Ride & Handling

The Mazda5's steering response is designed to engage the driver. A turn of the wheel delivers a quick change of direction, and there's a fair amount of feedback. The suspension is on the firm side, but it provides a tolerable ride even on the broken pavement that's prevalent near Cars.com's Chicago headquarters.

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    Interior
    Compared with the old 626, the Mazda6's wider body translates into extra space for five occupants. The driver's seat adjusts through a 9.4-inch range, and the 60/40-split rear seatback folds down. ...

    Brake/Clutch Fluid
    Inspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level The brakes and clutch draw fluid from the same reservoir. Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir regularly. It should be kept at MAX. The level normally drop ...

    Manual Transmission Operation
    Manual Transmission Shift Pattern The vehicle is equipped with either a 5- speed or 6-speed manual transmission. The shift pattern for each is shown above. Depress the clutch pedal all the way d ...