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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    New for 2011
    An electronic stability system is now standard on all models. Beyond that, Mazda makes mostly minor changes to option packages after the 2010 redesign. ...

    Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
    The MZR 2.0-litre engine is now available with a six-speed automatic transmission for the first time in Europe. It includes a direct Activematic (DAM) function that allows manual gear shifts using ...

    Front
    Hood. 1 Windshield wiper blades. 2 Convertible top (Power retractable hardtop). 3 Convertible top (Soft top). 4 Fuel-filler lid. 5 Light bulbs. ...