After test driving the redesigned 2012 Mazda5 for a week, I'm going to make a fearless prediction: This practical, fun-to-drive car will be an even bigger hit than its popular predecessor.
That would be no small feat. After all, Consumer Reports ranked last year's model as its top family hauler. With its three rows of seats, nimble handling and exceptional value, the Mazda5 has been the company's second-best-selling vehicle (behind the Mazda3) since the six-seater was launched in 2006.
So how does the all-new 2012 version (Mazda skipped the 2011 model year because of production timing) make a good thing even better? Let's start with the most obvious improvement: The vehicle's appearance.
The new Mazda5 car turns heads – literally. When my family and I were pulling into our driveway one afternoon, an elderly woman on the sidewalk stopped and stared at us. I wasn't sure what she was looking at – had I run a stop sign or something? – so I approached her.
"I was just admiring your car," she said. "I like the lines, and the way the glass is cut is very nice."
Everywhere we went, people made similar comments. Chalk it up to the Mazda5's eye-catching Nagare (Japanese for "flow") design. According to the company, Nagare "incorporates the beauty of nature, in particular the forces of wind and water, to lend an intuitive sense of motion."
The new model's swooping lines – especially the swirling creases along the sides – create a sporty, aerodynamic appeal. This is the first Mazda production vehicle to get the full "flow" treatment, which until now has been limited to its concept cars.
Unfortunately, Nagare is already old news. Mazda has replaced it with Kodo, Japanese for "soul of motion," which describes the auto maker's future design direction.
Looks aren't everything, of course, and the Mazda5 has plenty of other things going for it, both inside and out. If you want more space than a family sedan but don't have the need or budget for a full-sized minivan, the Mazda5 hits the sweet spot.
Like a minivan, the dual rear sliding doors make loading kids in and out a breeze. Power sliding doors would have been nice, but they're not an option. No biggie: The manual doors open and close with ease. Another benefit of sliding doors is that we were able to squeeze into narrow parking spots and didn't have to worry about the kids flinging the doors open and denting the car next to ours.
The car's flexible seating configurations are another plus.
With both second-row captain's chairs and third-row 50/50 seats in the upright position, the vehicle can transport up to six people comfortably. The "theatre-style" stepped seating means each row is slightly higher than the one in front of it, improving visibility for passengers and creating plenty of leg room.
Getting in and out of the third-row seats is surprisingly easy.
Passengers can use a lever to tilt the middle seats forward, or – as my two kids did – climb into the second row and shuffle between the captain's chairs to the back.
Bear in mind: With all six seats in the upright position, luggage capacity is minimal. But folding the third-row seats flat creates ample cargo space for road trips. As I discovered while poking around the vehicle's interior, there are even a pair of handy storage bins under the second-row seat cushions – perfect for stowing games, books and other distractions kids require on a long drive. The captain's chairs can also be folded flat, creating more cargo space for transporting large items.
The Mazda5's main drawback? Because of the tiny luggage area when all six seats are upright, it may be too small if you have three or more kids, unless you're just whizzing around town or you buy a roof rack for longer trips.
For families with one or two kids, however, the flexible seating is ideal: The rear seats are great for carting around extra children to birthday parties or soccer games in the city, and when it's time to go on vacation, the seats can be folded flat.
Also new for the 2012 model is a 2.5-litre engine with slightly improved performance and better fuel efficiency than the 2.3-litre predecessor. As well, several features are now standard on all Mazda5 trim lines, including air conditioning, dynamic stability control and traction control.
Perhaps the most appealing thing about the Mazda5 is the reasonable price. The base GS model with six-speed manual transmission retails for $21,795. Granted, most families will choose the five-speed automatic for an additional $1,200, but driving the sporty Mazda5 with a stick adds to the car's appeal, in my books.
If you have a large family, you may want to shell out for a full-sized minivan. But if you've got one or two kids, and they occasionally bring along a friend, the affordable and stylish Mazda5 should "flow" to the top of your shopping list.
2012 Mazda5 GS
Type: Minivan
Base Price: $21,795; as tested, $21,795 (plus $1,595 freight and PDE)
Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 157 hp/163 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Drive: Front-wheel
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 9.7 city/6.8 highway; regular gas
jheinzl@globeandmail.com
Abandon hope all ye who enter here, writes humour columnist Andrew Clark
John Heinzl