The Mazda5 is more utilitarian than fun, but it's more fun to drive than any other minivan.

Using the Mazda5 to run errands is the best part. It tucks into tight parking spaces, thanks in no small part to a turning circle that bests all the competition by several feet. Everyday errands are run with a reasonably clear conscience, and without requiring a home equity loan, thanks to respectable fuel mileage.

From behind the wheel, the Mazda5 is an OK driver. Steering isn't especially precise, but it has good on-center feel and directional stability. For such a relatively tall car, there's little buffeting from crosswinds or passing trucks. The brakes are solid, with communicative pedal feedback.

Throttle tip-in can be a bit more abrupt than expected, especially when accelerating from a stop around a corner. So it won't win NCTD's Best Commuter Car award. But for the most part, engine response is easily managed.

Speaking of engine response, while the Mazda5 is reasonably peppy with a couple people belted in, load it up with a weekend's worth of yard stuff or with another couple for a night on the town, and acceleration gets a little sluggish. There's still enough torque to get everything underway with relative ease, but beyond that, evidence of strain emerges. Planning ahead is required for merging onto a freeway or for passing on a two-lane road. All that mass also explores the brakes' limits and shifts the car's balance around, converting evasive moves into exciting moments. Even unloaded, quick left-right-left transitions are best taken no faster than socially responsible rates of travel.

The shift lever for the automatic transmission glides confidently through its gate. The automatic's manual shift mode is faithful to the concept, holding the selected gear regardless of engine speed. Push up to shift down, push down to shift up. The five-speed manual is definitely not a sporty gearbox, requiring careful aiming for gear selection. Clutch engagement is smooth, and pedal take up is neither too light nor too heavy. The five-speed automatic transmission increases fuel economy versus last year's four-speed automatic. It also works seamlessly through the gears. With the automatic, the Mazda5 is EPA-rated at 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. With the manual, those numbers are 22/28.

Road noise is not especially intrusive, no more so, certainly, than in the Ford Taurus X. Suspension activity is more noticeable, with sharp pavement breaks resonating directly into the cabin, in part due to weight savings that bring the Mazda5 in well under the Taurus X's two tons.

© 2008 NewCarTestDrive.com