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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

    See also:

    Roomy and Functional
    Like the outgoing model, the new Mazda 6 facelift is roomy and functional. It has a host of small storage compartments and a large and flexible floor console between the front seats. To this it ad ...

    Under the Hood
    The 2008 CX-9 is powered by a new 273-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine that drives a six-speed automatic transmission that has a clutchless-manual mode. Front- or all-wheel-drive versions are offe ...

    Tire Maintenance
    Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can cause tires to wear abnormally. Here are some important maintenance points: Tire Inflation Pressure Inspect all tire pressure monthly (including the ...