Review: 2006 Mazda Mazda5 Touring
With the possible exceptions of cocktail weenies and midget wrestling, miniaturized versions of consumables have rarely caught on in America. This certainly holds true for small minivans. For Americans, the past logic seems to have been as such: "If I'm going to buy a minivan and suffer from its associated stigmas, I might as well buy one that provides the most room, practicality and features." That logic has, alas, led to automakers building ever bigger, thirstier and more expensive minivans. So we see a small opening of opportunity for the Mazda 5. It will work best as a niche vehicle, something well suited for those needing something to schlep a young family around town and haul the occasional ficus plant back from Home Depot. For what Mazda intends it for, the 5 works quite well. This is the vehicle that puts "mini" back into "minivan."
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