Mazda5
By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist
CHICAGO – You would have thought they parked a Ferrari outside of my house the way my heart was palpitating. But after test-driving several gas guzzling full size sport-utilities the last few weeks, the thought of driving a gas sipping Mazda5 was simply thrilling.
It was pearl white with a light beige cloth interior. The package was aesthetically pleasing. But I could see kids scuffing up the interior within weeks. You don’t see that many Mazda5s but that may change given four-dollar a gallon gasoline.
The Mazda5 was powered by a 2.3-liter four cylinder engine that made 153 horsepower and it was mated to a five speed transmission. We covered the 260 or so miles from Detroit here burning little more than half a tank of gas. During these times, that’s great.
Oh, did I mention that the Mazda5 was what I called a micro minivan. That is it was about the size of a small compact car with a high roofline. And it had a high seating position as well. We never felt like we were being swallowed while on the road and there was a lot of road to cover.
I loaded up the Mqazda5 and got on I-94 west headed here. I plugged in my cell phone and then I plugged in my IPod right next to it. The vehicle was also equipped with satellite radio, an in dash six disc CD changer.
There were steering wheel controls for the audio system and cruise control. The steering wheel could also be manually tilted and telescoped.
What surprised us was how well the Mazda5 handled the road. The suspension was really smooth. The car hardly bounced. And though it had a relatively high silhouette, it didn’t suffer from being pushed around by the wind.
It had a moon roof and three rows of seats. A pair of captain’s chairs formed the second row and two more seats filled out the third row. Although the roofline was sloped, there was plenty of headroom. Even the third row was relatively comfortable. Our best guess says the Mazda5 could carry four adults and a couple of kids with no trouble. That’s simply amazing for a vehicle the size of the Mazda5.
The sliding doors provided wide openings and easy access to the second row. Those seats folded and slid forward with the pull of one lever to get to the third row. What’s more, the third row seats fold flat and formed a relatively smooth cargo area. However, I did have to contort my body a little to get into and out of the third row.
I spent about five days here and during that time the Mazda5 handled the traffic well. I spent most of my time driving on surface streets, getting on south Lake Shore Drive a few times. I experienced no deficiencies in the Mazda5.
At one point, I looked at the trip meter. I had racked up about 450 miles and had burned a tank and a half of gasoline. After constant driving for five days, I was impressed. I planned to top off the tank and head back home the next day, meaning the trip was to cost about $100. I couldn’t complain.
The Mazda5 had an EPA rating of 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the hwy. With a sticker of $22,075, it seemed to me that the MAZDA5 was a very efficient package.
Frank S. Washington is managing partner of AboutThatCar.com