What hasn’t changed is the 5’s zippy personality that won me over in the first place. The steering is wonderfully direct, and the little tyke tucks into corners with enthusiasm. It’s an alert chassis, but as with many Mazda products, plenty of road noise and information filters up into the cabin.
  2013 Mazda5 GT. Click image to enlarge |
The Chevy Orlando, Ford C-Max and Kia Rondo offer smoother rides and more isolation, but not the sharp driving experience. Or the vestigial third row.
The 2013 Mazda5 is hardly a powerhouse, and when loaded down with people and stuff acceleration goes from adequate to lazy. With the auto, the 2.5L sees 2,500 rpm at 120 km/h. My 2006 GT with the five-speed manual showed a busy 3,400 rpm at this speed.
I never liked the front seats much in my 2006 – bottom cushions too short – but these redesigned chairs are much better. And they are now heated, the lack of which in my ‘5 was a constant point of contention.
The dash plastics are mostly hard, but they are nicely grained and the overall design is crisp, pleasing and lacking in any gimmicky accoutrements. The big rotary HVAC dials have a quality feel and the standard leather-wrapped multi-function wheel is a nice piece. A nifty dashtop display incorporates audio and HVAC info plus outside temp, time and trip computer info.
The hard plastic recessed door pulls and flimsy bits along the console and lower reaches still indicate this car is built to a price. The standard rain-sensing wipers are erratic – give me good old-fashioned variables any day.
Also, it’s a shame the handy-dandy second row fold-out table/cargo bin is now only available with the GT’s Luxury Package because it’s an extremely useful piece of kit and it can’t cost Mazda more than a few bucks for the plastic part. Should be standard across the line.
    2013 Mazda5 GT. Click image to enlarge |
Part of the initial appeal of this vehicle for me were the second row “captain’s” chairs – okay, more like first-mate chairs – that kept my kids separated, giving them their own space. The lower cushions flip up to reveal clever hidden storage compartments.
For a small vehicle, the Mazda5 makes great use of its space. Yes, those two third-row perches are not particularly well suited for adults, but heck, they are available in a pinch and fine for smaller humanoids. Tug on a couple of straps and they fold flat creating a reasonably sized cargo space.
The second-row chairs fold quickly too, offering up numerous load configurations. Like the easy sliding side doors, the rear hatch feels feather light too.
Indeed, this little Swiss Army Knife of an MPV still impresses with its eager dynamics and clever utility. With a few more competitors available, it doesn’t have the corner on the market like in the early days, but last year’s improvements have made the Mazda5 a much better vehicle.
Had my 2006 GT been kitted out like this 2013 model, I might still have it.
Pricing: 2013 Mazda5 GT
Base price: $21,995
Base price (GT): $24,805
Options: $2,095 (5-speed auto – $1200; moonroof – $895)
A/C Tax: $100
Destination charge: $1,895
Price as tested: $28,895
Competition:
Chevrolet Orlando
Dodge Journey
Kia Rondo
