-hydraulic power assist steering feels firm and nicely weighted, holding itself on line through tight corners.
I even like the dash-mounted gear shifter, which frees up valuable floor space. The throws are short on the six-speed manual, the clutch is easy and Mazda5 responds with a cheerful chirp of the front wheels. It also manages decent fuel economy: 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with either the manual or the five-speed automatic.
That long wheel base also allows for lots of space inside — with seating of 2+2+2.
But the beauty of the 2012 Mazda5 is how configurable the inside space is. The 50/50 split third row can be folded down to create 44 cubic feet of space. Fold down the second row captain's chairs flat and you can jam all kinds of gear into the Mazda5 — bikes, camping gear, sky-diving equipment. Every carmaker wants to think its customers sky-dive, I'm not sure why.
The seats are lined up in theater-type seating, meaning that each row is slightly higher than the row in front of it. This lets everyone have a clear view out of the windshield. The downside is that the higher up you sit, the more the Mazda5 feels like it's rolling through corners. Kids prone to car sickness should avoid the third row.
There are also lots of little cubbies and nooks to store all kinds of things. While not particularly fancy, the interior feels well built and put together. It can easily handle mud from a mountain bike or Cheerios from a toddler.
The one thing I didn't like was how narrow it is inside the Mazda5. It feels cramped in shoulder space. It's fine if you're a skinny 20-something. Double your age, and it's less fine.
Like minivans, however, the Mazda5 has easy ingress and egress. It's not low like a car, where you tend to fall into the seat and it's not so high that it requires you to step up into it. Entering the Mazda5 is like sliding down a church pew.
A face-lift
And then there's that exterior. How do I put this? The 2012 Mazda5 is less ugly than the 2011 model.
Designers did jazz it up a little bit more than the outgoing model, adding some interesting creases and folds on the sheet metal. But that doesn't mean this boxy, car-like, van-like vehicle is overly attractive. The front end has more curves and adopts that new Mazda face.
There is a slight curve to the roof, but stop kidding anyone. One reason no one else offers a vehicle like this is that to do all of the things the Mazda5 does, it would have to look something like the Mazda5.
See, that's the thing about multipurpose vehicles; to fill all of those different needs, it's going to have to look a certain way. If you want sliding second row doors, you have to have figure out a way to hide that gash on the side of the sheet metal. If you want to seat people larger than a Talky Tina doll in the third row, the roofline is going to have to be high.
That's the price of admission to a segment that still doesn't exist. The good news, however, is the Mazda5 fills in this whitespace extremely well.
The 2012 Mazda5 is fun, functional and most people who buy it probably go sky-diving. If not, they still end up with a vehicle that manages to wear a lot of hats and pulls it off pretty well. It may not handle exactly like a car or offer the room of a bigger minivan, but it doesn't have to.
There is nothing to compare the 2012 Mazda5 to except, maybe, the 2011 Mazda5. It's a one of a kind.
Part minivan, part car, part utility vehicle, the Mazda5 is the only American Multi Activity Vehicle around that can seat six passengers and still come with a manual clutch. (An automatic is also available for the other 90 percent of drivers.)
There will eventually be a few competitors, namely the Ford C-Max, but that will still not compare very well. It will come in hybrid or electric flavors. In other words, don't go looking for the manual.
The Mazda5 feels like a 13/16th scale model of a minivan. But it's not a minivan. It's smaller all around, as if it inhaled to squeeze into its high school jeans.
2012 Mazda5
Type: Six-passenger, multi-activity vehicle
Price: $19,195
Engine: 2.5-liter I4
Power: 157 horsepower, 163 pound-feet torque
Transmission: Six-speed manual or five-speed automatic
EPA gas mileage: 18 mpg city / 28 mpg highway
By Scott Burgess / The Detroit News
