By Mike Torpey on 2010-11-08 - Driving Force news editor and responsible for organising our daily output. He was staff motoring editor of the Liverpool Echo for 20 years.
Mazda majors on
family values
THE ideal car for today's families is how Mazda describes its new seven-seat people mover.
Practicality is certainly the name of the game too, with the emphasis on economy, safety and a touch of style not normally associated with compact MPVs.
The original Mazda5 was the first car in its class to feature sliding rear doors, a sensible move recently adopted by Ford for its Grand C-MAX model.
There's a whole lot more to the latest Mazda compared to its predecessor though - and there needs to be, given that sales of multi activity vehicles in general have shrunk by a whopping 60 per cent.
Mazda's answer is to make the ‘5' even more appealing than before, in several ways.
For starters there's the styling, this model marking the debut of the Japanese company's new design language which will feature in all new Mazda cars.
Called Nagare, the theme is inspired by the flowing movement of water and wind over rocks, the creases along the sides giving the car an energetic, sculpted silhouette.
Then there are the sliding doors - powered in top grade models - that open extremely wide and almost flush to the bodywork, making for easy access in tight spaces.
The step-up to the cabin is also very low, a boon for mum's carrying small children.
And if you don't need seven seats in place then there's the versatility of switching to four - or even just a pair leaving a vast, flat-floored cargo area for long or bulky items.
January will see the arrival of a 1.6-litre diesel engine capable of returning 54 miles per gallon, but for the time being there's a choice of two petrol-powered versions, with 1.8 and 2.0-litres plus six-speed manual transmission.
Both these units were available for test drive on a mixed coastal/moorland route around Cornwall and each performed well, my preference marginally being for the smaller one, which kicks off the range in basic TS trim at a competitive £17,695.
It was comfortable, nicely appointed and the durable feel of the fabrics suggested the upholstery would stand the test of time.
The 1.8 engine produces 115PS and is more efficient than the outgoing powerplant of the same capacity in providing an average fuel figure of 39.2mpg plus six per cent CO2 emissions drop to 168g/km.
That said, the larger oil-burner has i-stop technology to help boost the economy to 40.9mpg while CO2 is down by 15 per cent to 159g/km.
Standard spec is comprehensive in each of the three trim levels - TS, TS2 and Sport - and while Mazda expects the 1.6 diesel Sport model at £21,495 to prove the best seller, there was much to like about the cheapest car, which comes with the likes of air-con, cruise control, 16-inch alloys, electric windows, powered door mirrors and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
All cars also have front, side and curtain airbags, two ISOFIX child seat anchor points and ABS with electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist - so safety is well addressed.
Mazda is under no illusion that generating substantial sales will be challenging, especially seeing as they are shunning the lucrative Motability market favoured by some rivals.
The Japanese company's target for 2011 is 2,500 sales, a figure they should comfortably manage given the Mazda5's quality and design.
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