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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    Exterior
    Comparatively upright in profile, the Mazda3 is built with a wide track and a relatively long (103.9-inch) wheelbase for its size. A Sport Package that includes sport bumpers, side skirts, 17-inch ...

    Essential Safety Equipment
    Use of safety equipment, including seats, seat belt system, child-restraint systems and SRS air bags. ...

    Safety
    All-disc antilock brakes and seat-mounted side-impact airbags are standard, as is a tire pressure monitoring system. Apart from an optional limited-slip differential, traction control and an elect ...