2006 Mazda5 Test Drive

Putting the "mini" back in minivan.

Oh, like we need yet another vehicle category. Sedan, coupe, truck, SUV, minivan, roadster, convertible... enough! OK, let's add one more: compact minivan. I know! What's that about? Think Honda gets together with Mini and makes a bouncing baby minivan. Why those two? Because this is one smart bugger and it's a blast to drive. Base price: $17,995; Warranty: 4/50,000.

First Glance: A mini-minivan

While the Mazda5 has been on sale in Europe for a while now, it's totally new to us Yanks. And while the Europeans call it a multi-purpose vehicle, we'll just call a spade a spade and say it's a compact minivan. In fact, the Mazda5 is noticeably smaller than Mazda's own MPV minivan, which is itself the smallest full size minivan sold in America. Kudos to Mazda for bucking the bigger-is-better trend.

Like a full-size minivan, the compact Mazda5 has two rows of seating suitable for adults and a third row, for children. Think of it as: adults, adults/kids and the bad kids.

It has two side sliding doors and a large top-hinged hatch. Unlike the many full size minivans, however, the 5 doesn't have power assist on the side doors or rear hatch. How Mazda expects a U.S. customer to manage them while holding two Grande decaf non-fat, sugar-free vanilla lattes I'll never know.

With its wheels set out to the extreme corners and its sharply sloping hood, I find the 5 to be very attractive and quite athletic looking. It looks like it can cope with almost any road or weather condition without losing its composure.

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In the Driver's Seat: Brilliant interior design

I've yet to find where they cut the product to get the price down to the level it's at. You really don't get the impression they cheaped out on anything with the 5. Even the key is great -- it's one of those folding gizmos which opens like a switchblade knife. Push a button and the key flicks out and snaps into place. It feels great to use. It feels expensive. While the entire interior is beautifully conceived and executed, I'm nearly smitten with the dash. All the controls have been designed for effortless operation. What each one does and how they all operate is obvious the minute you turn the key.

Whether you're carrying people or stuff, an important consideration is space. And while the 5 technically has less space if measured in cubic feet, it actually has as much or nearly as much usable space. Certainly it has as much as its full size sibling, the MPV.

With ample elbow, leg and head room, the 5's second row is a very comfortable place to be during a trip. Two adults will have no complaints. There's even a folding "coffee" table between the second row seats. How homey! The second and third row seats are slightly elevated for good forward visibility. That third row folds into the floor when not in use.

On the Road: Four cylinders is plenty, thank you

My test 5 came with a 157hp (148 lb-ft of torque) of the highly adaptable 2.3L, inline-4 with variable valve timing. You can forget all that lingo, however, since this is the only engine available in North America. So whatever it is, it's there and you don't have to think about it. With the standard 5-speed manual, acceleration is more than adequate in all speed ranges. A 4-speed auto with overdrive is also available.

Considering it weighs over 3,300 lbs, the 5 is remarkably agile. One tester pointed out that he thought it handled like a "reasonably priced sport compact." Its European-type handling is aided by a firm suspension (featuring independent rear multi link components) as well as quick and precise steering. The suspension absorbed the broken roads and pavement heaves north of Vancouver like an Olympic mogul meister. Disc brakes all around with ABS completed the package.

With all this top-notch mechanic stuff at my command, I found this functional little guy loads of fun to drive, even in city traffic.

Journey's End: An idea whose time has come

I defer to no man (or woman) in my respect, indeed affection, for minivans. I think the minivan is the body style that most closely approaches perfection in functionality. I am especially enamored of the compact version -- a concept whose time is now here. The Mazda5 is a very good example of this. And its price is one that will make many other manufacturers scratch their heads.

In this business, I get to drive all manner of automobile and I've noticed there seems to be very little relation between exterior dimensions and the amount of usable space inside, especially with vehicles like big SUVs. Relatively tiny sub-compacts like the Toyota Yaris and the Hyundai Accent, on the other hand, seem to have immense amounts of space. What they don't have is a lot of useless space.

The stylish Mazda5 is tailor-made for today's crowded roads. It has more usable interior space than you think and probably as much as you'll ever need.

Oh, one other thing about those bigger vehicles (SUVs and big minivans): They're no fun to drive (unless you think driving around in your living room is fun). Even if you forget the Mazda5's affordability and adaptability, it's still a hoot to drive -- and it's a brilliant car.