Make: Mazda
Model: 5
Year: 2008
Mileage: 35'000
Engine size: 2.0 TDi 143ps
Colour: Metallic Silver
Specification: Sport

If you're a driver that now got to find space for children, pets, toys, buggies, snot, sick, etc... This Mazda5 Sport is the people carrier for you. At a glance, no-one can argue that this is an ugly car with the sporty spoilers and side skirts. It almost looks like a sports car... Well, almost! There are 4 specs, the TS, TS2, Furano, and Sport tested here. All offer something for every price range so you're not going to be disappointed.

Practicality;
All versions come with 7 seats, sliding rear doors for easy access, a large boot and 2 middle-row picnic tables. You can easily get 7 people in the car too... As long as the middle seat occupier of the middle-row is of slender nature! On the more posh versions, the Sport Lux, the rear sliding doors are electrically operated and can be opened by the key fob. This is a nice gadget and something I would have liked to have shown off to my mates down the pub, sadly not on the car I tested. With the third-row seats folded into the boot space, there is a large enough space for family holiday luggage and Sunday trips to the tip. Having said this, as the seats fold into the boot floor, the level of the boot is quite high and dogs can easily jump of the middle-row seats. Something I learned very quickly with my Lab and Retriever!! This was easily remedied by raising the head rests. There are other more practical MPV's out there, but the Mazda5 isn't bad at all.

Performance and handling;
Having not tested any other engines available, I can't compare this to the rest. But what I can say is this is a corker. This 2.0 TDi 143ps doesn't sound all that much, but with 266 lb ft of torque, it certainly feels quicker than its 0-62 time of 11seconds. Considering it's a diesel, I was surprised on how wide the torque band was too, pulling all the way up through to 5'000 rpm. Also, as the Mazda5 is a large MPV, you may have thought that it wouldn't cope with being hurled around the B-Roads of South Devon, but it actually does! All this has a very negative effect on your wallet however. My parents' went through a set of front tyres in 7'000 miles... Yes, 7'000 miles. This is a known problem with the 5's tracking and Mazda aren't overly apologetic about that fact. Moreover, it isn't what you would call economic. On a run up to Cardiff, mostly motorway, it averaged a measly 32 mpg. However, this is by far the best handling and sportiest people carrier for the price.

Value for money;
In comparison to other similar cars, like the VW Touran, the Mazda5 does not carry the same brand identity, and second hand prices show this. However, Sport Lux versions will command a higher price tag reflecting the increased specification.

Overall;
I believe this to be one of the best looking MPV's out there on the market, new and old, and therefore recommend this for those who want something stylish... And, maybe, a bit sporty in the Sport spec. One could argue, not the most practical in comparison to rivals, but a damn good car that will please any who is fortunate to drive it.