Driven: Mazda 5

Plus: If you know about the "Furai" concept... read on. The looks, interior and exterior... yes. Furai all the way. And I like it. The best part is that it really feels like a car! I do have to admit though (after all the Ford and Ford affiliates... ahem... Mazda) that their speedometers actually coincidence with GPS numbers. Haven't seen that enough lately. But I lament from this point on...

Minus: In this day and age... an automatic transmission with only 5 gears... It just felt like an over-sized car... PLUS here... it actually had Toyo tires... made sense with all the grip but still... it felt like the soul was missing. And forget switching the transmission to the auto mode... too much thinking man! Oh and how can I forget... Mazda/Ford.. gas mileage... I couldn't even get 300 miles on one tank! REALLY!?

Overall: It looks good. It is cheap? Is it good value? I don't know... it felt more like an over-sized car than a minivan or SUV. Honestly, I would spend more on the CX7 if I needed more space. Does it drive like a car? Yes. Does it feel like a car? Yes. Does it have enough space? It could use a lot more... this is still a car. Would I recommend it? No. Too bad... I've always liked Mazdas...