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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.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

    Mazda3 2009 review
    The first-generation Mazda3's viability shows automakers that this is how you do it: Come out with a car that's so competitive when it's new that it's still a good choice years down the line. It a ...

    Parking in an Emergency
    The hazard warning lights should always be used when you stop on or near a roadway in an emergency. The hazard warning lights warn other drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard and that t ...

    Chassis
    The body shell of the Mazda CX-7 facelift is more rigid than the original model, and delivers improved ride comfort and even better handling stability. The suspension system is specially tuned for ...