The 2012 Mazda 5 is Enough Minivan
Welcome to America. We have children and we have minivans to transport them. For the last couple years Chrysler’s Town & County and Honda’s Odyssey have been America’s best selling minivans. In 2010 Chrysler moved 112,000 T & Cs while Honda sold 108,000 Odysseys. And Mazda, well Mazda sold 25,000 copies of its compact Mazda5 minivan.
All things being equal, the size difference between the 5 and the larger minivans is the dominant factor explaining why Mazda sells just a quarter of the volume of the market leaders. Makes sense – you have a couple/three children and you need the space. Only, you likely don’t. According to the 2010 Census the average number of children in the American household is… 0.94. That kid (or part thereof) must take up a lotta space.
Mazda’s approach to the minivan is informed by the Japanese domestic market where more “space efficient” Japanese people manage to fit themselves and their stuff into a 5 (sold there as the Premacy) and its 97.7 cu-ft. of front and second row passenger volume. Chrysler figures Americans and their children need 163.5 cu-ft. and America-oriented Honda 172.5. But space is a luxury and the larger minivans from American and Japanese makers do offer it. So Mazda’s 5 has to trade on other qualities.
The most noticeable is its relatively sharp handling. The 5’s steering and turn-in character is almost aggressive and confidence inspiring. With its smaller size and lower center of gravity, the 5 exhibits less body roll and associated tippy feeling than its full size counterparts. I had no hesitation throwing the Mazda into bends when the road and passenger circumstances were right. Heck, the first and second row seats support occupants securely enough that no one’s going to slide off the cushions even if you do chuck this minivan into a corner.
Mind how you go into the corner however. I felt the brakes were a little overmatched despite the 5 weighing in at less than 3500 pounds. The same holds true for the 2.5 liter four cylinder engine. Displacement is actually up from the previous 5s engine (2.3 liter) but 157 horsepower and 163 lb-ft. of torque just don’t move the Mazda that smartly. Zero to 60 mph comes up in a leisurely 9.5 seconds but I really noted the power deficit when passing on the two-lane roads of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Manually selecting gears with the five-speed automanual transmission helped though the available six-speed traditional manual gearbox would have further improved drivability. Kudos to Mazda for offering it.
Fuel efficiency makes up for light power yet the Mazda5 doesn’t differ much from the full-sizers. The 5 returned about 20 mpg in mixed driving. Both the Odyssey and Town & Country have EPA averages of 21 mpg.
The character lines running from the front wheel arches to rear taillights and the scalloping above the rockers remind me of the wind-sculpted sand on the beach I drove the Mazda 5 to. The almost whimsical looking front fascia sports trim running from the license plate holder to the upper grille border which looks to me like a chrome mustache. That’s what I’d tell kids anyway.
Given that I expect that myself and my future 0.94 children can actually survive without an in-dash touch screen and seatback/overhead video, the 5’s interior is pleasingly straightforward. Driver instruments are clear, rotary HVAC controls intuitive and the stereo/CD/Bluetooth buttons learn-able. Information displayed above the center dash vents is line-of-sight appropriate if vaguely 1990s-esque. The lack of a factory navigation unit is a head scratcher, particularly in this segment. (Mazda says one is in the works.) Ford’s soon-to-market C-Max which shares the 5s basic platform and size will come with the company’s Sync interface and other electronica as do many of the larger hatchbacks bordering on the Mazda5’s market.
But a minivan isn’t just a big smartphone. Its analog bits matter and simple operation is a pleaser when one arm is wrapped around paper towels, milk, and bread and the other around Jack or Jill. Opening the 5’s rear sliding side doors is a breeze as is folding/tumbling the second and third row seats. The sliding doors provide adequate ingress/egress room though the chasm isn’t as wide as on the big minis. The recline-able rake of the second row seats is nice though more rearward track would help legroom.
A fraction of a child can’t have that much stuff to bring along but the Mazda5 is comparatively short on the storage nooks that the large vans are typically brimming with. There’s a second row fold out storage tray, a compartment above the glovebox and door pockets but not much more. Throw all the seats down and you’ll have about half (44.4 cu-ft.) the cargo space of the Odyssey or Town & Country.
And if you truly need that space the bigger minivans are available. However the reality is that most of us ‘want’ rather than ‘need’ that space. Take the less-is-more approach of the Mazda5 and you’ll get a livelier minivan for $5000 to $6000 less than the main-streamers. Save it for a college fund. With enough education you might develop a full 1.0 offspring.
The Specs
Price as tested: $24,720
Engine: 157 hp, 2.4 liter four cylinder
Curb Weight: 3457 pounds
Fuel Economy: 21 city/28 highway
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