Competing for Space
The interior is well-engineered and well-executed, but there's no avoiding the fact that there are six seats in a relatively small space. This isn't uncommon, but many models sacrifice space in just the rear seats, while the Mazda5 distributes legroom more evenly. As the table farther down this page reflects, the Mazda5 has less front-seat legroom than the Rondo and a few compact crossovers. The Mazda5's dimensions seem only slightly smaller — 1.1 inches at most compared with seven-seat versions of the Rondo and Toyota RAV4 — but at 6 feet tall I felt more crowded behind the wheel than the specifications suggest.
Lowering the driver's seat also moves it rearward, but I preferred to ride higher to improve forward visibility. (The A-pillars extend pretty far forward, and it's hard to tell where the car's nose ends.) I'm not suggesting I was crowded to an unsafe degree, but it was tight enough that I personally wouldn't invest in a Mazda5. It's a shame, because letting the front seat move a bit farther back would open up the model to more buyers.
See also:
Mazda5 in the Market
The Mazda5 is alone in the small-minivan segment, and its closest competitors
are likely four-door hatchbacks — including the Mazda3 — rather than traditional
minivans like the Dodge Grand Caravan ...
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such
as ABS and TCS to help control side slip
when driving on slippery surfaces, o ...
Vehicle Overview
The Mazda3 has been a sporty alternative for compact-car buyers since it
debuted for the 2004 model year. It undergoes its first redesign for the 2010
model year and is still offered in sedan and ...


