Weekend Athlete 2008 Mazda5 Follow-Up
By and large, my initial impressions were accurate: The Mazda5 lived up to its ranking. I still like it.
Make no mistake, this is a small van powered by a 153-hp, 2.3-liter four-cylinder. You have to anticipate your passing moves on the highway, because even if you floor the gas pedal this thing isn’t going to leap forward like a rocket. (In truth, though, highway driving would be much better if everybody would anticipate their passing, but that’s another topic.) Still, it has to be said: Even though it wasn’t a rocket, the Mazda5 felt a heck of a lot quicker than the PT Cruiser. It handled bumps and turns at highway speeds extremely well, but its handling and performance in the city is really its strong suit.
The seats were also comfortable for a five-hour drive. I didn’t feel beat up when I got out of the car, either before or after my race. That’s excellent, and it’s key for any Weekend Athlete’s car, no matter what sport.
As to my specific Weekend Athlete criteria, there weren’t any real surprises, except that I found the sliding doors a real plus. No matter how close your neighbor parks to you, or even if you have to park right by a tree, you can always open a sliding door to get things. I found the seats easier to flop and fold than they were the first time around, and didn’t even need the extra couple of inches of space the Mazda5’s dual-height hatch gives you.
All in all, it’s a handy vehicle. I’d consider it if I were shopping for a new car, but I suspect that, because I don’t have a family and don’t particularly want a minivan, it might make the final round of consideration because of its cargo flexibility, but it would probably still lose out.
