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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.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

    Second-Row Seats
    WARNING. Do not stack cargo higher than the seatbacks: Stacking luggage or other cargo higher than the seatbacks is dangerous. During a sudden stop or collision, objects can fly around and beco ...

    Introduction
    Be extremely careful and prevent injury to yourself and others or damage to your vehicle when using this manual for inspection and maintenance. If you're unsure about any procedure it describes, w ...

    Hazard Warning Flasher
    The hazard warning lights should always be used when you stop on or near a roadway in an emergency. The hazard warning lights warn other drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard and that t ...