Mazda5 2009 Review

Editor's note: This review was written in April 2008 about the 2008 Mazda5. Little of substance has changed with this year's model. To see what's new for 2009, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.

The Mazda5 minivan is fun to drive. That's right: A minivan that's fun to drive. How can this be? The secret's in its size, as the six-person Mazda5 is significantly smaller than traditional minivans.

The benefits of this approach — sporty handling, minimal body roll and manageable dimensions — are readily apparent after only a short time behind the wheel. There are also, however, some significant drawbacks.

See also:

Front Seat Belt Pretensioner and Load Limiting Systems
For optimum protection, the driver and front passenger seat belts are equipped with pretensioner and load limiting systems. For both these systems to work properly you must wear the seat belt pro ...

Power Steering
Power steering is only operable when the engine is running. If the engine is off or if the power steering system is inoperable, you can still steer, but it requires more physical effort. If the s ...

Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Precautions
The front and side supplemental restraint systems (SRS) include 6 air bags. Please verify the air bags equipped on your vehicle by locating the “SRS AIRBAG” location indicators. These indicators ar ...