Mommy's Favorite Things: 2013 Mazda5



Friday, June 7, 2013

2013 Mazda5



Are you looking for a smaller version of a minivan? Something that still holds more people than the average sedan, gets great gas mileage, but still has cargo space? The Mazda5 just might be what you're looking for.

The Mazda5 gets 22 and 28 mpg. So it averages about 24. This is pretty great for any vehicle, let alone a minivan. 
The Mazda5 has a very distinct look, it takes a car, station wagon and van and mixes them all together to create an unmistakable and unforgettable vehicle!

My husband took this to Detroit for a meeting he had (about 30 miles from here one way) and also to work a couple days, I also used it for some errands I ran. When we returned it, it had about 1/4 tank left of gas. 

The Mazda5's MSRP starts are $19,940 so it is a very affordable minivan. I received the Grand Touring model for my test drive and it retails are $28,000

The Mazda5 has some features that a lot would enjoy.
The Dashboard is really sleek looking. 
It also has the wonderful Steering Wheel Mounted controls
 The Grand Touring also has an automatic sunroof. 
 I love the Center Console area. 

and all the lovely stats are on the top of the dashboard. I really like this feature. It shows the time, temperature outside (this is before it dropped to the 60s BRR), the station and how many miles until empty!

The Mazda5 seats 6 passengers. 2 in the front row, 2 in the middle row captain's seats and 2 in the very back. Most vans seat 7, but this Mazda5 is very slim and narrow (while still being comfortable) so it only seats 6.


 Another feature I really love is the storage under the captain's chairs and the table and cup holders that fold out.
The seat just pulls up with a pull tab
 and then the table flips out. The under seat storage is on both sides of the captain's chairs.
The table has a little insert that goes over that storage basket and creates a little table.
Access to the third row is pretty simple. It's just a one touch lever and it slides the seat forward to allow access. 
The third row does have limited leg room though, but the second row seats slide forward to allow more room.


With the third row folded down all the way it reveals 44.4 cu ft of cargo space.
I love the cup holders there in the third row as well.

The Mazda5 was a very smooth ride. Their motto is the Zoom Zoom and this definitely fit that definition. The car has a lot of power, it took off really fast and powerful and had wonderful handling capabilities as well. 
This has been rated Minivan of the year for 2013.

The Mazda5 has Bluetooth Phone and Audio Connectivity. 

It also features the same things other vans do like the sliding rear doors. They are a very smooth system too and slide very easily.
So if you're looking for a smaller version of a minivan and want the feeling of a car the Mazda5 is for you. It sits lower than other minivans and has that low profile distinct look.

*Disclaimer, I received a Mazda5 for a 1 week test drive. All opinions here are 100% my own and I was not compensated to write this post, other than receiving the vehicle.


96 comments:


cman said...

Beautiful car.


Michele P. said...

sweet ride! I own a 2010 Mazda 3 that I bought new, and love it (prior to that had the protege) love seeing the new things Mazda has come out with and makes me want to trade up and get a new one lol!


Unknown said...

Nice car. Way too expensive though.


BethElderton said...

i love this car! We have a smaller Mazda that is great for Hubz' commute. But I want this ne for hauling grands, taking vacations, and doing the big grocery shopping. Nice.
bethelderton59 at gmail dot com


Unknown said...

Cool car! I've never driven a Mazda.


Susan DeVaux said...

Love this! I have a Mazda 6 but would love to upgrade to this :) Mazdas rock!


denisekonkel said...

The inside of this car looks beautiful (the outside does too). But it looks very spacious!


Anonymous said...

Gorgeous vehicle!


Unknown said...

Wow, that is a nice looking mini van. Great features, looks so comfortable.


Unknown said...

awesome car! thanks for the review


Aline Grigorian said...

Love the cargo space. Don't like leather seats much though.


Ashley Morrissey said...

That car is amazing!!!

-Ashley Marie Morrissey
ashummz05(at)yahoo(dot)com


Rhian said...

I really like the table feature with the insert that goes over that storage basket and creates a little table.


nicolesender said...

Love the car! Looks snappy and modern! Like the dashboard.
nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com


Carissa joslyn said...

Wow, that is a really cool looking vehicle! Love all the awesome features, too! I like how it doesn't look like a typical mini van!


Unknown said...

My husband and I are looking to buy a new vehicle. We were thinking of a Minivan, but to be honest I really don't want to drive it! The Mazda looks to be a good compromise!


Viv Sluys said...

We test drove a Mazda 5 when we were expecting our 2nd child. Now we drive a Mazda MPV. We're minivan people :)


MissMannah said...

Gorgeous car! Now I want to go on a test drive.


Unknown said...

