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New Cars 2006 Mazda MPV ES Reviews

Lets face it, the competition in the Minivan market is intense. Between the Kia Sedona, Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna, Dodge/Plymouths, Honda, Ford and others, its a crowded market.
Look at the Sedona, front end looks like the Honda. The Sienna is big and unwieldy, but well built.

The Mazda had all the features we wanted. Dual power sliding doors, leather, towing, etc.
Now, keep in mind, the Mazda isnt the best in any given area. Its not the fastest and most powerful (look at the Sedona with 244 hp vs 200), nor the most torque. It doesnt have all the creature comforts of the Honda and Toyota. It isnt the biggest (Grand Caravan).

Then, look at what it is. It is a small minivan. It doesnt look like a minivan, and doesnt feel like one. It doesnt seem like a minivan when you sit in the front seats. Its just a great overall package.

After looking at everything listed above, we instantly fell for the MPV. It has quick throttle response, configurable second row, nice looking interior, better looking outside, better than average warranty, and dual sliding power doors. The comfort level is good. Second row has good leg room (I am 61", 220 lbs).

The back seat is a little small, but most are. It is a bench seat, not the 60/40 split as most are. But the rear seat moves in and out of the storage location easily. It took me and the salesguy at Toyota a few moments to get the seat back up on the Sienna.

Although it is smaller than most of the others, that is a benefit. It is about 11 inches shorter than the major competition, but that bodes well in parking lots and general suburbia driving.

Favorite Features

Dual sliding doors, power roof, rear heat, rear AC, 6 disk in dash changer, DVD player, and leather seats. My 4 year old can listen to the movie on the DVD player with her wireless head phones and I get to still listen to the radio. Either brand you choose, make sure you get that option.

Interior Design and Special Features

The interior is equipped with three rows of seating for seven passengers. The second and third rows can be reconfigured for multiple seating arrangements. The second row features two comfortable captains chairs that have their own flip-up armrests. The right-side second-row captains chair can be released by a handle, allowing it to slide along tracks to meet up flush with the other seat, creating a bench. Both second-row seats are removable. For maximum convenience, the third-row seat easily folds flat into the floor.

Safety

Four-wheel antilock disc brakes are standard on all models, while traction control and side airbags for front occupants are standard on the ES, optional on the LX and not available on the LX-SV. Full-length side curtain airbags and stability control are not available on any MPV. In government crash tests, the Mazda MPV earned a perfect five-star rating in all front- and side-impact categories. In frontal-offset crash testing conducted by the IIHS, the MPV received an "Acceptable" rating (the second highest out of four).

Powertrains and Performance

The MPV comes with a 200-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6 paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity is 3,000 pounds with the optional four-seasons driving package. EPA estimates are 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

Driving Impressions

Nicely weighted steering and a compact size makes the 2006 Mazda MPV easy to maneuver on tight city streets, but vans like the Odyssey, Caravan and the new Mazda 5 offer sportier handling. The 3.0-liter V6 provides adequate acceleration in most situations but is quite noisy under heavy acceleration. Those who plan to carry heavy passenger loads or tow a trailer should consider competing vans, all of which can be had with larger engines. Additionally, the MPVs five-speed automatic transmission is often indecisive, hampering acceleration efforts with early upshifts and late downshifts.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The Mazda MPV is a four-door, seven-passenger minivan with three available trims: LX-SV, LX and ES. The base LX-SV comes with 15-inch steel wheels, dual manual-sliding doors with roll-down windows and a CD player. The LX adds 16-inch alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted stereo controls. A power driver seat, side airbags for front occupants and traction control are options. Step up to the ES trim and you get 17-inch wheels, dual power-sliding doors, privacy glass, leather upholstery, an upgraded nine-speaker sound system with an in-dash CD changer and a separate rear air conditioner. Many of these features are optional on the LX. A DVD-based rear entertainment system and a sunroof are also available as options on both the LX and ES.

Auto-trex Advice:

Minivans are supposed to be functional and useful but as dull as dirt, right? Not the 2006 Mazda MPV. Its V6 engine isnt overly powerful but its handling and steering lend a bit of driving excitement to the more mundane minivan tasks. Our main concerns with the MPV are that its interior isnt as roomy as other mainstream minivans (though we like the MPVs tidy exterior dimensions) and it lacks the latest key safety equipment like stability control and side curtain airbags.

Side curtain airbags would be a big help, since the IIHS gave the MPV a poor rating in side-impact crash tests. Since safety weighs heavily for many minivan buyers, the 2006 Mazda MPV is certainly at a disadvantage in the marketplace.