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By Tim Pollard
First Drives
23 June 2010 11:34
Mazda will replace its 5 midi-MPV in autumn 2010 and CAR's just driven the new minivan. The new Mazda 5 (2010) is the first production car to bear the full fruits of the company's much-vaunted 'Nagare' design policy, with some highly unusual sculpting on the flanks.
As you can read in our news story here, that design direction is being wound back after the departure of its champion, design director Laurens van den Acker who defected to Renault. Which makes the Mazda 5 something of a curio: this could end up being the only Mazda to wear its Nagare styling on its sleeve.
Sort of. Don't expect every last nuance of the Nature-inspired Nagare programme to be ditched overnight, but the general feeling is it was too fussy. So cleaner, more elegant, simple designs will be forthcoming, CAR understands.The 5 is quite boxy and, although Mazda touts this as a new model, it is in fact a carryover of the previous 5 under the skin. The glasshouse, roof and basic architecture are all the same as before – just spruced up with some new panels, a new IP on the dashboard and a host of new technology under the bonnet.
The twin sliding rear doors remain, however. They're a real practicality boon, making opening the doors so much safer (they take up just 160mm of space when open). They're electrically operated on higher spec models, or as an optional extra.
It's quite colour and angle sensitive. Those meandering side styling lines work well in some lights, but look fussy from others. It's like the surface entertainment on a Seat cranked up to 11.
While the front end of the 5 is all family-spec Mazda gobby, like on the 3 hatchback, the rear end is less successful. They've ditched the vertical lights on the old midi-MPV and replaced them with chunky, horizontal items that lend the rear aspect a dumpy look.
In fact, spying an outgoing Mazda 5 on the launch made me think this whole design is a massive step backwards.
>> Click 'Next' to read our first drive review of the new 2010 Mazda 5
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Mazda 5 2.0 DISI (2010) CAR review
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Suzie says
RE: Mazda 5 2.0 DISI (2010) CAR review
Always, the aimed of Mazda has to produce the practical vehicles with a good deal more fun than most. The value of the MAZDA5 lies in the ability to menouver into the small spaces like a compact car and still give you room like a vehicle that can fit 6 people should. The Mazda5 reviews here will be a good carsguide for all of the Mazda vehicles.
19 April 2011 06:48
netetrader25 says
I remember the good old days last year, where spammers would at least pop some ASCII art in their comments. Now it's just handbags, trainers and t-shirts. The current generation just have no idea. ------------------ -------------- ┴┬┴┬／￣＼＿／￣＼ ┬┴┬┴▏ ▏▔▔▔▔＼ ┴┬┴／＼ ／ ﹨ ┬┴∕ ／ ） ┬┴▏ ▔█◤ ┴◢██◣ ＼＿＿／ ┬█████◣ ／ ┴█████████████◣ ◢██████████████▆▄ ◢██████████████▆▄ █◤◢██◣◥█████████◤＼ ◥◢████ ████████◤ ＼ ┴█████ ██████◤ ﹨ ┬│ │█████◤ ▏ ┴│ │ ▏ ┬∕ ∕ ／▔▔▔＼ ∕ *∕＿＿_／﹨ ∕ ＼ ／＼ ┬┴┬┴┬┴＼ ＼_ ﹨／ ﹨ ┴┬┴┬┴┬┴ ＼＿＿＿＼ ﹨／
I remember the good old days last year, where spammers would at least pop some ASCII art in their comments. Now it's just handbags, trainers and t-shirts. The current generation just have no idea.
------------------ -------------- ┴┬┴┬／￣＼＿／￣＼ ┬┴┬┴▏ ▏▔▔▔▔＼ ┴┬┴／＼ ／ ﹨ ┬┴∕ ／ ）
┬┴▏ ▔█◤ ┴◢██◣ ＼＿＿／ ┬█████◣ ／ ┴█████████████◣ ◢██████████████▆▄ ◢██████████████▆▄ █◤◢██◣◥█████████◤＼ ◥◢████ ████████◤ ＼ ┴█████ ██████◤ ﹨ ┬│ │█████◤ ▏ ┴│ │ ▏ ┬∕ ∕ ／▔▔▔＼ ∕ *∕＿＿_／﹨ ∕ ＼ ／＼ ┬┴┬┴┬┴＼ ＼_ ﹨／ ﹨ ┴┬┴┬┴┬┴ ＼＿＿＿＼ ﹨／
02 July 2010 12:57
whatfuel says
erm mazda ?any one bought one, had good resale, value for money yet out of any mazda , so sorry but for a mpv its either a ford or vauxhall driven most , diesel galaxy , or 2.0 liter and above zaffira good family hauler with fair resale values just forget the rest if you dont like fords or vauxhalls try the kia sorrent excellent value if you keep it long term , sorry mazdas fall like a stone , and cost the earth to fix . looks awfull to boot.
26 June 2010 17:21
Batty says
I reckon that if you highlighted the Nagare ripples on the side, they'd make some very natty flames- in the hot rod idiom. As for the look, I feel Mr Pollard's description of it being colour and angle sensitive is very valid. I myself have often thought that if I were born a different colour and was more angular I would have far greater aesthetic allure than my flaccid floury form gives me now.
I reckon that if you highlighted the Nagare ripples on the side, they'd make some very natty flames- in the hot rod idiom.
As for the look, I feel Mr Pollard's description of it being colour and angle sensitive is very valid. I myself have often thought that if I were born a different colour and was more angular I would have far greater aesthetic allure than my flaccid floury form gives me now.
24 June 2010 07:27
cloppy says
This is a dreadful update. It looks like the cross between a SsangYong Rodius and a Mazda 3 with the added 'appeal' of the 'nagare' scallops that look like they've been put there by an errant child scraping the side of the car with a wooden spoon. Mazda must do better than this.
23 June 2010 23:17
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