Exterior & Styling

If it weren't for its sliding rear doors, the Mazda5 would undoubtedly be considered a hatchback rather than a minivan. Mazda says sliding rear doors offer easier access to the second- and third-row seats, and are easy to open in tight parking spaces (not to mention less likely to ding other cars when they're thrown open by exuberant kids on a trip to the mall).

Though it retains the basic shape of a large minivan, the Mazda5 looks sporty nonetheless. It features a raked windshield; an aggressive front end that's been restyled for 2008 with a new grille, headlights and bumper; a tapered roofline; and standard 17-inch alloy wheels. There are also new taillights for 2008, but the additions don't markedly change the van's appearance (see a side-by-side comparison with the 2007 model).

    See also:

    Under the Hood
    The 2.3-liter four-cylinder develops 156 horsepower (146 hp for PZEV-emissions-compliant models) while the 3.0-liter V-6 turns out 212 hp. Both engines can team with a five-speed manual transmissi ...

    Ride & Handling
    The Mazda5's steering response is designed to engage the driver. A turn of the wheel delivers a quick change of direction, and there's a fair amount of feedback. The suspension is on the firm side ...

    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 ...