I was in a car accident and showed up to the car rental shop, they gave me the Mazda 5.  Didn't know what to think I have owned an SUV before and drove a Mini van before too.  I was sceptical but knew it would only be a week. I LOVE IT!  I wish I didn't have to give it back. Pros: - It drives great has good power, handles well even in windy conditions. - I enjoy the size of the windshield, It is very big and I feel like I can see everything. - The seats are very comfortable; except for the headrest location. - LOTS of space, just when you think you have found all the storage you pull on something and there is more.  Seats 6 people but best of all for me it can fit 4 dog crates.  I should have taken pictures. - GREAT look, it doesn't look like a van but it doesn't look like an SUV either and it isn't that horrible box look that my parents like. It is also one of the Top 5 Pet Friendly vehicles and gets 28 miles per gallon while toting an average size family and a larger-than-average animal is an ability worth mentioning after the fuel prices of last summer. The  "sliding doors" and "cool" don't need to be mutually exclusive terms. Seats fold easily and quickly to make a flat load floor. Speaking of loading, the rear lip height is traversable by small and big dogs alike. You can pack a whole "heard" of dogs in the back without crates too. It is a rental and I did have to give it back.  But I will be buying one real soon and have been telling everyone about it.  

MayaBree

Olympia, WA

We purchased this van to downsize to a more affordable family van. The van has 3 rows and can sit 5 kids in back comfortably.  The car fully loaded was about $25M and that's right in the affordable range. Mazda is a reliable brand and has good service.  Great recession van.

kmom626

Edmond, OK

We bought a 2009 Mazda 5 about 8 months ago.  My wife loves it.  Other than what you get for the money, the sliding doors are key.  They make getting in and out of the car much easier.  Especailly for our kids.  Great car/Minivan

dnnjax1

Naperville, IL

We have three children. I am legally-blind and do not drive. So, we needed one car that held all of us and was also good on gas mileage for my husband to use for work. We have definitely found it in our Mazda 5. I absolutely love this car. It is like a small mini-van but is the size of a car. The only bad things is trunk space. But, because there are only 5 of us, we can fold down one of the rear seats and expand our trunk for suitcases. We got a DVD installed and my husband and I can listen to the radio while our kids watch the DVD, which is wionderful. There is also storage under the friont seats where we can keep headphones, etc. It may become a little tight as our kids get older and grow, but for now, this is the perfect car for us. It has all the options we wanted and we were able to negotiate a great price. So, it fall well within our budget. This is our fist Mazda and will definitely not be our last.

wcmom13

Wesley Chapel, FL

 I bought a 2008 Mazda 5 in Dec. '07. This is a small minivan with 3rd row seating. I can fit 2 babyseats in it and still put the back row down for cargo. It has more pep than anyone could possibly expect.The manuverability is phenominal and it allows you to make the tightest turns. I love it!

kathie351

Buffalo, NY