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Flexible Mazda5 Combines Minivan, Wagon Elements

 

The Mazda5, a compact seven-passenger people mover, will be sold in 2005 in the United States.

 

 

At a museum housing antique carnival rides and games, Japanese automaker Mazda unveiled in dramatic fashion the innovative Mazda5 to its invited guests the evening before the opening of press days at the Paris International Motor Show.

 

Flying trapeze artists dressed in sparkling silver leotards performed their daring act just as the curtains were drawn back to reveal the silver Mazda.

 

The Mazda5, being launched globally at the Paris show and replacing the Premacy minivan in Japan, is a compact seven-passenger people mover that goes on sale in Europe to take on the popular Renault Megane Scenic and the Opel Zafira, neither of which are sold in the United States.

 

However, Mazda also plans to sell it in 2005 in the United States to compete against an anticipated model from Honda.

 

Based on the MX-Flexa concept, the Mazda5 is Ford?s further expansion of its flexible C1 platform, used also for the redesigned Volvo S40 and V50, the European version of the Ford Focus and Focus C-Max, and the Mazda3. (Mazda and Volvo are part of the Ford family.)

 

On the outside, the Mazda5 looks like a combination of a small wagon and a minivan.

 

Mazda designers say the Mazda5 was designed from the inside out to deliver high levels of interior comfort and flexibility within its small dimensions. It offers what Mazda describes as 6+1 seating with a flexible space in the center position, plus two sliding side doors. Added to three rows of two seats ? enough room for six adults ? is the possibility of unfolding a seventh seat or a practical storage box from the outer second-row seats. The second-row seats slide and can be tilted. Both the second- and third-row seats can be folded to create a large loading area with a virtually flat floor behind the front seats.

 

On the exterior, two large minivanlike sliding doors and a large rear liftgate make it easy to load people and items.

 

The Mazda5 also is well equipped with sound, including a newly developed hard disk drive audio system (offered only in some markets) that stores between 300 and 500 CDs. The rear-seat entertainment system features a DVD player and a ceiling-mounted video screen.

 

In global markets, four engines are available ? two gasoline (a 1.8- and 2.0-liter) and two diesel. Only gasoline engines will be offered in the United States.

 

Safety features include antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and Dynamic Stability Control. Side curtain-type airbags cover all three rows.

 

U.S. specifications and pricing have not yet been announced.