Mazda5 2009 Review

Editor's note: This review was written in April 2008 about the 2008 Mazda5. Little of substance has changed with this year's model. To see what's new for 2009, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years.

The Mazda5 minivan is fun to drive. That's right: A minivan that's fun to drive. How can this be? The secret's in its size, as the six-person Mazda5 is significantly smaller than traditional minivans.

The benefits of this approach — sporty handling, minimal body roll and manageable dimensions — are readily apparent after only a short time behind the wheel. There are also, however, some significant drawbacks.

See also:

Driver and Front Passenger Occupant Classification System
First, please read “Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Precautions” carefully. Driver Seat Slide Position Sensor Your vehicle is equipped with a driver seat slide position sensor as a part of th ...

Defining Attributes
On the upside, the current generation's reliability has been above average to well above average, and it's one of the most fun cars in the compact class. Fun is hard to define, but it usually invo ...

Immobilizer System
The immobilizer system allows the engine to start only with a key the system recognizes. If someone attempts to start the engine with an unrecognized key, the engine will not start, thereby helpi ...