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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  Love it Zoom Zoom - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By Howell - February 3 - 6:33 pm

  Traded in a gas guzzling Ford Expedition. Absolutely love it. Fun to drive, easy to maneuver and plenty of pick up. It is a great looking vehicle. Looks like a BMW without the price tag. We plan on driving it forever. Plenty of room for two adults and our two kids!

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  Engine problems - 2009 Mazda Mazda5
  By cosmin - January 27 - 9:20 pm

  I am totally disappointed about 2.3 L engine . Ive done 12,000 km and before to go to second service I just notice the fact that the oil level was very low. Folks please check the oil level after oil replacement and sometime after next 4000 km . Mazda engine is huge on oil consumption . As soon as you pass the warranty around 100,000 be prepare for orange check engine light to go off. The service manager told me that this is normal! O lord Have mercy! End the guy is still a service manager! Brand new engine taking 1 liter of oil every 5000 km. Guys, take a second thought before to buy this car.

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  Great Car...Great Value - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By Geoman - January 19 - 8:43 am

  Traded in my BMW for a GT Mazda 5. While I miss my beemers overall performance, I do like the GT, its practicality, style & gas economy. Best of all I can feed the GT 87 octane instead of 93 octane for the BMW!

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  Great Car - 2006 Mazda Mazda5
  By FL family - January 18 - 4:40 am

  After looking at minivans - we ran into the Mazda5. Seating for 6, good gas mileage, not as large as a minivan, and costs a lot less. A few test drives and we bought one. Back seats fold for dog transport or other items. Good overall size for a family of 4. Mirrored window tinting makes for reflections that can be annoying.

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  Initial Impressions vs Expectations - 2007 Mazda Mazda5
  By ayjszeto - January 10 - 5:13 pm

  After 6 weeks of ownership, my impressions confirmed what Consumer Reports said about the Mazda 5 w/Auto. The car rides and drives like a sports wagon with plenty of pick-up when carrying 1-2 passengers. Mazdas build quality, amenities, and overall workmanship are outstanding for such a low priced car (around $19k MSRP). The car has all the features of our much more expensive 2004 RX330 except for leather seats and wood grain inserts. After 1020 miles and several fill-ups, our mileage for mixed driving averaged 23.6 MPG, just as predicted by CU. We replaced the overly tall radio antenna with a shorter one for $10. We do miss having an arm rest for the front passenger.

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  Love my Var! - 2007 Mazda Mazda5
  By Emily&Nessas Mom - January 5 - 12:33 am

  I bought a 2008 Mazda5 and lost it in an accident, so I replaced it with this. I love this car, as I loved my first one! This is the perfect car for someone who wants to be able to haul kids, or groceries, or a little of both, or a lot of something big. I adore the versatility, my kids love the room, and it drives like a car. I also get a kick out of the fact that no one else seems to have one. We call it a mini-mini-van... or a var!

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  I have two of these: Used as Taxicabs. - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By GT - December 29 - 10:43 pm

  I have two of these and I use them as taxicabs. I have a fleet of 14 cabs and have used Subaru Outbacks, and Volkswagen Passatts. We put about 50-60,0000 miles a year on each of our cars. The VWs cost me about $4,500 a year to maintain and the Mazdas cost me about $1400 a year. The car is solid and well built in my opinion. Im gonna buy ten more once the VWs all blow up their engines, which I know will happen since almost every VW Ive had blew up after around 150,000 miles. Highly recommended.

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  The is an inferior vehicle, it is NOT a mini minivan - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By spine123 - December 23 - 11:32 am

  This IS an inexpensive, cheaply made & poorly designed SMALL car with sliding rear doors, NOT a mini minivan. If you do research, you will find that Mazda has a big mechanical problem with the rear-end camber that Mazda either will not or can not repair on the Mazda5 (as I experienced with too many trips to 2 Mazda dealerships). It leads to a horrible vibration, poor ride, LOUD noise, & premature tire wear. While the car handles relatively well, the engine is grossly underpowered for this small car. The 3 rows are nice but the front seats are very uncomfortable with very little leg room for the average adult. There is little interior storage. This is a poorly built car. DO NOT BUY!

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  All the minivan you need - 2010 Mazda Mazda5
  By Braq - December 22 - 4:46 am

  After really discussing how much cargo and passenger capacity we need most of the time we found that the Mazda 5 is actually all (and sometimes more then) the car we need. The handling is fantastic, for us the engine power is sufficient for everyday use and the great pay-off is a moderate pricing and good fuel economy.

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  My second review - 2008 Mazda Mazda5
  By TKLK - December 14 - 2:40 pm

  Have had the car for almost two months now. Still happy with it! Gas mileage has been 25 or 26 mpg mixed. No long trips yet. The car should have daytime running lights, automatic locking doors and rear tinted windows as standard features. Didnt realize it didnt have them when we test drove. Climate controls take a while to get used to - they are not very intuitive.