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:

    New Power Sliding Rear Doors for Maximum Comfort
    Mazda 5 facelift enhances the high convenience of its segment-unique, double sliding rear doors - with an opening width of 700 mm and an opening height of 1,083 mm - by adding power assisted door ...

    Under the Hood
    The 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the Mazda3 i has variable valve timing and develops 148 horsepower (144 hp in PZEV form). The Mazda3 s uses a 2.3-liter four-cylinder that pumps out 156 hp. A five-s ...

    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 ...