Overview & Reviews

Mazda wasn't the first to arrive at the modern minivan soiree in the 1980s -- that honor belongs to Chrysler. However, Mazda did shine (albeit briefly) as the guest that brought the most unusual gift to the party.

Introduced in 1989, the Mazda MPV did more than simply ape the competition. It was the first true minivan that was rough-weather-friendly, thanks to available all-wheel drive -- Mazda's marketing at the time played this up by calling the MPV the only "go anywhere" minivan on the market. It was also fairly compact and distinguished itself from the burgeoning minivan field with its right-side traditionally hinged rear door (as opposed to a sliding door). In addition, rear-wheel drive was standard. Powered by a four-cylinder or optional V6 engine, the MPV met with a warm response in its early years from both buyers and journalists. Its moment of glory was short-lived, however; by the mid-'90s, other minivans had sailed past the MPV in terms of handling, versatility and engine power.

A much-improved second generation of the Mazda MPV came in 2000. This van maintained its predecessor's bantam dimensions, but in almost every other respect, it was a new animal. Gone was the country-cousin awkwardness of the early MPV, replaced with a look that was more coiffed and urbane. The new minivan had a front-wheel-drive layout and more convenience features -- it also offered unique touches like roll-down windows in its sliding doors. These qualities won this Mazda a few new fans, but at the end of the day, the MPV still came up short in two areas that were of prime importance to most minivan buyers: power and interior room.

Waning sales made 2006 the end of the line for the Mazda MPV, but its "compact minivan" philosophy lives on (with better execution) in a recent addition to the Mazda fleet, the Mazda 5.

Most Recent Mazda MPV

By the time the turn of the century rolled around, the MPV needed help. Other vans like the Honda Odyssey had raised the bar in areas like feature content and performance, and Mazda's seven-passenger hauler was left lagging in the distance. The second-generation MPV was Mazda's effort to close the gap, and it went a long way toward making the minivan more competitive.

With this all-new, more attractive front wheel-drive MPV, Mazda discontinued the van's four-wheel-drive availability, and traded its hinged rear doors for sliding-door convenience. Its size remained constant, though, and the MPV continued to be the runt of the minivan litter; as a result, cargo capacity wasn't as generous as that of others in its class. However, the redesigned minivan made up for it with a wealth of unique features. Second-row captain's chairs were multiconfigurable, easily sliding fore and aft; they could also be positioned together for instant bench seating. The third-row bench seat could be readily folded into the floor. It could also be turned to face the tail end of the vehicle when the tailgate was up, in case its owner was ever invited to a soccer-mom tailgate party. It's worth noting, too, that the MPV's compact size had a silver lining -- it was one of the most maneuverable choices on the market.

Those who wanted the most affordable Mazda MPV could opt for the base DX trim, which offered 15-inch wheels, dual manual-sliding doors and a CD player. The next step up was the LX, which added full power accessories and cruise control, as well as center and overhead consoles. Keyless entry was yours to enjoy with the ES trim, along with leather upholstery, 16-inch wheels and heated mirrors. Options included rear air-conditioning, a power moonroof and a CD changer. Power sliding doors were not available, however.

Mazda took steps to address the first-generation MPV's lack of power by installing a standard 2.5-liter V6 good for 170 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque; this V6 was wedded to a four-speed transmission. This engine was an improvement, but Mazda hadn't gone far enough -- the MPV still felt underpowered relative to its rivals.

Mazda did its part to keep the van current, lavishing it with updates over the years. The MPV got a power upgrade in 2002 via a 3.0-liter 200-hp V6 and a five-speed automatic transmission. That year, MPV buyers could also enjoy the blissful convenience of the van's new power sliding doors; other 2002 upgrades included available 17-inch alloys, traction control, a refined braking system and revised suspension tuning. In addition, the DX trim was dropped that year, leaving just the LX and ES.

In 2003, a new base-model trim joined the lineup -- the LX-SV -- and a rear DVD entertainment system appeared on the options list. (A VHS-based system was offered in 2001 alone.) The LX-SV model disappeared (temporarily) in 2004. Also that year, the Mazda MPV also got revised front-end styling, a rear air-conditioner and four-wheel disc brakes.

In reviews, our editors agreed that the Mazda MPV was a stylish-looking vehicle and a respectable choice for small families who desired a vehicle that was bigger than most station wagons, yet still more maneuverable than larger competing minivans. Plus, the MPV had a coolness to it that other family haulers were hard-pressed to match: Get this youthful van side by side with its sedate competitors, and the contrast is what you'd see if a twentysomething crashed a party at a retirement home. And in more practical moments, the MPV's multiconfigurable seats lent it a great deal of versatility.

However, the van was stymied by its lack of power relative to the competition; our editors noted that minivans by Honda and Toyota easily managed freeway maneuvers that the MPV struggled to accomplish. Acceleration wasn't helped by the MPV's five-speed transmission, which had a tendency to upshift too quickly in certain situations. And though the MPV scored top marks in government crash tests, safety was an issue, since the van didn't offer common minivan features like stability control or side curtain airbags.

