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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Essential Safety Equipment
    Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, child-restraint systems and SRS air bags. ...

    Mileage, Safety & Reliability
    As I've said, the Mazda2 is related to the Fiesta, but one area where there's a noticeable difference between the two is in the mileage department. Where the Mazda gets an estimated 27-29 mpg in t ...

    Trailer Towing
    Your Mazda was designed and built primarily to carry passengers and cargo. If you tow a trailer, follow these instructions because driver and passenger safety depends on proper equipment and safe ...