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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.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

    Theft-Deterrent System
    If the theft deterrent system detects an inappropriate entry into the vehicle, which could result in the vehicle or its contents being stolen, the alarm alerts the surrounding area of an abnormali ...

    Tiedown Hooks
    CAUTION: Don't use the tiedown hooks under the front and rear for towing. They are designed ONLY for tying down the vehicle when it's being transported. Using them for towing will damage the bum ...

    Suspension and Steering
    The new Mazda Tribute retains the chassis system that delivers a superb combination of handling stability and ride comfort both on and off-road. The front suspension employs a MacPherson strut sys ...