Overview & Reviews

The Mazda 5 mini minivan gets mildly freshened front and rear styling, and a revised center control panel for 2008. Electroluminescent gauges have been added, along with rear seat air vents and controls, additional passenger flip-down armrests and an auxiliary audio jack. A five-speed automatic replaces the old four-speed, and is now standard equipment on the Touring and Grand Touring trims. The five-speed manual remains standard on the base-trim Sport. The Grand Touring trim also gains additional features, while the optional navigation system benefits from a more user-friendly touchscreen design.

• Low price, ample features list, nimble handling, just-right space for small families.

• Performance suffers when loaded up with people and stuff, cramped third row, stability control not available.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 102.00

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  Good sport wagon - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Stillageek - September 29 - 9:20 pm

  I refuse to use the "M" word, I call mine a sport wagon. I was looking at a Toyota Matrix and Scion XB. The 5 cost less and has more room. We have no kids, but we like the utility and versatility. I bought the gt without nav. Coming from an acura tsx I only lost power seats, dual a/c, traction control, stability control and the need for premium gas. I love this thing. I cant believe I have gone 16 years of driving without sliding doors. The engine and power is kind like the TSX....enough for everyday with a little extra for fun.

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  A minivan for the rest of us! - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Naturalmom - September 9 - 7:33 pm

  With our third child on the way, we were looking for the most fuel efficient option for a family using three car seats. The Mazda5 accommodated three car seats comfortably, something that our sedan did not. On our first long-distance trip, we got 31 MPG! Our average is around 25 MPG, and that beats the average of 19 MPG for a regular minivan. Though there is not much cargo space, we love how easy it is to shift the seats to accomodate an extra person or haul something bulky. The Mazda5 is the most fuel-efficient option for a family like ours, and it is fun to drive!

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  It thinks its a van... but its not - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By dee - August 17 - 8:46 pm

  Thought it would be a smaller alternative to a van, bought it when gas was $4.00+. It is way too small, can haul 6 people/4 with stuff, but not both. Cons: non-lighted mirrors, small useless cubbies without lids, industrial looking fabric, door ajar light doesnt specify which door, gas cap is very hard to get off, wimpy horn, cant close windows with car off, small sunroof, would switch volume with placement of radio change buttons (dont change volume often, but you always change stations, add on/off button), cubbie under middle seat cant be accessed while driving, sunshade is too short-useless, light in truck have off/on/door, armrest must be up to access back.

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  I was looking for you all this time - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By xabo - July 5 - 5:20 pm

  This is "the almost perfect family car". I studied every possibility for our family and couldnt find the right match. I finally discovered the 5 and realized quickly it was the one. Space, quality, price, doors, features, design and MPG, it has it all. Its a pleasure to drive this car. I must admit some jealousy as we found the 5 in Switzerland with dark tinted glass and a sporty luggage rack system. It looks even better. The seating possibilities are endless and easy to play with.

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  Perfect for husband, wife and three kids - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By theescarletandgray - April 28 - 7:20 pm

  I am 63" tall and wanted to get better gas mileage than my Aztek, but I didnt want to sacrifice a ton of leg room. My wife and I shopped for a RAV4, but the lack of leg room scared me away, specifically around the knees. The Mazda 5 has good leg room and is comfortable. My children can easily open and close the sliding doors. With a new child on the way one of the two other children is already looking forward to the third row. With the third row folded down there is plenty of storage space. When people are in the third row there is very little room, only enough for an umbrella stroller. This car is perfect for my daily commute. It is great for short jaunts or day trips.

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  Great Car - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By AdoboDude - April 14 - 6:33 am

  Bought the car on Dec 31, 2007. 2008 Mazda 5 GT. Power is adequate. Acceleration is ok, handling is superb, great gas mileage. About 23-25 mpg in LA traffic, but I did log 31 mpg going to San Francisco with 3 adults and 2 kids. Took me a long time to decide between the new CRV to the 5, but I sincerely believe that I made the right choice.

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  6 month review - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Mark - April 6 - 8:53 pm

  Well we have had our 2008 mazda5 sport for over 6 mos now and figured it was time to give our thoughts. First living in a snowy, hilly area the winter handling and hill climbing power are both average at best. It lags at hill climbing, especially at highway speeds. Fuel efficiency has been pretty good maybe even a little better than rated. The interior design is very accommodating &comfortable. The rear seats are easy to fold/unfold and the design of the controls is very intuitive. Cargo space with the third row up is minimal but with it down we can easily fit our two week groceries and more in the back. Reliability has been perfect so far. Black interior impossible to keep clean.

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  Just What I Needed - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Dnice35 - February 10 - 6:16 am

  I have a newborn and before purchasing the Mazda 5 we had a mid-size sedan. It was a hassle to put the baby in and out of the car. We bought this car for the following reasons: 1. good gas millage 2. comfortable for the baby 3. design, So far it has met our expectations. We are more than pleased with our purchase.

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  Some problems to note, great interior - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Chris1031 - December 9 - 9:30 am

  Great interior layout and having the various seating options. The seating work well with our children. Another pro has been the dual sliding doors, no need to worry about the children opening their doors and hitting another car. great gas mileage too! The cons of ownership of this car is that at 18,000 we needed to replace all 4 tires. Also, the bushings needed to be replaced as every time we went over a bump the car would squeak like it was 20 years old. The worst problem of all just happened last night. After 2 years of owning this car, I lost power steering suddenly while driving down the street - scary! Check out the TSB regarding steering.

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  Perfect Size - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By kb - October 23 - 6:40 pm

  My wife and I bought a Copper Red Touring model just two weeks ago, after I spent almost a full year researching the 5. We have two young boys and only occasionally need to carry extra passengers, so this vehicle will be perfect for us. We leave the third-row seats folded flat, and it provides more cargo area (and more versatile use of that area) than a typical sedan. I find the ride rather comfortable -- a little stiff on pavement seams, but I think thats a deliberate trade-off Mazda made to achieve the sportier handling in line with its corporate image. And it does handle very nicely. This is our first Mazda, so were hoping it will be as reliable as the Hondas weve had. So far so good.