PRE-OWNED WHEELS
2012-13 Mazda5
Hoist a beer with some beard-growing men and they’ll readily admit a family-friendly minivan is frequently viewed as the ultimate emasculator.
Ironically, you have to procreate, and often, to become a bona fide member of the minivan owners’ club. So why the hate? Is it the sliding doors?
If anything, motorheads should be thankful every time they find a minivan parked next to their expensive German iron. Consider that a Dodge Journey’s rear doors swing out 90 degrees to ease entry and egress — and inflict maximum damage to neighbouring vehicles.
When Mazda engineered its 5 tall wagon, it incorporated sliding doors.
Harmless portals in the hands of children. Let’s give thanks.
Configuration
Built on Ford’s C1 global platform and introduced for 2006, the frontdrive Mazda 5 had much in common with the 3 sedan, including the same MacPherson struts up front and multi-link suspension in back. More on that later.
Groomed to replace the MPV, the 5 was smaller than a regular minivan — and almost a half-ton lighter — while offering seating for six in three rows of two.
None of the chairs was removable, although they did offer some underseat stowage. With all six seats occupied, there was little cargo room available.
“It really doesn’t replace a van,” grumped one owner online. “By the time you put up the third row there is nothing left for storage.”
Mazda sold the 5 for five years largely unchanged, then sent it to the design department for a refresh. The 2012 model — which began selling early in 2011— received updated styling, a new dash and a fresh engine.
The creased sheet metal reflected Mazda’s stillborn Nagare (“flow”) design language, which arguably got lost in translation. The interior remained a decent and flexible space for six, although storage cubbies were in short supply and armrests were skimpy.
Even the engine change was underwhelming. Mazda’s 2.5-L DOHC four cylinder produced just four more horsepower (157 total) over the previous 2.3-L four, while torque rose 15 lb.-ft. to 163 in total.
More gratifying was the news that engineers preserved the 5’s manual gearbox and even enhanced it with six forward gears. Regardless, the five-speed automatic transmission was a very popular option.
There have been no real changes to the 5 since. Other markets received Mazda’s excellent SkyActiv engines, but no such luck here.
On the road
With its svelte figure and Jenny Craig regimen intact, the 5 can scoot to 97 km/h in 8.3 seconds with a manual transmission and a flat 9.0 seconds with the automatic, which puts it squarely in econobox territory. The 5 rewards in other ways; chiefly, by delivering some zoomy handling that isn’t just marketing bluster. The steering is precise and feels more direct and communicative than anything experienced in other minivans or most crossovers. The suspension is compliant and comfortable, more reminiscent of the 6 sedan’s ride than that of the sometimes stiff 3. Road noise is pro- nounced, however. And the 5 uses Mazda’s big four, which is not celebrated for its fuel-sipping ways. “I presently get 21 mpg in city driving, 29 highway and around 24 mpg (12 L/100 km) overall. Not what was and is expected!” one disenchanted driver posted.
What owners say
Mazda 5 pilots delight in this miniminivan’s affordability, easy-to-park size, spirited handling and fantastic practicality — relatively speaking. It serves a family of four well, but fill all six seats and its utility evaporates. Imported from Japan, the 5 has largely been a quality piece, save for one reoccurring theme. The wagon’s underpinnings, derived from the diminutive 3, have not held up well under the 5’s 250-kilogram weight gain. Owners of the 2006-10 models have complained of frequently blown and leaking shocks, worn sway-bar bushings and spring seats, and more.
“The car creaks, moans and groans like a dried-out, rolling Spanish galleon,” wrote one driver, evoking one of the better nautical analogies.
Engineers may have addressed their concerns with more robust suspension components in the 2012 and newer 5, since suspension woes are rarer now.
However, tires still wear rather quickly and brake rotors are prone to warping. Other complaints identified worn engine mounts and a fragile engine shroud underneath.
Still, the Mazda 5 is a unique conveyance with kind and innocuous sliding doors. Amen. Tell us about your ownership experience with these models: Chevrolet Cruze, Mitsubishi Endeavor and Audi A3.