Mazda5 2009 Review

Editor's note: This review was written in April 2008 about the 2008 Mazda5. Little of substance has changed with this year's model. To see what's new for 2009, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.

The Mazda5 minivan is fun to drive. That's right: A minivan that's fun to drive. How can this be? The secret's in its size, as the six-person Mazda5 is significantly smaller than traditional minivans.

The benefits of this approach — sporty handling, minimal body roll and manageable dimensions — are readily apparent after only a short time behind the wheel. There are also, however, some significant drawbacks.

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Money-Saving Suggestions
How you operate your Mazda determines how far it will travel on a tank of fuel. Use these suggestions to help save money on fuel and repairs. - Avoid long warm-ups. Once the engine runs smoothly, ...

Vehicle Overview
Mazda's larger, more powerful replacements for the departed Protege sedan and Protege5 hatchback went on sale in the 2004 model year. Built on the same platform as the Volvo S40, the compact, fron ...

Interior
The Tribute still has seating for five, and there's a center console storage compartment that Mazda says is big enough to hold a laptop. The rear seat is split 60/40, and the Tribute has just shy ...