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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Interior Comfort
    Use of various features for drive comfort, including air-conditioning and audio system. ...

    Overloading
    WARNING: Be careful not to overload your vehicle: The gross axle weight rating (GAWR). and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of your vehicle are on the Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Label o ...

    Essential Safety Equipment
    Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, child-restraint systems and SRS air bags. ...