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First Drive

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Mazda 5 2.0

Test date 03 February 2008  Price as tested  £17,295

What is it?

Mazda’s 5 MPV has received quite a wide-ranging detail make-over that includes a new look front and rear, an improved dashboard (now with a 7in sat nav screen option), upgraded sound-proofing, revised suspension and improvements to the engines and transmissions.

The most altered engine is the 2.0 petrol tested here, which now features sequential valve timing to enhance combustion efficiency and generate more torque earlier, and an electronic throttle to sharpen its throttle response.

This engine is now coupled to a six-speed transmission, which also improves fuel consumption - by four percent - and lowers CO2 emissions from 198g/km to 187g/km. There’s a performance gain too, the 144bhp 2.0 petrol shaving 0.6sec from the 0-62mph time, which falls to 10.2sec.

What’s it like?

Surprisingly eager for what is really a load carrier, but that doesn’t stop this lively engine from pulling the 5 along with some verve. That there’s a capable chassis to go with it means that you’ll find yourself enjoying this MPV more than you’d expect.

A shame, though, that this petrol engine is a bit thrashy at middling to high revs, making the 2.0 diesel a more relaxed device – though it feels that way in acceleration terms sometimes too. The petrol’s distant mechanical thrash completely disappears at a cruise, when the 5’s refinement is genuinely impressive.

It’s as versatile as before too, the flexible seating system being unchanged, though bear in mind that the seat row behind the driver is really for two, the third person accommodated in decidedly less comfort. And the rear row, for two, is optional, as is the excellent motorised operation of the sliding rear side doors.

Should I buy one?

This is a car well worth considering if you carry a family about, especially if you want to salvage some driving pleasure from the experience. The 5’s biggest drawback, from the versatility point of view, is the compromised fifth seat already mentioned, but it compensates for this with much convenience and cleverness elsewhere.

It’s also a civilised thing – despite the 2.0 petrol’s light thrashings – and these are worth tolerating for the general zest of this engine, which makes the 5 a better-than-average MPV drive. But don’t spend too much on it – you can have a bigger, classier Ford S-Max for top-end Mazda5 money.

Richard Bremner

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