Mazda 5 Estate 2005 - Present

The Mazda 5 is a compact MPV that offers the chance to ferry up to 6 other people and still enjoy the ride yourself. The back seats are fixed which means that the storage space is slightly compromised but that also means that you can transport more people in comfort than say the Touran, which has child size back seats, albeit seats that fold down flat.

Inside the cabin you're treated to an inventive seat layout, there is a gap down the middle of the car from the front seats to the back. The middle row features armrests that double up as the back of the seventh seat (if required), the cushion of which is neatly folded down under the left middle seat. The second row of seats slide forward and fold flat into the floor for storage which means that the back row has more available room than most of it's competitors. It's capable for realistically taking all adult passengers where most of the competition can't.

When on the road the performance is impressive right through the range of engines. The 2.0 petrol and Diesel engines are both the most impressive to drive with little to choose between them. They offer around 10 seconds for the 0-60 and top speed just north of 120 mph. The Diesel unit is a clear winner on the economy front as it gives back an extra 10 mpg, at 44 mpg and this is reflected in the £1,600 purchase premium. If this proves to be too rich for your pocket the 1.8 offers good performance and a lively drive, and will deliver 35 mpg, which while by no means class leading is reasonable for the class of car.

The Handling is a pleasant surprise for the driver. The steering is crisp and precise, and offers a great feel for the road. The diesel versions have hydraulic power steering which is better than the petrol versions electro-hydraulic systems, as it offers a more natural ride, but both are pretty entertaining. The suspension is set up to deliver a comfortable ride without being vague on the road. The result is a car that you feel confident to hold it's line through any corner and power out like a car half it's size. It's chassis borrows part of it's layout from the exceptional Ford Focus and this has paid dividends.

The Mazda 5 is keenly priced and full of innovation. It's fun to drive and offers more than enough power and poke throughout the range to make it a useful car. If you're looking for a compact MPV you'll almost certainly want to be test driving a Mazda 5.

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