Exterior & Styling

The sliding doors say "minivan," but many see the Mazda5 as a wagon. Minivans tend not to set hearts aflutter, but there's one thing I appreciate about the 2010 Mazda5, and that's its styling. It's nothing special, but it's also not the redesigned 2011 Mazda5 that's due at dealerships early in 2011; Mazda has already released photos (click on the thumbnails to the right). The 2011 has a less restrained design, including the smiling grille most new Mazda models get, plus a new characteristic: wavelike accent lines in the bodyside sheet metal. On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

    See also:

    Child Restraint Precautions
    Mazda strongly urges the use of child-restraint systems for children small enough to use them. You are required by law to use a child-restraint system for children in the U.S. and Canada. Check ...

    Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
    The MZR 2.0-litre engine is now available with a six-speed automatic transmission for the first time in Europe. It includes a direct Activematic (DAM) function that allows manual gear shifts using ...

    Engine Oil
    NOTE: Changing the engine oil should be done by an Authorized Mazda Dealer. Recommended Oil Use SAE 5W-30 engine oil. Oil container labels provide important information. A chief contribution th ...