Mazda

Mazda5

This sporty people carrier is extremely versatile and delivers an exhilarating ride. It boasts a top score in the Euro safety ratings and comes with a host of highly sophisticated features.

The good

Great styling and driving dynamics

The bad

Lots of plastic on show

Tech Specs

Price from

£20,495

Combined Fuel up to

54.3mpg

0-62 from

11.2 seconds

max speed up to

120mph

co2 from

138g/km

Test Drive

Mazda5 2.0 TS2 Manual

I used to hear the words people carrier and immediately my thoughts would drag up dreadful images of a square box on wheels type of vehicle that looked and handled like a bus.

But these days, thankfully that’s no longer the case and if ever a vehicle was to prove that point it would be the snazzy, eye-catching Mazda5.

Despite offering all the flexibility and versatility of a multi-purpose vehicle, this seven-seater has very sleek lines that flow very naturally, 16-inch alloys, a steeply raked windscreen, rear privacy glass and an almost classy appeal to it.

And the quality continues once you take your seat behind the multi-function steering wheel.

The bright and easy-to-read dials are perfectly positioned and there is plenty of gadgetry to keep you occupied.

There is climate control, a great sound system with CD player, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic wipers and headlights, rear parking sensors and plenty more besides. The interior of the “stormy blue mica” test model had black upholstery which gave the cabin a very neat feel and with all the light flooding through the many windows, there is a very bright and breezy atmosphere.

Passengers are treated to good comfort levels throughout thanks to Mazda’s tried and tested multiple seat modes. And the added bonus of sliding rear doors makes accessibility in tight spaces a doddle. This is a real plus factor for the Mazda5 as it seems most car parking spaces are getting narrower, whilst most cars are getting wider. Sliding doors prevents the banging of doors on neighbouring cars as the kids hop in and out.

Needless to say , there are plenty of storage options throughout the vehicle and with the facility to fold seats flat, carrying bulkier items is not an issue.

One factor that really impressed me about the Mazda5 was that despite its somewhat bulky size, it actually boasted great dynamics.

There is excellent all-round visibility thanks to the high-seated driving position and the 2.0-litre petrol-driven engine delivered plenty of power. Road-holding was very good for an MPV and cabin noise not too bad.

However, I did find I was correcting my line quite a lot when driving in blustery conditions.

The six-speed manual transmission was very smooth and also responsive.

Safety features are most comprehensive with anti-lock brakes, traction control, dynamic stability control, numerous airbags and lots more.

All in all, priced at £19,770, the Mazda5 is a great MPV and it also offers plenty of zoom-zoom driving dynamics too.