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.

    See also:

    A sporty cockpit that improves functional beauty
    The new "zone layout" approach focuses on improving visibility and more intuitive controls which provide "a sense of the car and driver as one" and "a reassuring sense of ...

    Satisfying Drivetrain
    What you get for your diminished mileage is respectable but not exceptional acceleration. Though the 2.3-liter four-cylinder (to be replaced in the 2010 by a 2.5-liter) is pretty robust, the Mazda ...

    Mazda3 in the Market
    I can't tell you how many times I've returned test cars thinking, "This model's due for an update." That was the last thing on my mind when I handed over the Mazda3. That means the 2010 ...