Mazda5 in the Market

You would think that selling the only vehicle of a particular type would be desirable. With few exceptions, automakers don't work that way. They'd rather slug it out with competitors for the heart of the market, as illustrated by the size uniformity of most minivans — as well as the recently enlarged Subaru Forester and Outback, which historically were uniquely sized in between other crossovers.

The Mazda5 and Rondo are in a subclass by themselves, where the Mazda distinguishes itself further with sliding doors and a price that's hard for any small vehicle to beat. The added stability system helps it catch up with the Rondo, and the manual gearbox is a plus for some buyers.

The Mazda5's main shortcoming versus its competitors is its limited front and second-row dimensions. If your family members are all small, it shouldn't be a problem, but if you don't care about sliding doors or only carry two to four people on a regular basis, the Mazda5's appeal is more elusive.

    See also:

    Outside Canada
    Government regulations in Canada require that automobiles meet specific emission regulations and safety regulations. Therefore, vehicles built for use in Canada may differ from those sold in oth ...

    Vehicle Overview
    Ford owns a controlling interest in Mazda, so there's a close kinship between the popular Ford Escape sport utility vehicle and the related Mazda Tribute. Both SUVs were introduced for the 2001 mo ...

    Class-leading aerodynamics
    We adopted a new approach, called "airflow management," to optimally control the flow of air. Conventional car designs create a large amount of drag, a loss that adversely affects aerody ...