2009 Mazda 5 Grand Touring
Mazda5 is a mini van with maxi room
Sat, Jul 25th 2009
| VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| type | 2 door, suv - mid, 2wd |
| msrp | $23,425 |
| trans | automatic |
| gas mi. | 21mpg/27mpg |
| rating |  |
The Mazda5 resembles a minivan that shrank in the wash. But as we all know, appearances can be deceiving. With sliding doors on each side and fold-down rear seats with hidden storage, the interior of the vehicle yields more space than you might think.
Our two medium-size crates fit easily into the cargo area with the third row of seats folded down. With the middle passenger seats folded down, we could have added two more of a similar size, or other paraphernalia: grooming bags, a folded-flat grooming table or a cooler or two.
There are plenty of tiedowns to ensure that crates stay safely in place, plus a power outlet in the back to run crate fans or a small refrigerator for chilling fresh food on the road. The sliding doors make it easy to load items and maneuver them for optimal packing.
We wanted to see just how much the Mazda5 could hold, so we made a run down Laguna Canyon Road to our veterinarian’s clinic. They let us borrow a giant size crate to see if it would fit. Success! With the seats folded down, it slid in with inches to spare on top and at least a foot on each side.
For height-challenged drivers, the Mazda5 is easily accessible, and seats are comfortable. It has a smooth ride and good acceleration. When the rear seats aren’t folded down, they slide back to allow more leg room for backseat passengers. Gas mileage was acceptable.
My only real complaint involves the instrument panel, which had too many similar-looking buttons grouped together, making it difficult to determine at a glance which one to use.
Interestingly, the Mazda5 that we tested was a Grand Touring model that had a DVD player and satellite radio but no navigation system.
-- Kim Campbell Thornton
Carguy Comments: The Mazda5 comes in three trim levels: Sport (starting at $18,745), Touring ($21,670) and Grand Touring ($23,425). All feature a 153 horsepower, 2.3 liter engine with variable valve timing and a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. The Mazda5 has 44.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row seats folded down and the fuel economy (up to 28 mpg) is impressive for a minivan.
-- Keith Turner, The Family Car
Barking Lot Banter: With lots of crate space, tiedowns and decent fuel mileage, the Mazda5 makes the grade as an economical, yet versatile DogCar.
Comments
I bought a 2007 Mazda 5 and our family loves it! My only issue is I can’t seem to find a back auto barrier for my 2 dogs, especially since I need to keep one of them from trying to sit in my 2 yr old daughter’s car seat. Standard SUV barriers only have 2 brackets, I may be able to bypass them slipping underneath with an extension. The back hatch makes it a fantastic way for the dogs to jump right in and have their own space. The sliding doors also make it easy to not accidentally hit the neighboring car doors while fighting to get “family” paraphernalia in the car.
2009-12-13 17:54:07
“I don’t understand the obsession with crates by this website. Most people do not carry dogs in crates.”
I guess you’ve never been to a dog show. Many people do transport dogs in crates, in fact multiple dogs in various sizes of crate. It’s great to get some feedback over how much space there is for crates because that’s just not listed in the official specs.
2009-10-21 23:12:34
“I don’t understand the obsession with crates by this website. Most people do not carry dogs in crates.”
There are several excellent reasons for carrying dogs in crates inside a motor vehicle. They boil down to safety.
(1) Safety for the dog. A dog in a crate can’t be thrown forward by momentum in a crash and killed by the impact. The crate will protect the dog from the most serious injury.
(2) Safety for the driver. A contained dog can’t jump into the driver’s lap or otherwise cause a distraction that could lead to a crash.
(3) Safety for the passengers. A contained dog doesn’t become an airborn projectile in a crash, so it isn’t going to slam into passengers.
(4) Safety for rescue workers. In a crash, a scared dog could bite rescue workers. If it’s in a crate, they are free to work on injured people without risk of dog bites.
(5) Safety for other drivers. In a crash, an unrestrained dog may escape from the vehicle and run into traffic out of panic, causing a hazard to other motorists.
And, if those aren’t good enough reasons for you: I know of at least one person who used to drive with her beloved lap dog in her lap. Until the day she was in a crash, and the airbag killed the dog.
Sorry, I can’t review the car as I haven’t driven one. But I couldn’t let the previous poster’s comment go without trying to educate him/her and/or other readers tempted to agree.
2009-09-24 14:20:56
“7 if at least three of them are kids”
Not legal to put 7 people in 6 seats, be it kids or not.
Aside from that, a dog can actually fit in between the front seat and the second row.
I don’t understand the obsession with crates by this website. Most people do not carry dogs in crates.
A dog often gets to sit on a seat. There are only a few cars where a dog can fit between seats.
The ultimate best car on the market for that, period, is the Honda Element, with more room between the seats than anything on the market.
A RAV4 is all right, the Outlander is all right, and the M5 comes in as a second I think.
2009-08-17 20:04:13
I drive a Mazda5 and have since 2006. When we park near standard minivans, it is positively diminutive. You actually can’t see it behind a regular sized minivan. But it has an enormous amount of room on the inside, including three rows of seats when you need to ride with 6 people (7 if at least three of them are kids). With the third row seats down, we can fit my wife and I up front, my two kids in the second row, and the two dogs in the back. With the standard mini van sliding doors on both sides, and the hatch back, it is a great dog friendly, family friendly car. Perfect for hiking with the pooches and the kids. We all pop out of our own doors and are ready to hit the trails. We even gave the car a motto: “it just makes sense.” Maybe not Madison Ave. worthy, but it is true. And able to park in San Francisco’s tight spaces also…
2009-07-27 13:04:52
Can some one give me the length, width, height of the Mazda5 with back seats folded down? I need to know if my 3crates will fit for my Whippets.
2010-02-01 13:33:55