Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £16,245 to £20,295
Stylish shape for a seven-seater, surprisingly fun to drive, roomy and cleverly designed cabin, quiet at speed, sliding rear doors.
Too many hard plastics in the cabin, centre-row middle seat decidedly occasional, seats not removable.
If you want a compact seven-seater with proper rear seats, decent looks and a fair dose of fun-to-drive, the Mazda 5 is that car.
Reliability isn't really an issue, given Mazda's usual prowess here. The main mechanical components and electrical systems are already proven, and Mazda has experience of sliding doors from its larger 'MPV' MPV, no longer sold in the UK.
As for quality, the Mazda 5 is assembled in that foolproof way typical of Japanese cars and has tight and consistent gaps between its body and trim components. The fit of bumper against body is especially neat.
Perceived quality is good in parts: there's little in the way of clonks and resonances, and the Mazda 5 feels solid, but there's too much hard plastic in the cabin at the level where a softer texture would be good - facia top, door cappings and the like. The VW-like grid-textured finish is better than an attempt at leathergrain, though.
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