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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  Chops review - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By Shooter20 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This is an excellent family van, especially for those with smaller families. It is super on the highways and the view from the drivers seat is nearly perfect.

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  Love the Zoom-Zoom of this Minivan - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By Ary Arifin - September 13 - 2:00 am

  When I first heard the term "Body of a Minivan, Soul of a Sports Car" I was quite sceptical, til I test drove it. I tried the Sienna and Oddysey, but the MPV really had the bargain I was looking for. For the price of a somewhat "middle class" Sienna, I can get an MPV thats fully loaded, and I mean the works,leather, traction ctrl, sunroof.. everything! Handling is awesome. The V6 is strong & its as zippy as my Golf GTI, but less problematic =). I found out that the MPV is the only minivan here today made in Japan (the rest are US made) it has great resale value too. Truly a sports car disguised as a minivan.

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  Nicely Built, Great Looks, Right Size - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By movellan - August 23 - 2:00 am

  After 2 weeks of extensive research we settled on the Mazda MPV. We dont particularly like MiniVans, and did not like the idea of driving a dinasour like Odissey. Yet again we needed 7 seat capacity. We really liked the looks and the relatively small size of the MPV. The consumer report ratings are great and since the Odyssey seems to be so popular, Mazda dealers are really willing to bargain.

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  Worst product ever presented - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By Gabriel - August 20 - 7:33 am

  My wife and I purchased this vehicle roughly two years ago. This vehicle has been in the shop 6 times since we purchased it. It has a broken catalytic converter, bad fuel injectors, bad wheel bearing, bad water pump, bad transmission, bad transmission mounts, bad engine mounts. This list goes on and on. Weve put over $8000 in this car that isnt even worth $3000. It has been the worst investment that weve ever made in our 24 years of existence. I hope that theyre able to remedy these problems because I cant believe that these cars are even on the road.

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  MPV - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Bowles - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle, fun to drive.

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  2005 Mazda MPV - certified used car - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By Joe - August 2 - 6:00 am

  I have owned this car for a little over a year. It had 24000 miles, I found out it was a rental car from Florida but it was in great condition. It has been the most versatile vehicle I have owned. We are avid Ikea people and hauling furniture is one of the best things about this van. I pulled out the middle row dropped the back and made it into a cargo van. I hauled an L shaped couch and it fit. Even though its smaller than the Sienna or Odyssey, it still has a lot of room. I have hauled appliances and also building supplies to my rental unit. When relatives come to visit, I can fit all seven of us plus put a stroller in the back! A+

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  Noldans review - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By C Noldan - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Mazdas 2002MPV has been a real joy to own. I have never driven a more comfortable (seating) car. It handles as well as or better than any car I have owned. Because of my husbands handicap, I purchased this vehicle (the way the rear seat drops down into the rear well) to store his wheelchair. I certainly will purchase a Mazda the next time around.

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  What a great little van! - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Ventura Highwayman - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I love this van! Its quick and nimble, solidly built, and has great features! I looked a the Honda and Toyota and just couldnt justify the $8,000+ cost difference. Im very, very happy with this vehicle and would buy another in an instant!

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  A seniors opinion of MPV - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By fredsw - July 24 - 10:00 am

  I have renamed my MPV. It is now a "Mature People Vehicle". So far it has been very user friendly for us. We are senior citizens and when we started looking for a new car it became obvious that it would serve so many uses for us. It is quick, comfortable,fun to drive(I am past the sport car period), tight and easy to enter and exit. It is plush enough and has as many features as a luxury car, but handles chores with ease.Mine is a 2002 ES with almost all options.The gas mileage could be better, but it stays within EPA range.The climate control is very effective, considering our heat this summer. It can freeze you out!

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  mpv lx 2003 - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By alan p - July 12 - 2:00 am

  everything in this van works and looks well. the smaller size is what makes this model work for me. when alone i drive aggressive and need the smaller size to maneuver in traffic. when driving with four in the van it is comfortable and well mannered. i drove with six in the van once for 150 miles and nobody complained and the van handled well and braking was excellent. my review takes in to consideration of the value factor, with the discounting with rebates by the dealer. decent lx package for less than 21k.