When we first found out we were expecting we knew our little Ford Ranger was not going to meet our needs. We actually wanted to get the Mazda5, but when we actually looked at it and tried it out, we realized that it was still too small for us. With the baby and our dog, plus all of our beach stuff and surf boards, we needed a full size minivan. It is a great option for those who don't haul too much around, and I absolutely love the rear doors!


Megan said...

I've been very impressed with the Mazdas I've seen lately - the numbers rather than names is confusing to me coming from the Honda world, but I am strongly considering the one most similar to a CRV when it's time for a new car!


Olivia said...

It's hard to find a vehicle to fit 3+ kids when you don't want the "minivan look"! Thanks for the review. We'll add it to the list.


Jessie said...

I hope they make a hybrid version!


Maria Ivey said...

The very first car I bought new was a Mazda 626. It was a great car. Then, when I was in the market for a minivan they didn't sell their MPV anymore. The Mazda5 looks like a great replacement for their old style minivan.


Whitney said...

Oh man, we need a new car. This looks great.


Linda said...

I've never owned or driven a Mazda before. This one looks nice.I like that there are cup holders for all passengers.


CassiopeiaCephalopoda said...

I wonder how it would fit rear facing convertible car seats... it looks a little narrow.


Heather S said...

It fit my son's rear facing Britax Marathon 70 in the 2nd row perfectly!! It is a narrow vehicle, but it fit in there the same it fits in my van. The seats aren't much more narrow than any other vehicle.


maryhtc said...

We looked into purchasing this car in early 2012 when we found out we were pregnant with our first child. Funds permitting, it would have been the vehicle we chose. I loved the sliding door and the low profile. It also still had enough room we could have hauled the dogs around in the back if need be.


Vicki Hall said...

This looks really nice . We've never owned a Mazda.


Rachel said...

Nice features...I've only ever owned Toyotas and Hondas so I'm used to great gas mileage. I'll have to make a little bit of a sacrifice in that area (but hopefully not too much) when we need a larger vehicle so something like this is a possibility.


Jessica said...

I think it's pretty freakin' cool that you get to review cars!! I wanna do that lol! (For real!)

I've been telling my husband how much I would like to have one of these!! 3 kids in a ford taurus is a bit crowded, but we just can't afford a brand new car right now..


Alanna B said...

Nice car! Looks pretty spacious :-)


AshleighSwerdfeger said...

I have never thought about a madza. We have a dodge caravan, however this looks neat.Love the storage~~


jamie braun said...

its so sleek! now thats a mini van I could see myself driving


Unknown said...

We have a mazda tribute and I love the way it drives and the fact that it has cruise control : )


Unknown said...

Lovely car! I told my husband to buy me one. :) hehe


Ashley-Raye said...

What a nice car! I love that it can comfortably seat so many without being a minivan!


Laura Beth said...

Neat car. Will have to look at this one when we need a new one!


matope said...

wow that looks much more spacious inside than it does from the outside!


Leela R. said...

Nice car. Not a big fan of the minivan, so this is a nice alternative option. (Leela R. on RC)


Anonymous said...

I like the dashboard display which shows the temperature outside of the car. We could really use that up here in Canada in the winter. :P


polly said...

Looks roomy and love the color light they use for the dashboard


Unknown said...

I think I may be in love! It's so much more high tech than my current vehicle. I know what my family will be getting when we need a new one now!


Unknown said...

I love the amount of space this car has for being as small as it looks!


Greenhorn Mom-to-be said...

I love how spacious this car is! It's so classy looking too! I would love to get a little Mazda like this. :)


Sarah Hayes said...

thats a very nice looking van! our 3rd row seats fold down too and its so nice to have when you need to carry something big. and all the cupholders are great too.


Unknown said...

Nice van. I love that the seats in the 3rd row fold down.


Rachel A. said...

It's kinda a hybrid van/SUV. I'm not sure about the leg room in the backseat though. Doesn't look like it would be comfortable. LIke that it folds flat though!


Anonymous said...

Nice looking vehicle, now if they would just put a diesel engine in it!


Amanda said...

I love the sunroof! You don't see that often on a minivan! I also love the fold out table.


mutchkin21 said...

It is a nice car and awesome you got to test drive it. It wouldn't be the car for me. I like vehicles that have three seats in a row to allow to place car seats etc in the middle seat. I do not like to place children next to the side doors. I do like the dashboard and the more indepth details of temp (which 60's are perfect temps for me! lol) etc.

stephanie hodges
clc_little_britches@yahoo.com


Unknown said...

I love how much room there is in the back and how flat it is when the seats are down!


sweepinmomma123 said...

The motor went out on my van so I need another vehicle. Too bad I can't get this one!! It is so cool.


