2012 Mazda5 Multi-Purpose Vehicle
I previewed the innovative little 2012 Mazda5 a year ago when it was first announced and at the time, I promised a closer look at the vehicle after I’d done some serious testing.
I recently took a Mazda5 to the southern Okanagan wine country and back. It’s a trip I make quite regularly in all kinds of different vehicles from sports cars to pickup trucks, so I know the roads very well and it gives me a chance to evaluate products almost back-to-back and make some interesting comparisons. A run to Osoyoos via the Hope-Princeton Highway involves all kinds of road conditions from seemingly endless freeways to winding mountain passes where bad weather can be encountered any time from early fall to late spring (and I’ve done many a mid-winter run). I suppose that if a vehicle pleases you on trips like this, it must be very good indeed.
But first a recap on what the Mazda5 is all about. It’s one of a class of vehicles that hasn’t been taken seriously by manufacturers for years - at least, not in North America. In a sense, it’s a “mini-minivan” being compact, utilitarian and easy to drive and park, but it falls into a class that almost died out for a while. Almost-forgotten and “long gone” vehicles in this class include the Colt Vista (sold by Chrysler) and the Nissan Multi, but there were others too.
When Mazda introduced its first-generation Mazda5, it filled a neglected need and sales of this model have confirmed this. Buyers who needed lots of seating room and cargo space but didn’t want a minivan or an SUV could at last find the ideal vehicle. Functionality is the keyword with vehicles like this and even now, the Mazda5 has few rivals in its class. As competition, Mazda names the Chevrolet Orlando and Ford C-Max, along with the Kia Rondo and the Dodge Journey. The overall length of the Mazda5, incidentally, is 4585 mm.
The latest Mazda5 takes the successful earlier generation product a stage further and the range has been fine-tuned to suit the Canadian market (there won’t really be a stripped-down “price-point” version at all). Like the Chevrolet Cruze, the Mazda5 is a “global vehicle” and is built and sold all over the world. Ours will come from Mazda’s Hiroshima headquarters plant.
The new “5” is far more exciting to look at than its predecessor. There’s a lot of “performance hatchback” in it, rather than van, and it looks the better for that. The nose job is very “current Mazda” and you’ll find something similar on the Mazda3 and Mazda2. The side panels have some of the most artistic sculpturing we’ve ever seen on a vehicle either in this class - or any other for that matter. A series of “waves” flow from the front wheel well and all the way to the rear lights and it looks very attractive and imaginative. Mazda wanted to avoid the “boxiness” that’s all too common in this class. It all adds up to a highly appealing compact utility vehicle.
Unlike some of its rivals, the Mazda5 has sliding rear doors, something that buyers prefer, according to Mazda. There’s no doubting the ease of access with these doors when you’re anywhere from a campsite to a shopping mall. And while we’re talking camping, all the seats fold flat to create what amounts to a double bed, so the vehicle can fulfill recreational needs as well as hauling chores.
In full “people carrying” mode, the Mazda5 has three rows of seats, though the rear ones are expectedly compact. For most usage, they’re likely to be folded down anyway to maximize cargo space. The cabin is surprisingly roomy and like the vehicle’s exterior, is all-new for 2012. The instrument panel and controls follow a familiar pattern for Mazda - an automaker that does some of the best interiors in the industry. It has a definite upscale look to it and if you order one with leather seats, it’s positively luxurious.
Interior stowage is excellent with all kinds of useful places to keep your stuff. The glove box is huge and is also well illuminated. The second row seats have under-seat storage, which is great for valuable items. The rear seating is set up “theatre style” which means that each row is a little higher than the one in front.
The vehicle is powered by Mazda’s 157-horsepower, 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine that also appears in the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-7. The old Mazda5 used a 2.3-litre engine, but the added power does not mean a hike in fuel consumption. The basic transmission is a 6-speed manual but a 5-speed electronic automatic is available (and was fitted to my tester) and this incorporates the now-popular manual shift control.
The Mazda5 has all the electronic safety aids buyers expect these days even on low-priced products. These include ABS, stability control, brake override, traction control and an electro-hydraulic steering system. A full suite of air bags comes with even the basic model.
Two trim levels include the GS is at the entry-level point and the GT tops the lineup. The GS includes alloy wheels, power mirrors, locks and windows, air conditioning, remote keyless entry and various other convenience items. The GT adds more goodies, though neither model is available with a navigation system. Mazda points out that research has proved that at the vehicle’s price point, GPS navigation is not a major consideration. And after all, you can buy an add-on nav system at a good electronics or automotive accessory store that will do much the same thing as a built-in version - and it can cost as little as $200.
Heading out on the Trans-Canada towards Hope I was surprised at how refined the Mazda5 was as far as the freeway ride went. It has the comfort of a much larger vehicle and the engine, though no powerhouse (more on that later), was well up to the task of dealing with fast hilly sections and kept up well with fast traffic. The seating proved very comfortable on the lengthy spells between stops and I never felt at any time that driving the vehicle was a tiring experience.
Once into the mountains the other side of Hope (as many readers will know), you reach terrain that will shake the shortcomings out of any vehicle. Tight turns on upward and downward slopes can play havoc with a transmission that’s not up to scratch, but the Mazda’s 5-speed auto handled these chores with great poise. I didn’t use the manual shifters, but the option was always there and could have been useful to drop down a gear on some of the corners. Steep climbs that take you up to considerable altitudes can be very demanding as far as small engines go - even larger powerplants lose power at altitude, but that’s not a problem if you have 200-plus horsepower on tap. The Mazda5’s 4-cylinder has “only” 157-horsepower, but it performed very well in the high country and there was no problem safely passing trucks when they slowed for the climbs. I didn’t have a full people load, but the vehicle seemed to me to have power enough to deal with some extra passengers if needed.
I got home convinced that for buyers who like long touring trips and don’t want the bulk and fuel consumption of an SUV or a normal-sized minivan, this new Mazda might be exactly what they need.