2012 Mazda5 GT Review

2012 Mazda5 GT Review
by Michel Deslauriers / Auto123.com

We’ve all heard this one before. When a product is a commercial success, you shouldn’t mess with it. Some things can go on forever without change, but some others must look and feel new without straying away from the original concept.

Mazda didn’t make the 5 bigger or change it drastically, which is good. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

The reasons people bought a Mazda5 are obvious: today’s conventional minivans are now too big, too expensive and consume too much fuel. And let’s not forget that people don’t want to be seen driving one.

A Mazda5, in contrast, is what you might call a microvan. It offers room for six, it drives like a normal car, and is equipped with a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine. All that for a reasonable price. Okay, it still looks a little like a minivan.

For the aforementioned reasons, the 2012 Mazda5 represents an evolution rather than a clean-sheet redesign. The company resisted making it bigger or changing it drastically in a way that would leave returning customers stranded.

Visually, the 5 retains the same basic shape but gains new sheetmetal. The microvan’s flanks benefit from Mazda’s Nagare design language and boast soft, wavy creases that extend from the front doors to the taillights. The latter are no longer mounted on the rear pillars, which tones down the minivan appearance a little.

The front fascia also sports the now-famous Mazda grin and character lines that flow from below the grille opening up above the front wheel wells. The rear bumper now includes a dark overlap for some extra sportiness. The distinction with the 2010 model (there’s no 2011) isn’t breathtaking, but the car’s styling is a welcome upgrade.

The front fascia also sports the now-famous Mazda grin. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

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