Laura said...

Wow! The cargo space looks huge. And I love all of the "organizational" space - this would be handy for anyone, but especially mommas.


Sweets_t01 said...

I. Want. One. I love this car! Too bad a new vehicle doesn't fit my budget...
- Patricia B-


Robin Sorrells said...

I would love to own this car!


lilsnobelle said...

The Mazda minivan holds sentimental value for me as that is what both my parents drove as a teenager. I love them.


Anne Marie said...

I don't know if I like the ultra-modern body style, but the cargo space looks really nice!


Unknown said...

It looks nice, but too expensive.


Colleen said...

Very fancy schmancy!! I'm not a minivan person though.


jayg84 said...

nice but not real roomy like my grand caravan


Devon F said...

What a cute car!! I can see me driving that! Love the color too :)


Anonymous said...

I love this car! Definitely going to show my husband, I am getting tired of him complaining about the grand caravan we have now and this looks like a great compromise!


Unknown said...

I like the third row seating but wish it seated seven I stead of six.


Unknown said...

I love all the storage and room this vehicle has to offer! My hubby currently drives a Mazda6 which we love, but as our family continues to grow we will soon need a bigger car too!


Unknown said...

Looks like a great compromise and from what I hear Mazda's are great cars. Will definitely consider this next time we are in the market!


sarh s said...

What a beauty!! Wish we could afford one! Way more room w/the 3rd row folded down then we have in our Pacifica!


Unknown said...

I've looking for an affordable minivan for my 3 in carseats, and love the way this looks


caseyrusso said...

This looks so sleek and functional. Way better than my first car - '91 mazda protege ;)


Beth Ann said...

This is a very unique looking car. I would be interested in how carseats would fit in it. I think this would be a better CAR then minivan. Seeing as the last two seats have really limited leg room. But it would make a great car for going on vacation with! Lots of cargo room! :)


sarah said...

It looks like a neat van; I love that the seats fold down!


Holly Lynn said...

I am just not a minivan person, though I do like the idea of storing underneath the seats.


Laura Fulks said...

That's not that bad for gas mileage, especially if you are comparing it to a minivan.


Amanda Saucedo said...

Looks sleek! And never would've guessed it was a mini van until I read that


Steph said...

Looks very roomy inside for a family.


Victoria Schrick said...

What a great use of space! However it is a bit too expensive for our family.


Mumma Cobb said...

Thank you for your reviews! nice car!


aimee p said...

Very nice car. Too expensive for me though. I like the under seat storage


Christina G said...

I love all the buttons on the steering wheel!


Becky said...

Not looking for a car (or minivan) but if I have another kid I'll keep this in mind--still not sure about the mazda brand, but glad you are enjoying this!


Unknown said...

Hubby is dying to get a new bigger vehicle. I'll have to share your review with him :)


judi said...

Nice! It's too small for my family and I deeply covet that fuel mileage! Our big old van gets about 10 mpg!


Unknown said...

i think they love me to do this for cars why i do ot smaoke and then i do not drive far a tank of gas would go up tomonth or father


Mrs. K said...

I love this car! Would be perfect for our growing family, especially when I babysit my cousins two kids :) This definitely has room to be filled with car seats lol


Laura Ann said...

oh my gosh I'm in love with this mini van. I'm in the market for a van. I'm expecting baby #4 in April!!


Kimberly said...

We've considered a Mazda 5. Thanks for the review!


Kimberly said...

What a cute little car!


Unknown said...

Wow, Mini-Vans have come a long way. Great looking car. Mazda have always made great vehicles.


Unknown said...

I have a Mazda 5 and I LOVE it! I did not want a van, I wanted an SUV. But after driving this, I fell in love. It was WAY cheaper than other vans/SUVs we looked at. The sliding doors and captain's chairs are awesome for my daughters. This van is perfect for a family of 4. :)


Sandy Cain said...

Sweeeeet! I adore this, I've always loved Mazdas and they've never let me down. This is just the right size, too! scain54(at)aol(dot)com


Shannon said...

This is a nice car and not a bad price at all. Thank you for the review.


Anonymous said...

This is roomier inside than I thought. Great review!


Debby said...

Looks like a great car. I have a Mazda MX5, but if I needed more space and cargo carrying, I'd consider this! Hubby has an SUV for hauling. :)


Sarah Hayes said...

super sleek and has lots of room. looks like a great car to have. i like that color too


kate mills said...

Wow this looks more spacious inside than from the looks of it outside. Looking to see what car we can get since our toyota corolla is a bit too tiny now when you have a huge convertible car seat!


Jerry Marquardt said...

I like the Mazda5 a lot. I hope the 2016 is such as great as this one.