Because of its size and handling, the Mazda 5 has few natural competitors.
We'd shop it against the least-expensive minivan on the market, the Dodge Grand Caravan, trading nimble handling for more seats and more interior volume, not to mention a richer feature selection.
There's the Ford Transit Connect, for those who want all the utility and don't care so much about looking like the delivery guy or taxi driver--it's a pretty bare-bones piece down to its vintage-1990 interior.
The Toyota Prius V and Ford C-Max are people carriers in a less strict sense, fuel misers in a big way; of the two, the C-Max does the better job of imitating the Mazda's friendly road manners.
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 2013 Mazda MAZDA5Browse Used Listings |  2013 Dodge Grand CaravanBrowse Used Listings |  2013 Ford Transit Connect WagonBrowse Used Listings |  2013 Ford C-MaxBrowse Used Listings |  2013 Toyota Prius VBrowse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | ||||
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If you don't mind being seen in a minivan--but don't want to feel like you're driving one--the 2013 Mazda 5 fits the bill, though it's short on some features. |
Function reigns supreme in the Dodge Grand Caravan: it has the best seating system and infotainment features of any minivan, and gas mileage and safety scores are excellent. |
Plumbers and pet-sitters will be well-suited to the Ford Transit Connect, but a traditional minivan's a better choice for family hauling. |
The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid is the first head-to-head challenger for the Toyota Prius since that car grabbed the green mantle a decade ago--and in many ways, the Ford's a better daily driver. |
The 2013 Toyota Prius V is by far the roomiest Prius in the lineup, and its 42-mpg combined mileage is hard to beat. It's far from the fastest or most powerful family wagon, and it faces a new competitor, the Ford C-Max Hybrid--but it's still a capacious, comfortable, and highly fuel-efficient family wagon. |
| MSRP From | ||||
| $19,940 | $19,995 | $24,050 | $25,200 | $26,650 |
| Gas Mileage | ||||
| 21 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy | 17 MPG City / 25 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 27 MPG Hwy | 42 MPG City / 37 MPG Hwy | 44 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | ||||
| Gas I4 | Gas/Ethanol V6 | Gas I4 | Gas/Electric I4 | Gas/Electric I4 |
| EPA Class | ||||
| 2WD Minivan | 2WD Minivan | 2WD Special Purpose Vehicle | Large Car | Midsize Station Wagon |
| Style Name | ||||
| 4-Door Wagon Manual Sport | 4-Door Wagon American Value Pkg | 4-Door Wagon XLT | 5-Door HB SEL | 5-Door Wagon Two (GS) |
| Drivetrain | ||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front-wheel drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | ||||
| 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | ||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | 4 | N/A |
| Body Style | ||||
| Minivan | Passenger Van | Passenger Van | Hatchback | Wagon |
| Transmission | ||||
| Manual | Automatic | Automatic w/OD | Continuously Variable Ratio | Continuously Variable Ratio |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
| 2013 Mazda MAZDA5 vs. 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan | 2013 Mazda MAZDA5 vs. 2013 Ford Transit Connect Wagon | 2013 Mazda MAZDA5 vs. 2013 Ford C-Max | 2013 Mazda MAZDA5 vs. 2013 Toyota Prius V | |
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