2007 Mazda 5 Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

This unusual compact wagon adds a more-luxurious version for 2007. Mazda 5 is based on the front-wheel-drive Mazda 3 compact car, but has a longer, taller body with seating for six, minivan-style sliding rear side doors, and one-piece liftgate. Sport and Touring models are joined for '07 by a Grand Touring version. All have a 153-hp 4-cyl engine. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on Sport and Touring. A 4-speed automatic is optional on those and standard on the Grand Touring. Seating is in three rows of two. The 2nd and 3rd rows fold, and 2nd-row seats recline and slide fore/aft to adjust cargo or passenger space. ABS and 17-inch wheels are standard. So are front side airbags and curtain side airbags covering all seating rows. A sunroof is available for Sport, standard otherwise. Grand Touring adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, and xenon headlamps. A navigation system is optional for Grand Touring and the automatic-transmission Touring. DVD entertainment is available for all.

Competition

Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Cars comprise popularly priced sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons with wheelbases 100 inches or longer.

Our Best Buys include the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. Our Recommended picks are the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, and Mazda 5.

New or significantly redesigned models include the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, and Pontiac G5.

News

No significant near-term changes are likely for this compact people-mover.

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2007 Mazda 5 Road Test

Pros	Cons

Build quality	Acceleration (automatic transmission)

Ride/handling	3rd-row passenger room

Interior storage space

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
5	4	5.9

Responsive with slick, easy-shifting manual transmission. Performance adequate with automatic, though some passing maneuvers demand planning; using manual shift gate compensates some.

Fuel Economy

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
6	6	5.1

Test Tourings with automatic transmission averaged 21.8-22.0 mpg. No opportunity to measure with manual transmission. The 5 uses regular-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
6	6	6.1

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

Steering/Handling/Braking

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

Surprisingly sporty. Good grip, modest body lean in corners. Responsive steering provides fine road feel, tight turning circle. Directional stability very good even in strong crosswinds.

Quietness

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
4	4	6.2

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

Controls

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	6.7

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.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	6.8

Seats higher than in most cars, but visibility not the best to right-rear or 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	5.1

Terrific 2nd-row head and leg room abetted by slide and recline adjustments, but some testers find seats themselves too firm for best comfort. All agree 3rd row suits only small children, especially for foot space. Sliding doors provide outstanding entry/exit to 2nd row but not to 3rd row, which requires serious contortions.

Cargo Room

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
7	7	4.8

Large side and rear openings ease loading, but liftgate barely clears six-footer heads. Just grocery-bag space behind 3rd row, but all rear seats fold to make a nearly flat floor 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
7	8	6.3

Mazda 5 earns a Recommended nod as a well-made, sensibly sized wagon that's sedan sporty, minivan versatile, and priced right. It also offers good fuel economy and outstanding room for four plus lots of stuff--for four adults, a little cargo, and, in the 3rd-row seats, two tykes.

Total Score

Touring w/nav. sys., man.	Touring, auto.	Class Average
62	62	59.2

Scores for all Midsize Cars

Low Score		47
Average Score		59
High Score		69

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2007 Mazda 5 Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 11/14/2006

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Sport 4-door wagon, manual	$17,635	$16,513	$595

Sport 4-door wagon, automatic	$18,535	$17,352	$595

Touring 4-door wagon, manual	$19,150	$17,926	$595

Touring 4-door wagon, automatic	$20,050	$18,765	$595

Grand Touring 4-door wagon, automatic	$21,300	$19,930	$595

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

Model	Rebate & Incentives	Type	Expires

Mazda 5	$1000 dealer incentive.	Dealer	06/02/08

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Sport

Powertrain

2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission w/manual-shift capability.

Safety

Dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, brake assist.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning, interior air filter, power steering, tilt/telescope steering wheel w/radio controls, cruise control, cloth upholstery, 6-passenger seating, front bucket seats w/lumbar adjustment, height-adjustable driver seat, center console, cupholders, 2nd-row adjustable bucket seats, 3rd-row split folding seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, intermittent wipers, map lights, visor mirrors, rear defogger, intermittent rear wiper/washer, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, roof rails, 205/50VR17 tires, alloy wheels.

Touring adds to Sport:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Automatic climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power sunroof, AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer, 2nd-row fold-out table, outside-temperature indicator.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Fog lights, side-sill extensions, rear spoiler.

Grand Touring adds to Grand Touring:

Powertrain

4-speed automatic transmission w/manual-shift capability.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Leather upholstery, heated front seats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Xenon headlights.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Popular Equipment Pkg.
Sport	$490	$421
AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer, side-sill extensions, rear spoiler. Std. Touring, Grand Touring.

Comfort and Convenience Features
Navigation system
Touring automatic, Grand Touring	$2,000	$1,720
Includes tire-pressure monitor.

Power sunroof
Sport	$700	$602


DVD entertainment system
Sport, Touring	$1,200	$960


AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD/MP3 changer
Sport	$500	$400


Satellite radio
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$430	$344


Remote engine start
automatic	$350	$280


Cargo cover
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$150	$120


Automatic day/night rearview mirror
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$300	$240
Includes compass, outside-temperature indicator, universal garage door opener.

Rubber floormats
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$60	$48


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Fog lights
Sport	$300	$240


Door edge guards
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$75	$60


Bumper pad
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$50	$40


Special paint
Grand Touring, Sport, Touring	$200	$172

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2007 Mazda 5 Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Mazda 5 4-door wagon

Wheelbase, in.	108.3

Overall Length, in.	181.5

Overall Width, in.	69.1

Overall Height, in.	64.2

Curb Weight, lbs.	3333

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	44.4

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	15.9

Seating Capacity	6

Front Head Room, in.	40.7

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	40.7

Rear Head Room, in.	39.4

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	35.2

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	dohc I4

Size, liters/cu. in.	2.3 /138

Horsepower @ rpm.	153 @ 6500

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	148 @ 4500

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

5-speed manual	22/27

4-speed automatic	21/26

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test

Mazda 5 4-door wagon

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	5/60,000	--

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	5/Unlimited	--

Free roadside assistance	4/50,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: Japan

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2007 Mazda 5 Photos

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Also in the 2007 Mazda 5 Review:

Mazda 5

Mazda 5 Road Test

Mazda 5 Prices & Equipment

Mazda 5 Specs & Safety

Mazda 5 Photos

Mazda 5 Full Review