Past Mazda MPVs

The first-generation MPV lived from 1989-'98 and distinguished itself from its rivals with features like available all-wheel drive and slight dimensions. The model's traditionally hinged passenger-side rear door opened wide and helped give the vehicle a clean look, but it lacked the functionality of other minivans' sliding rear doors. Originally, Mazda offered a 2.6-liter, 121-hp four-cylinder engine with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. Optional was a 150-hp 3.0-liter V6. The van had seating for up to seven passengers.

Mazda made a few upgrades over the years. In 1992, eight-passenger seating became available and the manual transmission was dropped. In 1993, a driver-side airbag was added; for '95, the V6 engine became standard. Versatility was enhanced for 1996 when Mazda added a driver-side rear door; the MPV was, in fact, one of the first minivans to have four doors.

Though always distinctive, this generation of the Mazda MPV was outclassed by the early '90s. Many shoppers at the time found the vans from Chrysler or Dodge more appealing due to their more useful interior designs and extra power and convenience features.

User Reviews:

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  AWSOME !! - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By MIKE JONES - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Great van to drive

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  Solid Family Hauler - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By Hazybeer - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Wow, I am driving a minivan, my previous vehicle was a 2000 Maxima. But, with the addition of one son in 2000 and another in 2002, and a wife who feels we need to bring everything including the kitchen sink along on outings a minivan was needed. Compared every minivan offering at the time plus SUVs. The MPVs balance of handling, power, comfort, space and style sold me and my wife. It is also a capbale hauler. I can tow my 16 feet boat (have towing pak), kids, dog and cargo, and still feel I have enough power and space. Overall love this van and would buy another.

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  Great transition vehicle - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By mpv buyer - February 24 - 2:00 am

  Moving from an Audi A4 to a minivan becomes a necessity when baby #3 comes. With money tight and space even tighter we decided to start looking for something bigger. 2 vehicles fell into our sights: Suzuki XL7 and Mazda MPV. The MPV wins because of its superior useage of interior space and surprisingly decent handling ability. Got an end of year LX almost fully equipped below invoice price. Looking forward to the BMW minivan in 2005/2006 (u heard it hear first!)

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  Good value - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By Nick072261 - February 22 - 11:56 pm

  My wife & I purchased this mini-van with 12,000 and we now have 66,000 miles on this vehicle. Initial problems included the Shift Solenoid for the transmission, oil gasket and seals around timing chain case cover were replaced and a noise with the fan was fixed. All work was covered under the warranty. We have put on 40,000 miles since our problems without any other issues. The car has a V6 dohc Ford American made engine that was used in the Taurus. Funny thing is our problems were all related to the Japanese parts - go figure! Anyway, I would consider buying another if they were still being made. We plan to keep this car until it dies (hopefully not anytime soon)!

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  Transmission quirks - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By Dee A. - February 10 - 7:26 am

  Van is excellent except for the transmission. It jerks shifting from 2nd to 3rd especially on a stop and go traffic. Brakes are noisy first thing in the morning, disappears after it warms up. Had the TCM reflashed 3 times to correct the transmission jerk to no avail until second dealer replaced it with a brand new TCM. Still jerks a little bit but not as pronounced. Have to learn to live with it. But will go back to Toyota or Honda next time.

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  Best of Everything - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By MPVluvr - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Did extensive research before settling on the MPV LX - typical comparo, Honda, Toyota, etc...Honda turned me off right off the bat, dealers demanding near MSRP (for a minivan, are they high?), and were aloof on top of it all. One test drive of the MPV, and I was sold. Unbelievable vehicle, fit and finish (typical Japanese build quality), handling, driving dynamics are outstanding. The fact it is so underrated only helps buyers like us, who know better and can get these at cost.

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  Nice design, poor execution - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By NicoleNSteve - February 7 - 2:03 am

  The MPV is comfortable, and very plush for a mini-van. Power doors in rear, windows that lower on both back doors, leather throughout, and a nice sound system. This is the second MPV we purchased brand new from dealer. And the second that has required a new transmission at about 40K. Mazda helped us the first time,after much pushiness on our part, but refused on the second. Maybe they figure we should have learned our lesson? Its too bad. It drives well, and the only other serious complaint is lousy mileage. But no more Mazdas for us.

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  Basic requirements - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By NOMOREMPV - February 1 - 2:00 am

  It has stylish and roomy features, which attract most consumers. Those are reasons led me make a no smart choice. In just 4 years, check engine lighting is on, so I put my van to dealer shop. They said the engine might be damaged and replaced immediately with new one or sell it. I assumed most recent car might have little problem in power train, even in engine. Also, before buying this car, I was informed van transmission has poor rating, but I thought it could be ignorable, but I realized the meaning of poor rating by auto specialists through this Mazda van.

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  Excellent minivan - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By TDB - January 20 - 7:00 am

  Purchased this 04 about a month ago. Have put 2000 miles on with a recent 1000 mile trip. Good comfort for all 5 passengers. Averaged 23.5 mpg fully loaded with roof cargo carrier in place. This was at speeds between 70-75 mph in some headwinds on the return trip. A more refined van than our Grand Caravan; it does have a little less interior space. Excellent drivetrain and much better ride and interior noise levels. The fold into the floor rear seat is great.

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  Hirams Review Excellent - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Hiram - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Excellent Mini-Van. Excellent Performance.