By 
Bengt Halvorson, Editor
In assembling this review on the 2008 Mazda5, TheCarConnection.com's automotive experts read a number of critical reviews and included the most useful information from them. Then the editors at TheCarConnection.com brought their firsthand experience with the Mazda5 to this review to ...
By Bengt Halvorson, Editor
2008 MAZDA MAZDA5 STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "significantly smaller than traditional minivans " Edmunds: "mildly freshened front and rear styling" ConsumerGuide: "a sensibly sized wagon" The 2008 Mazda Madza5 is variously called a mini-minivan, microvan, vanlette, and tall wagon. Whatever you call it, the Mazda5 looks sporty and offers room for six passengers in the footprint of one of Mazda's smallest vehicles. Cars.com says the 2008 Mazda Mazda5 is "significantly smaller than traditional minivans ," and Mother Proof notes it's "more than a foot and a half shorter and 8 inches narrower than most minivans ." It would not be a stretch to call the Mazda5 a "sensibly sized wagon," in the words of ConsumerGuide, if you overlook its sliding rear doors. A good idea, the Mazda 2008 Mazda5's sliders "make loading passengers in tight parking spaces easy," ...
Marty Padgett, Executive Editor | 09/25/08 4:01 PM
Enlarge Photo If you're like most of America, gas prices have made a huge impact on how you drive, how you live, and what you expect from your next new car. Prices are heading higher, gas is less... Read full review
Marty Padgett, Executive Editor | 09/18/08 1:55 PM
Now you haven't seen it, now you don't: That Chevrolet Orlando concept coming to the Paris show won't be coming from North America after all. Earlier this month, we showed you the sketches for the... Read full review
Marty Padgett, Executive Editor | 08/04/08 12:40 PM
Chevrolet could be ready to step into the midi-van market along with the likes of the Mazda5 , if a report from WorldCarFans pans out. The Web site reports that GM's new people mover for the 2010... Read full review
Paul Eisenstein, Executive Editor | 06/27/08 1:52 PM
Try to find a Prius. Go ahead, we dare ya! A few random calls to dealers around the country reveals that you won't locate many, if any, of the popular hybrids on Toyota's retail lots, not unless one... Read full review
What Edmunds.com says Remember when minivans were somewhat mini? The 2008 Mazda 5 is such a vehicle, offering a nimble and practical solution for smaller families who are realistic about... Read full review
There is a saying that driving life ends once you've started a family. Clunky baby seats, strollers and, of course, the most precious cargo of all takes up a lot of space, and the necessity... Read full review
When Car and Driver recently picked a list of its top 10 urban vehicles, they included only one minivan: the Mazda5. It's small - only 23 inches longer than the Honda Fit - but has room for... Read full review
"We looked at everything in it's class but nothing came close.Comfortable ride yet it handles like a sports sedan. If you like to drive a car, this car likes to be driven. Exceptional... Read full review
"My wife bought a used 2006 Mazda5 Sport Automatic...and we LOVE it!. This van is truly "mini" and really fun to drive. It handles like a sporty car and has a really tight turning radius... Read full review
"We just moved back to the states and were looking for a vehicle. My sister has an Element and I liked that. We also liked the Odesseys in Japan. We shopped for a while and happened to pass... Read full review
| Trim | MSRP / Invoice | Fuel Econ |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Mazda MAZDA5: 4dr Wagon Man Sport | $17,995 / $16,849 | City: 22 Hwy: 28 |
| 2008 Mazda MAZDA5: 4dr Wagon Auto Sport | $18,945 / $17,734 | City: 21 Hwy: 27 |
| 2008 Mazda MAZDA5: 4dr Wagon Auto Touring | $20,760 / $19,427 | City: 21 Hwy: 27 |
| 2008 Mazda MAZDA5: 4dr Wagon Auto Grand Touring | $22,515 / $21,063 | City: 21 Hwy: 27 |
In assembling this review on the 2008 Mazda5, TheCarConnection.com's automotive experts read a number of critical reviews and included the most useful information ... Read full bottom line
2008 MAZDA MAZDA5 STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "significantly smaller than traditional minivans " Edmunds: "mildly freshened front and rear styling" ... Read full review
for the 2008 Mazda MAZDA5 from a dealer near you.
MSRP: $17,995 - $22,515
"We looked at everything in it's class but nothing came close.Comfortable ride yet it handles like a sports sedan. If you like to drive a car, this car likes... Read more
"My wife bought a used 2006 Mazda5 Sport Automatic...and we LOVE it!. This van is truly "mini" and really fun to drive. It handles like a sporty car and has a... Read more
"We just moved back to the states and were looking for a vehicle. My sister has an Element and I liked that. We also liked the Odesseys in Japan. We shopped... Read more
©2008 by The Car Connection™ All Rights Reserved—The Car Connection is a Trademark of Car Advisory Network
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not those of R. L. Polk & Co. or its licensors.
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Comments (1 total)
Mazda5 Owner
By Steve | Posted: 7/7/2008
We're actually on our second Mazda5. We had a 2006 Touring with a manual transmission that we really loved. The car held its value really well and we actually decided to sell our car, pocket some cash, and lease a new '08 Grand Touring using some of Mazda's recent incentives. We lowered our payments by about $150/month and got some great new features. Primarily, the Grand Touring model includes standard Bluetooth integration which is very nice given California's new law requiring hands-free cell phone use. Anyway, I consider myself a real car nut having owned cars like the Miata, Porsche 911, E320 Cabriolet. The predecessor to the Mazda5 as our family car was a BMW 5-series wagon, also with a manual transmission. In other words, I like fast cars and consider performance an important part of my car purchasing decision and I don't find the Mazda5's engine performance lacking at all. The manual transmission was great but the new (for '08) 5-speed auto doesn't give up any noticeable performance. The power is more than adequate for four passengers and luggage and the fuel economy for us averages about 25 mpg in mixed driving... not Earth shattering economy, but pretty good. Other thoughts: road noise is a bit high at freeway speeds but the engine is very smooth and quiet around town. Less agressive tires might help with the noise issue but at a bit of cost to handling. The car is much easier to drive and park than "full size" minivans and loading the kids into the back (middle)row is super easy with the sliding doors. I really like the car and know at least two others who have bought them after riding in ours. They simply had never heard of the car before but found it to be the perfect solution for a small family after experiencing it. If you have only one or two kids and will use it primarily as a four seater with occasional use of the third row, you owe it to yourself to check out this car.
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