Mazda 5 (05-10) - Review

It is often the case with seven-seat people carriers that the two seats in the third-row are the occasional ones. The Mazda5 is different in that the centre-seat in the second row is the part-time one - it can be folded to one side or used as an armrest. The centre seat base also folds away into the cushion of one of the other seats. However this middle seat is not as comfortable as the outer ones and not really suitable for adults on long journeys. The third row is surprisingly roomy though, with decent legroom, which can even be expanded if necessary by sliding the second row forward. The Mazda5 has a supple ride. Driving over bumps or expansion joints in the roads poses no problems, even for models on larger wheels.

The Mazda5 is about as versatile as compact people carriers get. Owners often like the idea of having a seven-seat car more than they actually use all seven seats, so this is more a six-seater with an occasional seventh seat that folds out of the second row armrest and left hand seat base. There's a storage box in the right hand seat base. Both the second and third rows of seats in the Mazda5 fold flat, which avoids the hassle of having to remove seats, but it does mean you have to sacrifice some depth of luggage space. With the third row of seats in place there is only room for a couple of soft bags or perhaps four supermarket carrier bags. However this is the class norm and cars like the Volkswagen Touran, Renault Grand Scenic, Toyota Corolla Verso and Vauxhall Zafira don't offer any more space behind the seats. The optional electric doors are a neat gadget, but in certain situations, can be too time consuming to use. The standard manual sliding doors are good enough.

From the behind the wheel, it's clear that the 5 is part of the Mazda family, with clear instruments, upmarket-feeling materials and a generally good driving position. The gearstick is sited conveniently on the dashboard and has a slick shift action, and with the exception of a steep windscreen pillar - which could obscure cyclists or motorcyclists when turning at junctions - visibility is excellent.