What they said when the Mazda 5 was new… (Jul 17 2005)
LINE up half a dozen categories of car for test drives and chances are that no one will pick a people carrier.
The sports car, definitely; the coupe, probably; off-roader, maybe; but MPV? Well perhaps next time.
And the reason is simple - our seven-seater friends aren't exactly at the sharp end when it comes to dynamics.
Or are they? The public's general perception of MPVs may be one of mums on schools runs and private hire drivers flitting to and from the airport, but the scene has moved on.
Just like Mazda. In 2001 the Japanese producer had a tired range of cars that, the wonderful MX-5 roadster apart, was failing to attract custom.
But with five new generation launches in three years and a Zoom-Zoom catchphrase, the Ford-owned company is on a roll that's luring a host of converts to the badge.
Its latest contender, the Mazda5, goes on sale from Friday, July 22 and is a product likely to send shock waves through the ranks of rivals like midi-MPV market leaders Vauxhall and Renault.
It is actually described as an MAV, or Multi Activity Vehicle, can seat seven and drives like a dream.
Mazda claims to "inject a little bit of sports car into everything we build" and that's certainly the case with the Five.
What this car achieves is combining the sort of seven-seat simplicity pioneered in the Vauxhall Zafira with the nimble drive of a far more sporty vehicle.
Some of the finest, and quietest, driving roads in Britain can be found in Easter Ross, Sutherland, Caithness and round the northern coast of Scotland.
There are surfaces to seriously examine a car's abilities and as the gauge clicked past the 250-mile mark, the Mazda emerged as an offering of outstanding merit.
The two-litre, 115PS, version - there is also a 1.8-litre petrol available at launch and a pair of 2.0 turbodiesels are due around October - is a car with sufficient punch to complete quick overtaking manoeuvres, rock solid stability, lovely balanced feel from the steering and the minimum of wind noise intrusion.
It's much the best car of its type I have driven.
For the majority, however, the Mazda5's versatility will be the prime consideration.
And its trump card comes with the seating. This is a car designed from the inside out, with six regular seats over three rows in theatre style plus the flexibility of a stowable seventh seat.
Mazda calls it 'karakuri', which loosely translated from Japanese means magic trick. Whether that refers to the ingenuity of the system or the fact that it is so quick and easy to use, is largely irrelevant.
The point is that a child can convert the layout to seat seven simply by pulling tabs, and without having to remove or add anything, in a matter of seconds.
Realistically the rear pair are suitable only for kids - and fold flat into the floor when not required - but optimum positioning can be found to allow six adults to travel in comfort, though the second row centre spot makes things tight for a seventh.
Access is also excellent thanks to rear sliding doors, which stop automatically should someone be filling the petrol tank.
Cars of this type are not noted for luggage space when all seven seats are in use and while the Mazda5 hardly sets new standards in this regard, there's nonetheless room for some shopping, boxes or even a golf bag - a neat touch being a removable side panel that allows an extra few inches for the 'woods'.
And continuing the family friendly theme there are 45 storage compartments including 10 cupholders, a double-bottom centre compartment and pop-up tables fitted to the front seatbacks.
All versions are well sorted for safety with ABS, three-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests, including the fold out karakuri seventh seat and curtain airbags along the full length of the cabin to protect all three rows of passengers.
Like other new generation Mazdas, the Five comes with a choice of TS, TS2, Sport and Sport Nav trim and depending on model, 0-62 acceleration takes from 10.4 to 12.9 seconds while top speeds vary from 113 to 122mph.
Prices are from £14,300 on the road for the 1.8 TS model up to £17,950 for the top spec 2.0 Sport Nav, while the diesels will cost £15,900 for the 110PS 2.0 TS version up to £19,550 for the 143PS 2.0 Sport Nav.
Words: Mike Torpey
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