Overview & Reviews

Compact minivans have been popular for years in Europe and Japan, where families find them useful for dealing with narrow streets, limited parking and high fuel prices. Attempts by import-label automakers to bring these "super space wagons" to U.S. shores in the early 1990s were largely unsuccessful, however, because Americans were more interested in modern SUVs and large minivans. But once rising gas prices led some buyers to downsize from larger vehicles, Mazda decided that a truly "mini" minivan might again have a chance with U.S. consumers.

The result is the Mazda 5 compact minivan. Although it's significantly smaller than other minivans on the market, the Mazda 5 provides six-passenger capacity along with the distinctive look and sporty handling for which Mazda is known. For buyers who need affordable, relatively fuel-efficient family transportation that's particularly easy to maneuver in traffic and a snap to park, the Mazda 5 is a strong choice.

Current Mazda 5
There are three trim levels of this compact minivan: base Sport, midlevel Touring and high-line Grand Touring. The Sport includes automatic climate control with rear-seat controls, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, full power accessories and a six-speaker stereo with a USB port. The Touring gets you foglights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a trip computer and Bluetooth phone/audio. The Grand Touring adds xenon headlights, automatic wipers, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a sunroof and satellite radio. Options include a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system.

For power, the Mazda 5 comes with a 2.5-liter inline-4 engine that produces 157 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Sport, while a five-speed automatic is optional on the Sport and standard on the other trims.

The 5's front seats are comfortable, though taller folks may wish for more rearward seat travel. The second-row captain's chairs slide and recline, and feature a pop-up center table and storage space that can be stowed away to allow a path to the third row. The smallish third row is best suited for kids but is easier to get into than most any larger crossover's last row. The van's sliding rear doors mean easy access, particularly in parking lots. Even with the second row in use and the third row folded down, there are still 44 cubic feet of cargo capacity available.

In Edmunds testing, we've found that the Mazda 5 can occasionally feel underpowered, such as when climbing steeper grades or while carrying a full load of passengers and cargo. It has the same refined engine we've praised in the past in the Mazda 3, but it's just not powerful enough to move a heavier van around at higher speeds with much authority. Its fuel economy is also unremarkable by four-cylinder standards, though it's still better than any minivan's V6 can manage.

On the bright side, these criticisms are pretty minor. In daily use, the 5 proves comfortable, easy to drive and both more agile and easier to park than a typical minivan, which is something to consider for those who don't really need all the space of a bigger van.

Used Mazda 5 Models
The second-generation Mazda 5 debuted for 2012. Compared to the earlier Mazda 5, it sports swoopier styling, more comfortable seating and a bit more power.

The first-generation Mazda 5 was introduced for the 2006 model year and ran until 2010. This compact minivan offered sliding side doors and seating for six within a relatively small footprint. Powered by a 2.3-liter inline-4 with 153 hp, most versions were fitted with a four- or five-speed automatic, although a five-speed manual was available on lower trims.

Initial trim levels consisted of base Sport and uplevel Touring, with perks of the latter including a sunroof, automatic climate control and an upgraded MP3-compatible stereo with an in-dash CD changer. A navigation system was optional for the Touring. The following year, the range-topping Grand Touring model debuted with its many luxury niceties.

For 2008, the Mazda 5 received revised front and rear styling and a new center control panel. Electroluminescent gauges were also added that year, along with rear seat air vents and controls, additional flip-down armrests and an auxiliary audio jack. Another thing to note is that Mazda 5 models prior to 2008 featured a four-speed automatic rather than the five-speed unit, resulting in lower fuel economy. Lastly, stability control wasn't available until 2010, when it came onboard as standard equipment.

User Reviews:

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  Mostly happy - 2007 Mazda Mazda5
  By JustpeachyinDC - October 12 - 11:43 am

  Bought ours new in July 07. Overall, this is a very good car for a new family with small children. Easy access with the sliding rear doors but it doesnt feel like your driving a minivan. Needs more horsepower! We have averaged 23 mpg in mixed driving since we bought the car, not bad but not great. Routinely get 27 on the highway even with the Thule cargo box on top. This car is one of Mazdas best kept secrets!

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  Great car at excellent price - 2012 Mazda Mazda5
  By jcampo - October 10 - 2:29 pm

  Bought the 2012 Mazda 5 manual in April 2011. Over 13k miles and has been running great. Love the look, great acceleration. Love the siding slide doors for our two kids 16/12 plus dog. Third row seats have been used, but cant use them for a long trip. Trunk is small with third seats in use, but push them down and you have plenty of space for longer trips with family of four. Mileage averages about 27mpg city/hwy. On highway, best was 33mpg. Visibility to right blind spot a bit blocked, but other than that, this was definitely the best car for us. Excellent space, fun to drive, decent mileage, and we got a great price.

