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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  Van did us well - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By Melody - May 12 - 8:03 pm

  I replaced this van at this time first of all because of the CARS program. Secondly 3 of the 4 kids are now on their own so its bigger than I need and its Mommas turn. : ) Otherwise this van served my family well for 7 years. We put over 130,000 miles on the van with minimal problems towards the end. And this last winter was the first real midwest winter since Ive owned it -- the smaller tires on the larger vehicle had me in the ditch twice. Despite that I still recommend it to families with children.

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  Great Van - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By namber - May 2 - 10:00 am

  I have had one for a year and love it. It is fun to drive and very economical. It is much better quality than our previous Caravans and vastly superior to the Cherokee we unloaded.

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  6 Month Review - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By EYW - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought an ES in early June to replace my 93 MPV. Got a deal with $2k rebate, $2.1k Ford "S-Plan" and another $500 S-plan bonus with no more room left to negotiate after all that. My wife ejoys the minivan because it is quick with responsive handling and a nice stereo. I am probably biased since I currently own a 95 Protege LX and 03 Protege 5 and use to own an 86 RX-& GLX and 93 MPV. I have listed lots of good things below. A few other things of note include great leather seats and rear heating with the "4- seasons" option. Another thoughtful item is the left side sliding door does not open when you are gassing up.

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  Great Mini Van - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By mdg171 - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Very pleased. Love almost everything about the vehicle. Doesnt seemed underpowered as I have read other reviews. Only complaint is not much leg room in rear seats, but this is a mini van. You wont go wrong with this vehicle. Good gas mileage,not great.

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  Love It!!! - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By SHouse - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Compared the MPV (ES) vs. Honda Ody. Fell in love with the Mazda & wouldnt trade it for the world. Sporty, fun to drive and loaded with features. Great vehicle!

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  good deal - 2006 Mazda MPV
  By bukake blitz - April 1 - 5:40 pm

  i got the LX-SV for less than $18k out the door. Its not as comfy as the Sienna but for the price it will do. Took it on a few 2 hour rides and no complaints so far. The gas mileage is average for a van. Handling is decent with good road feel (unlike other vans). A basic Sienna without side airbags would have cost about $5k more. The transmission has felt fine so far.

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  Mazda MPV a winner - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By two tone - March 25 - 2:00 am

  We love our 2000 MPV. the only downside is the small engine. Everything else is flawless.

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  Mazda MPV - 5years Old - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By EMSKLB - March 7 - 3:43 pm

  While I was happy with the MPV early on, it appears things are beginning to fail at the 5 year and 90,000 mile mark.

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  Highly Regarded - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By Mary - March 5 - 12:20 pm

  Youll love to drive this! My husband even likes to drive it, and hes picky.

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  Why Pay More for Honda and Toyota - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By Justin Owens - February 26 - 7:53 am

  I have only had this van for a month, but with all the features the MPV has, why pay more for the Honda or Toyota? We purchased the ES, with everything on it. It has leather, DVD, moonroof, power doors -- its loaded. Sticker on this MPV was $32,190, but after using S-plan and rebates we only paid $26,718. This saved me almost $10,000 compared to the Honda and Toyota equipped the same. The only thing you lose with the MPV is the room. It is smaller than the others, but it feels more like a car than a van. I have not had any of the issues stated by the editors review. The MPV is a great value and fun to drive, plus you dont see these at every stop light like you do the Honda and Toyota.