Vehicle Overview

After taking a year off, the Mazda5 small minivan is back for the 2012 model year in redesigned form. It has room for up to six people in three rows. Though it does have sliding side doors, the Mazda5's closest competitors include small hatchbacks and crossovers as opposed to regular-size minivans.

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    Chassis Updates
    The third generation was launched with a stiffer and lighter body shell than the second-generation Mazda MX-5 it replaced. The facelift version carries on this tradition: it has high flexural and ...

    Under the Hood
    The 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the Mazda3 i has variable valve timing and develops 148 horsepower (144 hp in PZEV form). The Mazda3 s uses a 2.3-liter four-cylinder that pumps out 156 hp. A five-s ...

    Manual Transaxle Operation
    Manual Transaxle Shift Pattern The shift pattern of the transaxle is conventional, as shown. Depress the clutch pedal all the way down while shifting; then release it slowly. A safety feature p ...