The Upcoming End Of The Mazda5?

It seems as though the minivan segment might be about to lose one of its most affordable members. After the announced demise of the Grand Caravan (leaving the Chrysler Town & Country alone in Dodge dealerships), we have reports coming in that the Mazda5 might be on its way out, and it supposedly won’t be replaced.

Nothing is official yet, but if we are to believe Autocar’s anonymous sources, the Mazda5 might be nearing the end of its life. In the UK, Mazda only managed to sell a few hundred of them.

• Also: 2012 Mazda MAZDA5: A Minivan For The Performance Fan
• Also: Mid-life Changes For The 2016 Mazda CX-5

Since the latest generation rolled out in 2010, the Mazda5 would be due for a complete overhaul; it received some styling updates in 2013, but it’s still one of the oldest products in Mazda's lineup. It also never received a Skyactiv engine, which is an indicator that the manufacturer might not modernize this tall wagon.

It’s a shame, though. For me, this vehicle has always been a perfect compromise between a roomy, but somewhat boring full-size minivan and a small, nimble but cramped economy car. It’s also the only vehicle to be offered with sliding doors and a manual transmission.

For now, Mazda Canada has yet to answer our queries about the Mazda5’s demise. However, a quick check of last year’s sales is not encouraging: last year’s sales were down 15%, while the CX-5 crossover is selling like hotcakes…

UPDATE: According to Mazda Canada, the mazda5 will remain, at least for the time being.