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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Cup Holder
    WARNING: Never use a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the vehicle is moving: Using a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the vehicle is moving is dangerous. If the contents spill, you could ...

    Installing Child-Restraint Systems
    Accident statistics reveal that a child is safer in the rear seats. The front passenger's seat is clearly the worst choice for any child under 12, and with rearfacing child-restraint systems it is ...

    Seat Belt (Except Center-Rear Position)
    NOTE: When using the center-rear seat belt, refer to “Center-Rear Position Seat Belt”. Fastening the Seat Belt 1. Grasp the tongue. 2. Slowly pull out the lap/shoulder belt. 3. Insert the to ...