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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Before Getting In
    l Be sure the windows, outside mirrors, and outside lights are clean. - Inspect inflation pressures and condition of tires. - Look under the vehicle for any sign of fluid leaks. - If you plan to ...

    Accessory Sockets
    The ignition switch must be in the ACC or ON position to prevent the battery from discharging. Only use genuine Mazda accessories or the equivalent requiring no greater than 120 W (DC 12 V, 7 A ...

    Vehicle Overview
    After taking a year off, the Mazda5 small minivan is back for the 2012 model year in redesigned form. It has room for up to six people in three rows. Though it does have sliding side doors, the Ma ...