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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Steps for Determining the Correct Load Limit:
    Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit: (1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle's placard. (2) Determine the co ...

    Interior & Safety
    Though the car is small, the two-seat configuration provides more driver space than you might expect. A 6-foot-tall ectomorph, I fit just fine, though it wouldn't be my first choice for a long dri ...

    Parking in an Emergency
    The hazard warning lights should always be used when you stop on or near a roadway in an emergency. The hazard warning lights warn other drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard and that t ...