Mazda

Review: 2012 Mazda Mazda5 Touring

Family Friendliness: 8.1

Recommended: Yes

Specifications apply to test vehicle only.

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By Keith Buglewicz

Americans have a problem with portion control. Take bagels, for example. Just 25 years ago, they were smaller than your average cruller. Today they're loaded with eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese and butter, and usually bigger than your head.

Our minivan portions have increased, too. That same 25 years ago they were small, four-cylinder, five-passenger wagons. Today, most minivans are as long and wide as a Chevy Tahoe. Where'd the "mini" van go?

It's at the Mazda store, in the form of the 2012 Mazda5. This bite-size family hauler seats six, but without a lot of extra mass. The question is, does this compact people hauler make sense in the Land of the Giants? Only a week behind the wheel of a 2012 Mazda5 would answer that.

Model & Pricing

The vehicle that Mazda provided for testing was a mid-level Touring model. The base price of $21,990 included a $795 destination charge, automatic climate control with vents for the rear seat, and power windows, door locks and so on. A $1,140 option package added a moonroof, plus an upgraded audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and a four-month satellite radio subscription. Even with the $40 rear bumper guard, the final price of $23,180 is very reasonable, even compared to many small crossovers like the Honda CR-V.

Safety

Although no crash tests have been published on the 2012 Mazda5, the previous-generation scored well in both the federal and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests (shown below). Every Mazda5 offers standard stability and traction control, front, side and curtain airbags, and LATCH points on the second row, with additional tethers in the third.

Behind the Wheel

Since it easily fits in the shadow of full-sized minivans, the 2012 Mazda5 has excellent parking lot maneuverability, and you can park it in a "Compact" spot guilt-free. On the road, the little van feels more like a compact wagon. Its firm suspension is still comfortable over most bumps, and the steering has a quick, sporty feel to it. Unfortunately, that same sporty steering makes the Mazda5 feel nervous on the highway, and it needed constant small corrections to stay in one lane. Tire, engine and wind noise were also more prominent than in bigger vans.

The same 2.5-liter 157-hp four-cylinder and five-speed automatic transmission that's in the Mazda3 compact powers the Mazda5. Unfortunately, the little van weighs several hundred pounds more than the compact sedan, and the four-cylinder struggles in this little van. Even for a minivan it's slow, but that's less of a problem than the poor fuel economy. The transmission frequently downshifts, spinning the engine faster, and using more fuel. After a week of highway-biased driving, the trip computer showed only 21.9 mpg, nowhere near the EPA's 24 mpg combined score, and no better than a V-6 powered Honda Odyssey managed a few months back.

Utility & Comfort

Thanks to the console-mounted shifter, hand-operated emergency brake, fixed center console, and low seating position, the Mazda5 doesn't feel like a minivan from behind the wheel. The comfortable driving position offers a good view out the front, although rear visibility is only so-so. The red numbers on the big speedometer and tachometer are supposedly easier on your eyes at night, although they're not everyone's aesthetic favorite, and neither is the center-mounted dashtop display for the audio, climate and other controls. Interior materials are better than the previous Mazda5, offering soft-touch surfaces on the door tops, and soft seat-mounted folding armrests. Most other surfaces are hard plastic, but it feels durable and high quality. Unfortunately, knick knack storage is limited to two center console cupholders in front of an uncovered bin, a small glovebox, a tray above the glovebox, and a couple of small bins on the dash. The small door pockets have bottle holders, but tall bottles won't fit.

The rear seat offers adequate legroom and generous headroom, even for tall passengers. The sliding doors make getting in and out easy, and you can adjust the second-row seats for a better position. Second row storage space isn't very good though; the clever hidden compartments under the seat cushions can't be accessed when someone's sitting there, and the flip-out tray under the passenger's side sports only a mesh basket and two cupholders. No pockets on the doors though, nor are there any on the front seatbacks.

The Mazda5's third row is strictly an occasional, kids-only affair. Leg and headroom is very tight for adults, and the cargo space behind them is barely enough for a couple bags of groceries. That said, they're easy to access, and both positions have three-point harnesses and comically oversized head restraints that probably do a good job of protecting little noggins in a crash.

The 2012 Mazda5 can haul six passengers or a decent amount of cargo, just not at the same time. The paltry 5.6 cu.-ft. of cargo space behind the third row is barely bigger than the tiny trunk in the Mazda MX-5 sports car, and the tall, narrow slot isn't very useful, although the shallow underfloor storage is handy. If you fold down half of the split-third row, you get a much larger cargo area, big enough for five passengers plus several days worth of groceries. Naturally, with only four passengers you have much more cargo space available, 27.5 cu.-ft. with a nice flat load floor and low liftover. Maxing out the Mazda5's cargo is a little tricky. You need to flip the second-row seat bottoms forward, then fold down the headrests, then fold the seatback down. Still, the Mazda5 is primarily a people hauler, and if you use your van to bring home drywall or palettes of flowers for your garden, you may want to check out a bigger van.

Family Friendliness

The 2012 Mazda5's second-row child seat lower anchors are reasonably easy to access, and there are additional tethers are on the third row seatbacks. The sliding doors are undeniably useful, especially in tight parking lots, and with second-row storage tray stowed there's a nice walkway to the third row. Since the second- and third-row seatbelt upper anchors aren't adjustable, smaller children will have to stay in boosters longer than you might think for proper belt placement across the shoulder.

As far as gadgets are concerned, the Mazda5 is more defined by what it doesn't offer. There's no factory-installed rear-seat DVD system (it's a dealer accessory), and you won't find rear-seat heaters, swivel seats or other gimmicks, either. In fact, not only is a power hatch off the options list, the Mazda5 doesn't even offer power sliding doors, although the doors were easy enough for a six-year-old to operate.

Conclusion

The 2012 Mazda5 fits perfectly in a couple of lifestyles. First is a primary van for a city-dwelling family with one or two children. It's inexpensive, easy to park, and there's plenty of cargo space with the rear seats folded. It's also a perfect second vehicle for a family with a full-size minivan, crossover or SUV. It seats up to six, but you can leave the bulk of the larger vehicle at home when you don't need it. It's easy to Recommend the 2012 Mazda5, but keep in mind that in a few months, the similarly sized, 7-passenger Ford C-Max will give the Mazda5 some competition. Just think, two compact minivans for sale in the U.S. vying for your attention. Next thing you know, we'll be eating smaller bagels.

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