Exterior & Styling

The sliding doors say "minivan," but many see the Mazda5 as a wagon. Minivans tend not to set hearts aflutter, but there's one thing I appreciate about the 2010 Mazda5, and that's its styling. It's nothing special, but it's also not the redesigned 2011 Mazda5 that's due at dealerships early in 2011; Mazda has already released photos (click on the thumbnails to the right). The 2011 has a less restrained design, including the smiling grille most new Mazda models get, plus a new characteristic: wavelike accent lines in the bodyside sheet metal. On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Safety
    In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, the CX-9 earned the top score, Good, in frontal and side-impact tests. It hasn't been tested for rear impacts or for roof strength, an indica ...

    Accessory Sockets
    Only use genuine Mazda accessories or the equivalent requiring no greater than 120 W (DC 12 V, 10 A). Front The ignition switch must be in the ACC or ON position. With Advanced Key To use, pr ...

    Fuel-Filler Lid and Cap
    WARNING. When removing the fuel cap, loosen the cap slightly and wait for any hissing to stop. Then remove it: Fuel spray is dangerous. Fuel can burn skin and eyes and cause illness if ingested. ...