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.
See also:
Convertible Commentary
As mentioned, our test car had the retractable-hardtop roof, and Mazda's
implementation of this type of roof has a few advantages over those from other
manufacturers.
First of all, it's fast; it ...
Automatic Transaxle Controls
Various Lockouts:
Indicates that you must
depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition
switch must be in the ACC or ON position).
Indicates the shift lever can
be shifted freely into any po ...
Recreational Towing
An example of “recreational towing” is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transaxle is not designed for towing
this vehicle on all 4 wheels.
When doing recreational towing refer to
“Towi ...