Acceleration

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
5	4	4.4

Responsive with manual transmission, which has slick shift and smooth clutch action. Adequate with automatic transmission though passing maneuvers require careful planning; using manual shift gate compensates some.

Fuel Economy

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
6	6	6.7

Test Tourings with automatic transmission averaged 21.8-22.0 mpg. No opportunity to measure with manual transmission.

Ride Quality

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
5	5	4.9

Firm but never unpleasant, despite some jolting over sharp bumps and pavement seams. Nicely settled on undulating surfaces.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
6	6	5.6

Surprisingly sporty. Good grip, modest body lean in corners. Tight turning circle. Responsive steering with plenty of road feel. Takes very strong crosswind or extremely severe large-truck wake to affect directional stability.

Quietness

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4.2

Engine throbs at idle, a bit noisy at full throttle, but cruises quietly. Wind rush modest at highway speeds, but coarse pavement induces audible tire thrum that resonates through large, open cabin space.

Controls

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	5.9

Stylish cabin belies Mazda 5's modest pricing with upscale soft-touch surfaces, metal-look accents, sturdy fabrics. Gauges hard to read in some daylight conditions. Ditto pop-up dashboard screen for optional navigation system, which works well otherwise. Switchgear simple, handy. Transmission gear lever sprouts from lower middle of dashboard; takes some acclimation, and some testers hit climate controls while shifting.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	5.5

Seats elevated more than in most cars, but visibility not the best to right-rear and dead astern. Broad dashtop imparts minivan feel. Standard tilt/telescope steering wheel, pump-handle seat-height adjuster help situate driver. Firm seats have just enough lateral support, but very tall drivers wanted longer cushions, more rearward travel. Head room good for all.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	3.9

Terrific head, leg room in 2nd row, aided by ability to slide seats, recline backrests. Some testers say seats too firm for best comfort. All agree 3rd row suits only small children, and even they will pine for more foot space. Sliding doors provide outstanding entry/exit to 2nd-row seats. Getting in or out of 3rd row demands serious contortions.

Cargo Room

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	4.7

Easy loading through sliding side doors, large liftgate, though open liftgate just clears six-footer heads. Only grocery-bag space in far aft with 3rd row in passenger position. But 2nd- and 3rd-row seatbacks drop easily to near flat and can be arranged for variety of spacious passenger/cargo loads. Abundant small-item storage includes hidden trays beneath 2nd-row seats and rear cargo floor.

Value within Class

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
6	7	6.2

Families who have outgrown their compact sedan are just one of a long list of potential customers for this difficult-to-pigeonhole new vehicle. Mazda 5 combines sporty-wagon flair with minivanlike versatility in a well-made, sensibly sized, attractively priced package. Its range of attributes includes good fuel economy, engaging drivability, outstanding room for four adults and lots of luggage, or the ability to a haul a sliver of cargo and six people--as long as the two in the 3rd-row seats are tikes.

Total Score

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
60	60	52

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		37
Average Score		52
High Score		64