Roy Lewis looks beyond the great looks of the Mazda 5 1.8 TS (From Hereford Times)

Roy Lewis looks beyond the great looks of the Mazda 5 1.8 TS

8:30am Sunday 26th June 2011 in Road Tests

IF good looks help sell cars – and I’m sure they do – then Mazda’s mid-size people carrier should have a head start.

The bold and clever styling of the second-generation Mazda 5 is much more attractive than the rather ungainly lines of the old model.

This is thanks to Mazda’s sweeping Nagare design language which incorporates wave-effect creases running along the full length of the MPV. It’s a creative attempt at styling and gives the 5 a striking appearance.

The vehicle is among the best compact MPVs you can buy for the money, especially as it takes people carrier design to new levels.

Its family-oriented features include sliding rear doors which are so useful with the rear seats occupied and in tight parking places. The rear seats are clever, too, with the centre, narrow seat being able to fold out of the way to create an access corridor to the rear seats which fold flat into the floor if you need more boot space.

And the middle row of seats also slide, recline and fold away for extra convenience.

Mazda offers just three engines, a 1-6-litre turbo diesel with 114bhp and 2 petrol units, a 1.8- litre with 115bhp and a new 2.0- litre with 150bhp. Prices go from £18,150 to £21,950 for the diesel.

Cheapest option is the four-cylinder 1.8 mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. It is an excellent allrounder, not only because of its affordability but its good performance and favourable running costs with around 40mpg during everyday driving.

Underway, the good handling of the 5 is very evident. It has carlike driving characteristics and with a well-balanced chassis and retuned suspension settings produces a firm but supple ride. Grip is excellent for an MPV and there is no roll on corners so that the car behaves particularly well for the press-on driver. The improved steering is well-weighted and gives good feedback at speed, though it feels rather woolly pottering around town.

Inside, the cabin is spacious, well thought out and easy to live with, athough there is an abundance of hard-wearing plastic on and around the dash that may not be to everyone’s taste.

But the vehicle is well upholstered and there are top-quality fixtures and fittings. You’ll be impressed by the amount of space and despite its compact size boot capacity is cavernous with the two rear rows of seats folded. And even when they are all up the boot area is still adequate for most families.

Safety features include front and side airbags and a full array of electronic driver aids as standard throughout the range.

There are three trim levels – TS, TS2 and Sport – and each is wellspecified.

The entry -level version is well equipped with air-con, cruise control, alloy wheels, MP3 connectivity, all-round electric windows and heated electric door mirrors. The TS2 has climate control, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers and Bluetooth, and the Sport full leather upholstery and electric rear sliding doors. To aid economy the 2.0-litre has a stop-start system.

AT-A-GLANCE

Mazda 5 1.8 TS Price: £18,150.

Top speed: 113mph.

0-62mph: 12.8 seconds.

Fuel: 39.2mpg (combined figure).

C02 emissions (g/km): 168.

Verdict: Great looks, practical, roomy, well built, car-like drive and good value.