- minivan 85,258
- 6,998 high price
- Albany, CA
-
- autoshopper.com
2007 mazda mazda5 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Stylish people mover now available in leather. introductionmazda calls the mazda5 a 'multi-activity vehicle infused with sports car inspiration' that 'efficiently transports people and equipment like a large suv.' we'll leave alone the question of whether the words 'efficiently' and 'large suv' belong in the same sentence. A minivan does the same job more efficiently, but seems to carry a certain social stigma. Station wagons used to do the job, but have now all but disappeared. so how does the style-conscious consumer transport spouse, children, parents and pets? Urban architects have known the answer for at least a century: go vertical. the skyscraper principle applies equally to motor vehicles. Start with a small-sedan chassis for handling, ride comfort, and fuel efficiency. Build the body tall to pack more people and things inside the same footprint. Then give it a clunky-funky look that says 'suv,' or at least 'suv crossover,' more than 'minivan.' europeans, who have lived with high fuel prices for decades, have been building and buying tall people movers since the 1950s. The japanese, also, embraced the concept long ago. The idea is still novel in america, but vehicles as good as the mazda5 just might help it catch on. the mazda 5, or mazda5, is built on the same mechanical platform as the compact mazda3 sedan. So it weighs less, and even covers a smaller patch of road than, say, mazda's own mid-size sedan, the mazda6. But the tall mazda5 seats six, where even the maxda6 sedan seats five at best. And with the back two rows of seats folded, mazda5 will hold far more than mazda's own mazda6 sport wagon. And it drives better than either a minivan or an suv. all-new last year, mazda5 was offered in two well-equipped trim levels. Looked at this way, there's no competition. lineupthe 2007 mazda 5 is available in three trim levels. All are powered by the same engine, a 153-hp, 2. 3-liter inline-4. Cruise control, a tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, power outside mirrors and a six-way adjustable driver's seat with inboard armrest facilitate driver-to-car interfacing. An attractive and durable-looking fabric covers seats and door panels with seat side bolsters and insets wearing contrasting textures. The standard wheel-and-tire package consists of 205/50 v-rated all-season radials on 17-inch alloy rims. options include a power moonroof 700), an mp3 player/cd changer 500); and fog lamps 300). Externally, the mirrors turn body-color (instead of black). Sharp-eyed observers might spot the gt's exclusive black light bezels, front and rear. Automatic transmission is standard, too, as we previously mentioned; the navigation/tire-pressure monitor is still optional. options for all models include several self-dimming inside mirrors with various built-in widgets 230-300); sirius satellite radio with a six-month subscription 430); a rear-seat dvd player 1,200); and pearl paint finish 200). Additionally, mazda dealers can install a range of accessories; a cargo net 40), heavy duty all-weather floor mats 60), a retractable cargo cover 150), and wheel locks 40) are just a few examples. safety features that come standard on all models include the required dual-action frontal airbags, plus front seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection, and head-protecting side air curtains for all three rows of seats. Also, every seating position gets a three-point seatbelt and an adjustable head restraint. The middle and rear seats have child safety seat anchors (latch). Antilock brakes (abs) with electronic brake-force distribution (ebd) and brake assist also come standard. walkaroundthe mazda5 looks very much like a shrink-to-fit version of the mazda mpv minivan, one that has had six grown people belted inside then run through a scalding hot car wash, snuggling it down to its occupants' spatial zones. Still, the mpv is smaller than most other minivans, and in styling cues, general outlines and silhouettes, the mpv and mazda5 are very much in synch. mazda5's hood, though expansive, is better proportioned and flows more gracefully into the windshield and a-pillars than the larger mpv's. A single, horizontal bar divides the mazda5's grille opening and supports the mazda trademark logo. Fog lamps, when fitted, peer out of oversized recesses outboard of a broad air intake fronted by a crosshatch mesh positioned in the lower half of the wrap-around bumper fascia. Headlight housings slash into the fenders and reach around the sides to touch the front wheel well arches, which are mostly filled by the tires. from the side, the vista is much busier, although geometrically consistent. A strong wedge influence flares character lines and surface planes from the pinched-down front end rearward to a tall, chopped off, stubby tail rendered even more awkward by a pouting, bulbous rear bumper. Matte black b-pillars and c-pillars play down the height of the glasshouse. Side mirrors attach to the lower half of small, wind-wing-shaped quarter windows. Body-color, full-round handles bridge concave circles in the doors. A gentle bulge crossing the doors' lower extremities ties together the blistered fenders. The slots for the sliding side doors scar the flanks. The optional side sill extensions create a ground-effect look that somehow works, giving the perspective a more complete, more finished touch. the liftgate extends well into the rear bumper, removing some visual mass from the back end, as well as easing loading with a low cargo floor. Trendy, clear-lens taillight arrays are stacked on each side of the fixed rear window. The optional spoiler drags the roofline back and out above the rear window, adding a bit of edginess to the mazda5's mostly egg-shaped rear outline. interiorother than the packaging, there's nothing special, or unique, about the interior of the 2007 mazda5. This isn't to discount the packaging. Making room for six adults in a vehicle casting a smaller shadow than the company's five-passenger, mazda6 sedan is no small achievement. But beyond this, the interior is in line with what's to be expected of a vehicle in the mazda5's price range. the dashboard is very minivan-ish, with broad reaches of quality plastic spreading far forward beneath the sharply raked windshield. Symmetrical right and left panels belie the mazda5's international character, as it's easily re-cobbled for right-hand drive countries. The look is sleek and high tech, but with an odd-looking gash splitting the upper and lower halves of the dash. Air vents shutter like window blinds if the cool or warm air gets too much. Metallic-look plastic trims the center stack, shift console and front door handles. The instrument cluster is pleasantly basic, with eye-catching contrasts between the speedometer and supporting gauges. Equally pleasant surprises for a car in this class are the steering wheel-mounted controls for audio and cruise settings. A panel with the system's controls is tacked onto the console on the driver's side of the shift gate. audio and climate controls are sublime, with large, round knobs and widely spaced, clearly marked buttons. Seat bottoms could be deeper, and bolsters could be more substantive. The driver's seat height adjustment is manual and pivots on the front of the seat bottom. Thus, the higher it's ratcheted, the less leg room it leaves. And be aware the moving up to the moonroof-equipped models shaves off nearly 2 inches of he. Cruise Control✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Heated Seats✔ CD Changer✔ MP3 Player✔ Leather Seats✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Navigation System
6,998 Albany, CAAlbany, CA at autoshopper.com