What IS the Mazda5, Anyhow?

FYF

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I've taken to telling people it's a "Not Exactly".

It's not exactly a station wagon, it's not exactly a minivan, it's not exactly a sporty-ish midsize sedan, it's a Not Exactly.

What do you call it? (scratch)

Heheheh...
 
If your folks had a station wagon when you grew-up, you'd rather not call it a station wagon.
If your folks had a minivan when you grew-up, you'd rather not call it a minivan.
It could be a microvan, but it is a station wagon. Only the sliders would argue for calling it something else, and that would have to end in van.
It definitely is a way for many to postpone a real minivan for just a little longer.
 
Well.. how about a new acronym: SMV: Sport Mini Van.

I have though off and on and the 5 is truly a minivan as it was conceived in the early Chrysler days. What we call Minivans now, should really be considered car-based full sized vans.

Also, looking at the current trend "hatchbacks" are getting more upright (suspiciously wagon-like in fact), so it could be a Sport Hatch in the vein of the original Rabbit/Golf GTi.

If nothing else it's a d@$! nice car for the $$! Finally I can have a driving machine and family car without the guilt (or price tag of a BMW)
 
I'm callin' mine a Party Wagon! (when I finally get one..hahaha!)

P.S. Where are you guys getting all the smiley icons?
 
The original Dodge Caravan was nothing more than a K-car with a raised roof.

Today's minivans are equivalent -- a Camry with a raised roof.

A full-sized van can pull 6000 lbs with the little engine and 10000 lbs with the big engine. Even the short full size vans have 90 cubic feet more cargo volume than a Sienna. The long ones have the cargo volume of two Siennas.

So the progression: [Mazda5, Sienna, E150]
corresponds to: [microvan, minivan, van]
if the term van is in your description of the Mazda5.

It is noted that the Mazda5 is remarkably close in dimensions to the original Dodge Caravan.
 
I'm callin' mine a Party Wagon! (when I finally get one..hahaha!)

P.S. Where are you guys getting all the smiley icons?

That sounds like the 70's Show LOL

Smilies should appear to your right when you reply, but a full list is here:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/misc.php?do=getsmilies&editorid=vB_Editor_001

It is noted that the Mazda5 is remarkably close in dimensions to the original Dodge Caravan.

You don't say :)

Interestingly, the first-ever mainstream minivan in North America, the Dodge Caravan, was roughly the same size. More than two decades later, the Mazda5 keeps the spirit alive in a market that's continuously evolving. It's almost as if the pendulum had gone a full swing and come back to its initial spot...

inline-comparo.jpg
Mazda5-Comparison-chart-i001.jpg


Source: http://www.auto123.com/en/mazda/5/2008/review?carid=1083900302&artid=97366&pg=1
 
There is a certain stigma associated with minivan and probably Mazda is doing its best to avoid that classification, but in reality that is probably the best description.

1. It's truly a minivan since all of the current MVs are massive in size and no longer should be considers "mini"

2. It has rear sliding doors which definitely puts it in the van category (rather than a station wagon).
 

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