Overview & Reviews

The Mazda 5 is a new, affordably priced compact minivan that seats six.

• Low price, generous features list, precise steering, stellar fuel economy for a minivan.

• Can seem underpowered when fully loaded with people and gear, extremely cramped third row.

User Reviews:

Showing 31 through 40 of 199.00

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  Major problem - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Steve - May 1 - 6:56 pm

  Major recall due to an exhaust/transmission design flaw which can cause the vehicle to catch on fire. After driving the car for three weeks, I have been without the car for almost six weeks while Mazda tries to fix the problem. Stay away from this vehicle until the bugs are worked out.

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  I love this little van - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By robinnola - March 2 - 3:24 am

  I am very sad I dont see more Mazda 5s on the road, because this is a terrific car. Mazda doesnt seem to advertise them on the TV or radio, and I didnt even know they existed until I was car shopping and saw it in a newspaper ad. I will not own another car because this model is perfect for me. Im single and own a home and I can pretty much load anything into this car that a truck could carry. Ladders, Christmas trees, cabinets, 30 bags of mulch...friends. It is zippy and I dont find the acceleration slow--maybe Im not that kind of driver. It turns on a dime and at 75k miles, Ive not had a single issue with the car. Loads of room for me and my cats when we travel to PA from LA.

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  WOW... Me likes... - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Cbass - January 3 - 4:00 pm

  I have three kids and a wife and we use this vehicle always. Great compromise between the practicality of a minivan and the fun and pep of a sport car. We got it with the manual, very peppy indeed. Very happy thus far. Perfect vehicle for my family at this time. Hard to fit three full size car seats in a sedan/wagon/or two row SUV, this one does it all very well. Even though this is a "Ford" it is predominantly engineered and built in Japan; that sold it for us. All of this plus the NAV for less than $23K... WOW!

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  Excellent for urban and highway driving - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Howard - October 22 - 10:30 am

  I have been driving this car for over three years and I am very satisified. It is easy to maneuver and park in city traffic and has an amazingly short turning radius. It is very comfortable for four people traveling long distances. With the manual transmission it gets about 21-22 mpg in the city and 28-30 on the highway. Contrary to some other reports, this car does not seem underpowered to me. It goes through mountains just fine with four passengers, luggage and a bike rack on top. This may be due in part to the manual transmission. However, off-the-line performance is noticeably worse with six in the car. Its not a drag racer, but I have never had any trouble keeping up with traffic.

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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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  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.

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  So far so good - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Daniel - August 11 - 8:50 am

  At first we werent sure about getting a 4 cylinder minivan, but we were pleasantly surprised by the power/performance of the 5. My wife wanted a six or seven passenger vehicle, that was not some behemoth SUV. This has everything she wanted, and more (incl. moonroof, 6cd changer, airbags) for under $20k.

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  Great Minivan alternative - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By foodee - July 15 - 4:00 pm

  My husband is very anti-minivan while I love the minivans versatility and ease of entry/exit. This mini-minivan is a great compromise for us - it has the sliding doors and the height of the minivan without the "frumpy soccer mom" stereotype. It can take up to 6 passengers if you have little luggage (not much room behind the third row seats). Most of the time, we fold up the third row seats to have more cargo space. We also love the sporty exterior and the performance. It does not feel like a minivan. Even my minivan-phobic husband enjoys driving this space wagon.

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  140,000 miles Minimal issues - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By 140000 miles - May 19 - 5:26 pm

  Purchased with 80,000 miles on it. Love the handling, hated the excessive camber in the rear causing this car to eat tires like crazy. Got a set of camber compensator links for a 3 (same suspension) and installed them myself, then had the car re-aligned. These are designed for when you lower a car they allow enough adjustment to get the camber back to spec. I used them to fix the camber issue and have not had an issue since. The car still handles great. Just had the AC die. Repair cost $750 from an honest local shop. Only Mazda parts are available to fix the AC. Make sure you shop around. Fun, quick, roomy and reliable. It even tows a motorcycle trailer while getting 24 mpg. Dump your SUV!

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  Great SUV alternative - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By frank4cars - May 18 - 11:36 am

  After test-driving dozens of hatchbacks, wagons, and small sport utes over the past few months and not finding anything that felt "just right," this vehicle appeared out of nowhere at my local Mazda dealer. Small on the outside for easy parking, large on the inside for people or stuff-hauling, car-based for better economy and sure-footed handling, but with a high, commanding seating position like the best SUVs -- this met all my needs. I think Mazda should be praised for introducing Americans to the kind of vehicles that Europeans and Asians have been buying for years but other manufacturers were scared to sell here.