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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  Very Happy ... So Far - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By Vic - May 26 - 7:00 am

  Weve had our MPV for almost 3 months. So far were more than happy with it. The ride is comfortable and car like. Its tidy dimensions, compared to rivals from Honda and Toyota, are a plus to our family of 4. The sliding rear doors are a blessing, since our 3 year old doesnt know the meaning of "slowly" or "gently" when opening his door. As far as reliability goes, so far, so good. 2 1/2 months is a little too early to make a judgment. Lets see how things go in the next 4 years. As I said, the MPVs smaller size is a plus for us. However, if you feel "bigger is better" in terms of cargo and passenger space, then an Odyssey or Sienna would be a better choice.

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  Great Van for the dollar. - 2006 Mazda MPV
  By David Vega - May 25 - 1:26 pm

  My wife and I thought we would never purchase a minivan. We both have SUVs, a Land Cruiser 95 and Land Rover Disco 97. Now we have a son, with the car seat in the back it is a little cramped. The person sitting next to the car set just doesnÂ’t have room. Both SUVs have the 3 row sets still not comfortable. We look at all the vans only the MPV, Honda and Toyota were considered. Well, we got the MPV black sport with side air bags and rear air. No auto sliding doors. WOW great ride, excellent van. Acceleration. Drives like a car. Only got 7k on it so far. Only problem, at the port where the MPV came in, factory options are put in. During the roof rack install, screw installed wrong, leaked. New headliner required.

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  Nice Packaging - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Dave L - May 24 - 10:00 am

  We purchased 4 weeks ago and simply love it. My Co. car is a Winstar and there is simply no comparison. Our previous used Grnd Caravan was a money pit. We love the ext. styling and the way the interor is packaged together is superb. After looking at the length & width of the van, we almost didnt even consider it. Im glad we didnt make that mistake. After the test drive, I was sold. Check it out. This one is not a drive by.

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  02 Mazda MPV LX with GFX Package - 2002 Mazda MPV
  By Amy - May 24 - 2:50 am

  I did extensive research before purchasing my MPV and found the MPV to be the best price with the most standard and unique features. At the time, Odyssey was the only other minivan with tumble flat rear seats, and the MPV had the unique feature of rolldown rear windows. I liked the look (very sporty) and the motto ("body of a minivan, soul of a sports car"). I still love all these things, but have been disappointed with the reliability. I have it serviced regularly at my local dealer, yet it has been in the shop for repairs at least 6 times since I bought it. 3 weeks ago, it left me stranded with my 2 small children in the car. Its also been in for 2 recalls and my tires wore out at 28k miles.

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  Rust Problems - 2005 Mazda MPV
  By mazda owner - May 15 - 10:00 am

  I decided to sell my MPV just 5 years after I bought it because it was rusting so badly at the base of both the passenger and driver doors as well as on all 4 wheel wells. In this day and age you dont expect a vehicle to rust before its even 10 years old and this car began rusting when it was just 3 years old. When I brought the problem up to Mazda they were only willing to go by the book: The rust warranty only kicks in when the rust has perforated the metal. Well its perforated now--now that the warranty has expired. Between fixing the rust and some other scheduled maintenance I was going to be spending more on the car than it was worth. So I cut my losses and sold the car.

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  Love it - 2000 Mazda MPV
  By Clayton - May 10 - 10:00 am

  We love it. It is the best. Nice ride and everything else. We are going to keep it for a long time.

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  2004LX - 2004 Mazda MPV
  By kolt1 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  The MPV is a true mini-van. I was considering buying a sedan, but this van drives/rides like a sedan...and when compared to a sedan, it has tons of cargo space. It gives you the best of both worlds. I cant say enough about the versatility of this vehicle. Anyone who is considering purchasing a mini-van should definitely test drive this one.

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  Honest review by a happy owner. - 2003 Mazda MPV
  By Shlep - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Between me and my wife we have to fight who gets it to go to work. New V6 engine great 200 hp. all I need it has plenty of power for city or highway for any normal family. The size is perfect for 7 passengers normally we have 3 or 4 but we have had seven once . So if you need to always move a ton of people or 50 sheets or dry wall buy a larger van you will be happier. We liked the MPV Mazda features like the power rear windows and the fold down rear seat,and the modern looks. My wife has a two year old Protoge and has been perfect so far.

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  excellent! - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By khumphries - April 27 - 2:00 am

  this car handles well, looks great and is very easy to drive.

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  Good little Van - 2001 Mazda MPV
  By HarryJ - April 26 - 3:16 am

  Overall, this has been a fantastic vehicle. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a van that has power and is also concerned about fuel economy. I purchased this knowing I was going to Europe and on the roads and streets there, it was outstanding. I had practically no issues at all with it. My only challenge was to get an American spec vehicle serviced in Europe. I can honestly tell you this van would run 120 mph on the Autobahn with no problems, and the fuel economy was pretty good doing so.