Got this in my e-mail. Thought people might be interested although I am not.

It isn’t easy running off in a dozen different directions. Unless your ride is as capable and versatile as you are. Like the innovative, all-new MAZDA5. Its sleek, stylish design fuses spirited performance and surprising agility with flexible 3-row seating and sliding rear doors. Better still, its sensible size accommodates three couples or a couple of mountain bikes as easily as it handles kids, pets and cargo.

http://www.adm02.com/mazda/mz5launch...l_id=213301_15 Click there and we’ll keep you updated as information is unveiled.

Don Romano
Vice President, Marketing
Mazda North American Operations

 

Barf!

 

Here's some more on the small van. Not my cup of tea, but a good alternative to oversized vans.

http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000310026668/

 

The US needs more of these. Personally, if I had to have a utilitarian/people carrier, I would prefer it to be small so I could at least try and still enjoy driving it.

 

These mini people carriers are all the rage in Europe. Most of the major manufacturers have one in their model line up. They call them monospace. Don't know why they're not sold in N.America.

 

Is this replacing the MPV?

 

No. The MPV is going to grow in size and this will be sold along side as a smaller offering.

 

The Mazda5 is a replacement for the Protege5. It's basically a Mazda3 wagon. Think of how cool if would be to put in an after market turbo in and then pull up next to a soccer mom in her minivan at a stop light and rev it up :D .