2012 Mazda MAZDA5: A Minivan For The Performance Fan

Think it’s impossible to find a six-passenger vehicle that’s actually fun to drive without spending a huge amount of money on a luxury crossover?  Think again.  Redesigned for the current model year, the 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 crosses the boring barrier that has long separated minivans from driving enthusiasts and presents a willing chassis, generous interior room, and a price point that makes it impossible to ignore for families who need more practicality than what is offered by a compact hatchback.

I know what you’re thinking: the terms ‘fun’ and ‘minivan’ are mutually exclusive.  In every other case I would agree with you that three-row vans are function-first haulers loaded with creature comforts but utterly devoid of personality.  The Mazda MAZDA5, however, is something different, and something worth exploring by anyone who doesn’t want to be lulled to sleep by the ponderous bulk of their people-moving appliance or frightened to death the first time they enter a corner just a little too fast.

• Also: The Upcoming End Of The Mazda5?

Manual Transmission Is A Big Clue

For starters, the 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, which should be a big flashing red light to any gearhead out there that this mini-minivan makes more than a few concessions to performance.  The manual unit replaces last year’s five-speed manual, while the five-speed autobox that I drove for a week carries over unchanged.

Even with the automatic tranny the MAZDA5’s new 2.5-liter, four-cylinder motor is well-matched to the lightweight van’s platform.  Marginally more mighty than the 2.3-liter unit offered in 2011 at 157 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque, the unit is also smoother and provides better fuel efficiency.  I have to take Mazda’s word on that last point, as the 12 l/100 km I observed during highway-heavy winter driving seemed a bit below expectations.

The Mazda MAZDA5’s handling is far from a disappointment, however.  After having spent the previous week driving a MAZDA3 hatchback I was not expecting the MAZDA5 to present such a strongly similar personality in terms of corner turn-in, steering feel, and its willingness to engage challenging sections of the road in an utterly fearless manner.  Even the vehicle’s console-mounted parking brake practically begs drivers to lock the rear wheels around tight turns, an indulgence that the minivan’s stability control system was only too happy to accommodate.

Roomy Interior, With An Asterisk

Given its affordable starting price it’s easy to forgive the 2012 Mazda MAZDA5’s passenger compartment for the occasional intrusion of hard plastics, its somewhat basic interior styling, and its lack of high dollar options such as in-car navigation.  It almost seems as though so much attention was paid to the revamping the MAZDA5’s admittedly attractive exterior that its cabin was deemed ‘practical’ and given the final stamp of approval.

Lack of adornment aside, the MAZDA5 is eminently usable, with its three rows of seating (for up to six passengers), dual sliding side doors, and generous rear hatch opening.  Interior room is quite good, but there are a few caveats when it comes to making the most of it.  Despite the vehicle being roughly five inches longer overall than the original full-size 80’s-era Chrysler minivan, its third row is really only suitable for the very young and has to be folded forward in order to enjoy more than a token amount of cargo carrying capability.  The second row, which tilts to make access to the back that much easier, is more comfortable for adults but things can get tight there too if the vehicle is fully loaded.  All told, creative owners will be able to configure the MAZDA5 to suit their individual needs, but it might take a little bit of Tetris to make everything fit that has to fit under its roof.

The Van With The Most

The 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 is without peer on the compact scene.  The Ford C-Max Hybrid and Toyota Prius V offer similar interior room but forgo a third row of accommodations, and while the C-Max is dynamically interesting neither it nor the wet-noodle Toyota can match the MAZDA5’s level of driver engagement.  Both of these models are also considerably more expensive.  The closest six-passenger automobile in size to the Mazda is the Dodge Journey, but again, its price and driving experience runs counter to that of the smaller van.

It’s best to approach the Mazda MAZDA5 for what it is, rather than what it isn’t when comparing it to other minivan options.  Small and light, with fuel mileage that matches that of vans costing twice the price, the MAZDA5 is an economical answer to the question of ‘how are we going to get everyone/everything there?’  That it also happens to be more fun than it has any right to be when flogged is simply a bonus from the brand that is serious about providing performance at every price point.