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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  Good value - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By sth - September 9 - 12:33 pm

  Hauls both people and cargo quite well, Lots of storage areas, drink holders. A good value for everyday driving, work or play.

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  Beautiful convenient reliable family car - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By baywood - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Just got a brand new 2003 LX sand mica (still in wrap when we test drove it). Sharp looking. Ride is quite, smooth and comfortable. Handling and parking is easy. Breaking is confident. A/C is cold. It takes no effort to open or close the manual sliding doors, so I didnt choose the power doors. Like all the features of the 2nd and 3rd row seats (they are big toys for me now). The plastic materials of the front middle table, the storage under passenger seat and the real console feel cheap, but practically usable. Overall a beautiful convenient reliable family car. I also own a 90 323 with 130,000 miles and it still runs well. I hope the MPV will treat me even better.

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  zoom zoom zoom back to the service dept. - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By bamaengineer - August 24 - 10:00 am

  I have been disappointed by the performance of the 02 MPV so far. To start with, I have been in for warranted repairs three times with only 20k miles: Idler problem, Check engine light, and rattling sliding doors. They still havent fixed the sliding doors. The style and handling are great, but I hate to think what will happen when the warranty is over.

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  The Only 7-Seater Sport Car ! - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By RaymondLX2003 - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Excellent handling, cornering, a lot of power (0-60mph est. 8.2 sec.), stopping is tight, body style is great for a minivan (even look better in person than photo), a lot of room for 7 people, or 4 people with bikes, I love it, nice to drive and cruise around town, easy to park, very good value!

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  mazda es mpv 2001 - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By Heidi - August 16 - 10:00 am

  I am not very happy with my mazda mpv es. The "leather" is mostly vinal. The seats are SO uncomfortable. I wish Id have taken a longer test drive. After only 2 mths of owning it, I am ready to sell. I think its a good quality, but not all the "bells and whistles" compared to the competition. The 2002 has much improved features.But I am very disapointed with the "trade in value" if I sell it, I will have lost 3k in 2 mths! And I paid 5k UNDER sticker and 3k UNDER cost!! That tells me that it is NOT holding its value well at ALL! My mazda only has 1k miles!!

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  A fan of the 2002 MPV! - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By KT in VBVA - July 24 - 2:00 am

  I thoroughly enjoy my 2002 MPV LX. We were on our way to purchase a 2002 Camry XLE(we have a 2000 and sold our 1994 Camry) and passed the Mazda dealership. I had read the consumer reviews on the MPV and wanted to check it out for myself. Though our salesman was definitely lackluster, I was truly impressed with what Mazda had to offer...so impressed that I was swayed to buy the MPV- it gave me room for more passengers(it can be a tight squeeze in the last row of seats, but it beats taking separate cars) and the nimbleness of a car. The body is stylish and sharp-the exterior lighting package adds a sporty look. I dont feel like Im driving a van at all.

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  Zoom Zoom! - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Emayhand - July 19 - 10:00 am

  We just picked up a loaded LX zoom zoom demo from Faulkner Mazda in PA and I must say this puppy is the bomb! We were all set to purchase new minus the power doors and DVD system, then the sales person showed us the demo that included every available option for less than the new price. The demo only had 6K miles and came with an extended warranty on the powertrain to 100k and the balance of the 4/50k bumber to bumper factory warranty. All of this for $23,600 !! I say let Sienna and Odyssey beat each other up on price because the MPV is the best kept secret in the industry.

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  Happy, Happy Owners - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By LyndaMarie - July 19 - 10:00 am

  After 4 months and 6,000 miles I am averaging 22/28 mpg (yes, I do drive it nice!). Moves crisply through traffic and parks easily almost anywhere. Love the fold down third seat and the "well" (its perfect for groceries). Zippy power in the Colorado Rockies (even going up through mtn passes!)Many people have noted the premium price for the ES as compared to the loaded LX version. My only comment is that the leather seats dont create the "static cling" look on business suits and silk dresses. We are totally pleased with our purchase of this van and would strongly recommend it to anyone.

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  MPV = Lemon, Lemon, Lemon - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By anonymous12345 - July 6 - 2:00 am

  Transmission was replaced with less than 4000 miles on vehicle. Transmission still having problems. Dealer unwilling to resolve. Car in body shop being dismantled to attempt to resolve knocking sound. Over the last 2 months this car has been at dealer over 25 days. This car has the highest NHTSA incidence of consumer complaints. Would not have purchased this car if I had known.

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  Good Van - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By andyengineer - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Used for 160 mi/day commute for five months, took extended family (4 adults, 2 kids, & luggage)to mountains, then took out seats and used it as a moving van. I am impressed. The acceleration is adequate under load (1000+ lbs.) and downright zippy when empty. It has excellent safety features, good comfort, and does not suffer the wallow of other vans when I ride in the 2nd row.