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  Not bad, but Mazda needs to improve. - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By djbilly - September 30 - 8:36 pm

  We like the 5, but dont love it due to a number of glitches and annoyances such as weak AC, wet weather belt squeal, cold weather suspension noises, a strange and occasional sudden loss of power in 2nd gear, and mild tire vibration at 70-80 MPH. If Mazda could fix these design and quality issues we would probably love it, but dealer has been little help! Mileage is reasonable with the 2.4L 4 cyclinder, and better than a V6 van. Very peppy with the Zoom, Zoom and looks pretty good with the sporty rims. We have found that we start feeling a little nauseated on long trips, but otherwise it is reasonably comfortable. With 6 people there is little space left for luggage. Fog lights dont do much.

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  Could not have bought a better minivan. - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By love my car - September 29 - 10:23 am

  I had a Mazda 3 and I can tell you that my Mazda 5is the best car I have bought so far.. It rides so smooth and the comfort is great for my me and my family. We have 4 kids and the ride with comfort. Love it. I got it in color black beautiful.

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  Mazda5: Nimble and a great value! - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By ljmattox - September 12 - 3:10 am

  Our new Mazda5 is filling our need for a versatile, fun-to-drive, and economical vehicle. We chose the Sport model as its the only version with a stick shift, yet even this most basic version includes automatic climate control, four-wheel disc brakes, alloy wheels, traction control plus stability control, and a plush-enough interior for long trips or evenings out with friends. Well likely use the 6-person capacity only rarely, but still nice to have, while more frequently 4 people travel with plenty of room in very-adjustable captains chair seating. At its price point, no other competitor includes as much content or room. Or seems as nimble-handling and fun to drive on a daily basis.

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  The worst car I ever owned, and I owned a 78 Pinto! - 2007 Mazda Mazda5
  By workingmom40 - September 6 - 9:16 pm

  This car is the absolute worst, and it is my mission to inform other buyers. When you read the reviews of this car, see how people are happy at first, but quickly the reviews go downhill. My transmission went out at 86,000 miles. Complete rebuild, I kid you not. I have also had to replace the brakes twice before reaching 80,000. And these are the pricy "performace" breaks. Shocks done twice & struts done once at 60,000. Two sets of those crappy "performance" tires. Numerous mfr. warranty repairs due to faulty engine components, and the body is plastic and literally falls off on the freeway! Used the extended warranty so much the company investigated the dealer for possible fraud!

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  Great Car For The Money - 2012 Mazda Mazda5
  By fastcars5 - September 1 - 12:53 am

  We bought the Mazda5 mini van as a replacement for a Ford Freestar mini van that was totaled. I miss the Freestar because it was larger but the interior in the mazda is roomy enough for two people on a trip. It was purchased for my wife but I drive it once or twice a week commuting to work, 52 miles round trip. We just drove it to Atlanta and back, 1600 miles without any issues. Gas mileage is decent but not what you would expect from a car this size. We had a DVD player installed for the grand kids and they love it. If you fold down the four rear seats, you can carry a lot of equipment but with the third row seats up, trunk space is very limited.

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  2008 Grand Touring - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By rotorbaru - August 27 - 1:06 am

  Very nice vehicle, particularly for the money. The HID headlight are great, the ride very smooth and yet sporty, engine power is fine, nice interior layout and decent fuel mileage. I highly recommend this vehicle to anyone with the need to transport 4 people (it can take six for shorter trips, less than 2 hours). The 5 spd auto is very nice, it auto downshifts when breaking for a corner coming down a hill to add engine breaking.

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  Mazda5 - Great Versatile Family Car - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By ddemania - August 21 - 10:36 pm

  My wife and I with two small kids (4 and 1) have owned our Mazda5 for about 6 months. We love it! Its versatility is unmatched. The sliding doors, make entry for kids easy, but the cars size, low profile, and sporty design make it "non-minivan" like.

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  One of a kind - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By dad39 - August 18 - 10:00 pm

  After the birth of our second child we needed more room but not a street-tank. The M5 is in a class of its own. The five speed with a cold-air intake has plenty of power. We generally get 2 MPG over the EPA rating. For what it cost we dont care about the kids trashing it and can still make college fund payments.