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Janine-Lee Gordon

THE WORD fun would probably not cross your mind if you had to think of your first impression of the Mazda5. But it is a car that stirs up so much emotion and pleasure while driving it.

At first I thought I was not going to enjoy driving around in a car that resembled a mommy-taxi, but then I remembered that the Mazda5 2.0 Active was a SA Car of The Year finalist this year.

I had the chance to test drive a stormy blue Mazda5 2.0-litre Individual model and as I had some friends visiting from Cape Town over the public holidays, I made sure I put it to proper test as a multipurpose vehicle (MPV). It turned out to be a great people carrier.

Mazda products are generally stylish and the car recently had a minor face-lift. It has a reshaped front grille surrounding a more defined five-point shape with a honeycomb mesh to finish it off.

The front bumper is also different with an integrated spoiler for improved air-flow. The Individual model is the range topper and features LED rear-light clusters.

The highlight of this car most definitely has to be the sliding passenger doors on both sides. I simply could not get enough of them.

These doors are a great practical feature as they enable passengers to enter and alight from the MPV in tight spaces without having to worry about damaging the car. My garage is not very wide and I found the sliding doors useful when I had to remove groceries or items lying about.

The sliding rear doors now have electrically powered operation as standard on the Individual derivative and the seven-seat Karakuri versatility system remains unchanged.

My friends and I decided to go out for the day last Sunday and I convinced them to leave their cars behind and to drive with me. Six friends and two big picnic cooler boxes later we were on our way.

My passengers were ecstatic about the drop-down trays which fold back behind the driver and passenger seats, while those right at the back were thrilled about the cup holders for their cold drinks. Even though the car was packed, there was more than enough space for everyone to sit comfortably.

Another friend surprised us from Cape Town and had to catch a lift home with us, making a total of seven people in the car, including myself. I still don’t know if people kept staring at us on the road because we all looked so happy in the car or if onlookers were amazed at the good-looking mini-taxi.

Even the officers from the Johannesburg Metro Police Department felt the need to pull me over thrice in roadblocks on my way to work in less than a week – but I suspect they just wanted to get a closer look at the car (wink, wink).

The interior also had an upgrade with better materials and equipment levels. The Mazda5 has been fitted with electric mirrors and windows, air conditioning, a radio/CD player with MP3 compatibility and an auxiliary audio jack. The six-disc CD-shuttle, leather trim and cruise control now come as standard on the Individual model.

Driving the car is nothing but pleasure and you can’t help singing that vroom-vroom tune while driving. The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine has been upgraded and kicks out 107kW of power and has a peak torque of 185Nm. The revised engine includes an electronic throttle. It reaches zero to 100km/h in 10.2 seconds with a top speed of 196km/h.

The most significant mechanical upgrade has been the introduction of a six-speed manual gearbox to replace the five-speed version, which adds flexibility while improving economy. The gear ratios are quite close and I enjoyed the throaty sound of the gearbox, making the car feel almost sporty. The claimed fuel consumption on a combined cycle is 8.2-litres/100km with a fuel tank capacity of 60 litres.

Safety features includes an anti-lock brake system, electronic brake assist and electronic brake distribution as well as dynamic stability and traction control.

The Mazda5 2.0 Individual is priced at R246 990 with the service plan included in the price.

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