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 On the upside, the 2011 lowers the taillights and eliminates the clear-lens-over-chrome style, which is outdated at best.

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    Supplemental Restraint System Components
    (1) Driver seat slide position sensor. (2) Side and curtain inflators and air bags. (3) Driver/Front passenger dual stage inflators and air bags. (4) Air bag/front seat belt pretensioner system w ...

    Modestly Powered Base Engine
    The base 161-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder provides acceptable performance in city and suburban settings. Acceleration is quick enough, letting you keep pace with traffic. Where the engine s ...

    Antenna
    AM/FM Radio Antenna The rear window antenna receives both AM and FM signals. CAUTION: When washing the inside rear window, use a soft cloth dampened in lukewarm water, gently wiping the antenna ...