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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Driving In Flooded Area
    WARNING: Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly and applying the brakes lightly until brake performance returns to normal: Driving with wet brakes is dangerous. Increased stopping distance or the ...

    Cargo
    Mazda has done a nice job arranging the CX-7's cargo area. The space measures 29.9 cubic feet with the backseat up and 58.6 cubic feet when it's folded, but perhaps more importantly, the few intru ...

    Hazardous Driving
    WARNING: Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: Downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tire speed ...