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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Safety
    The Mazda5 hasn't been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Its standard safety features include seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the front seats, plus side curtain airb ...

    Automatic Transaxle Fluid (ATF)
    Inspecting Automatic Transaxle Fluid Level The automatic transaxle fluid level should be inspected regularly. Measure it as described below. 5AT CAUTION: Always check the automatic transaxle ...

    Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS)
    This information relates to the tire grading system developed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for grading tires by tread wear, traction, and temperature performance. ...