The Sacramento Bee's view

Say hello to the all-new 2006 Mazda5, one of the latest entries in the Name That Vehicle sweepstakes.

Go ahead and label it anything you want, and I guarantee that some automotive expert will agree with you.

Yahoo’s online auto Web site calls it a wagon. Motor Trend magazine calls it a hatchback. When I first laid eyes on the tested Mazda5 Touring model, it radiated minivan ambience.

For the final word, let’s hear from the manufacturer: Mazda calls it a “multi-activity, six-seater sports vehicle.”

Uh, could you be a little more specific?

“The Mazda5 is a new approach to multifaceted motoring,” said Weldon Munsey, the Mazda5 vehicle line manager. “It has the dimensions, ease of use and value of a compact car, yet it combines this with the sophistication, refinement and features of a premium import. ” … The Mazda breaks convention in seating access and interior design to create an entirely new type of vehicle.”

And you thought my job was a snap? How can I start evaluating a vehicle when it takes an hour just to figure out what it is?

Actually, Munsey has it about right. The Mazda5 is a fun, sporty crossover vehicle with enough minivan DNA that it could pass as a card-carrying member of that segment.

“Cute” is a word that automakers don’t necessarily like to hear to describe their vehicles, but the Mazda5 is just that. If you’re one of those folks who calls a minivan a “mommy van,” think of the Mazda5 as mom’s cute little sister.

Sleek in profile, equipped with stylish, tri-level taillights and riding on standard, 17-inch alloy wheels, the Mazda5 is only 181.5 inches long and tips the scales at less than 3,400 pounds. With those numbers, you expect it to be nimble. You would be right.

The tester vehicle scooted, slashed and darted in virtually every road environment. It zipped around traffic-choked city streets with aggressiveness that made surrounding vehicles seem like they were in slow motion. Parking lots were not an am-I-between-the-lines source of anxiety in this utterly manageable Mazda with a tight turning radius.

OK, nailing the accelerator on the 2.3-liter, 16-valve, 157-horsepower in-line 4 engine is not a Corvette-like experience. One thing you do not want to do in the Mazda5 is race for that small opening in freeway traffic that’s moving 30 mph faster than you.

But in most driving situations – including uphill climbs – the Mazda5’s four-cylinder engine is surprisingly stout. Steering is pleasantly firm; back-seat passengers characterized the ride as excellent.

Inside is where it gets good. There are three rows to seat six, with the back row being a 50-50, split-bench arrangement – no need to jam a third person in the very back. The last two rows easily fold flat to handle bulky loads. It’s the picture of simplicity, and the maximum cargo-carrying capacity is a sizable 44.4 cubic feet.

For anyone who has ever struggled with sliding doors on a minivan, the Mazda5 is a breath of fresh air. The Mazda’s side sliders roll back – and stay in place – with very little effort, create a more-than-adequate entry for passengers to step inside and easily roll forward to close. And the rear side doors open tight against the vehicle, so you don’t have to worry about clanging the car next to you when passengers exit in tight parking spaces.

The tailgate is also easy to use, with a low sill height to make cargo loading simpler.

Standard features on the tester were plentiful, especially with a deep-discount sticker price of $18,950 (the only option on the tester was a four-speed automatic gearbox for $900). No-extra-cost amenities included automatic climate control, power windows/door locks, a six-CD changer, leather steering wheel with tilt/telescoping feature, automatic climate control and storage areas under the second-row seats.

The Mazda5 would seem to be the perfect vehicle for a traveling family trying to keep the cost of its primary auto as close to $20,000. And with an advertised 21 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway, the Mazda5 is not going to break the bank with fuel costs.

This is not the choice for soccer moms who regularly transport seven kids and a ton of sports equipment from place to place on a regular basis. Nor is it the choice for long-distance travelers who like taking most of their possessions with them, despite the Mazda5’s attractive price.

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MAZDA5 AT A GLANCE

Make/model: 2006 Mazda5 Touring

Vehicle type: Six-passenger, four-door, front-drive crossover

Base price: $18,950 (as tested, $20,410)

Engine: 2.3-liter in-line 4 with 157 horsepower at 6,500 revolutions per minute and 148 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm.

EPA fuel economy: 21 miles per gallon city; 26 mpg highway.

Transmission: Four-speed automatic with overdrive.

Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion with speed-sensitive feature.

Brakes: Power-assisted four-wheel discs with anti-lock.

Suspension: Independent, MacPherson strut-type on front; independent, multi-link on rear.

Fuel tank: 15.9 gallons

Passenger volume: 97.7 cubic feet

Cargo box capacity: 44.4 cubic feet

Curb weight: 3,389 pounds

Track: 60.2 inches on front; 59.6 inches on rear

Ground clearance: 5.5 inches

Height: 64.2 inches

Length: 181.5 inches

Wheelbase: 108.3 inches

Width: 69.1 inches

Tires: P205/50R17 all-season radials

Assembly site: Hiroshima, Japan

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About the writer: The Bee’s Mark Glover can be reached at (916) 321-1184 or mglover@sacbee.com.