Price. Appearance.

Very poor build quality. Expect to have a lot of trouble.

Actually, this is a shining new 2005 Mazda MPV. I guess this site is not updated for this year yet since the latest model year is 2004. I bought this brand new Mazda MPV at Long Beach Mazda 21 days ago on March 1st, 2005 at a price of 17000 after 4000 cash rebate. I did a detailed research on the internet before I decided on the model. Carreviews.com is one of my most visited site and I read all the reviews on Mazda MPV before I took the dive. The reasons: 1. Cheap, 2. it is a Japanese car which supposed to be "reliable". Well, I am starting to feel this is a wrong decision. After 6 days we took the car home, the "check engine light" (or CEL) is on when I was driving on the highway. I took it right back to the dealor and they took a whole morning to pull the codes and check the connections. They found nothing wrong and send us home. Then yesterday again on the highway, the "O/D off" light (over-drive off) was flashing which according to Mazda is an indication of an electrical problem in the transmission and can cause damage to the vehicle if we continue to drive. So we pulled off and restarted the engine. The light went off. Being a honda owner, I know what "care free" means. Now, I dont expect the same thing on the Mazda MPV. I expect to get it into the dealor every month and waste a half day there then be sent back home knowing nothing is found. False alarm? How many more times it will be turned on before it turns into a true alarm and break down on the highway? My advise: "Dont Buy".

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Honda, Toyota.

Comfortable,entertainment system is good,handles more like a car and turns like a car then a van.

Engine makes weird noise at random times.

Wow we have had this car longer then I was able to drive it, and it still runs good. A year ago the van broke down but all we needed was some jumper cables and it worked fine and never broke down since. There is a problem with the hood fo the van and the paint cracking. The dealership guy did a horrible job and the paint cracked 3 months later again. There is a problem with the CD player it doesnt read cds anymore. the stereo is good for a minivan. The driving and handling is good also.

Comfortable, nice ride, seems to have more room than other minivans. Good for around 60,000 miles

Costly repairs that should not be happening on a $20,000+ minivan.

We bought this car new. It was a great car up to about 50,000 miles. That's when the $500 alternator needed to be replaced. Why is it located right next to the right front wheel? And no protective shroud to block some of the road slime? Tire replacement: Make sure that the guy putting your wheels back on has the torgue set correctly on that air tool. If it's set too high, your rotors will warp and will need to be turned. Engine light: This is where the real fun begins. We complained of this strange noise the engine would make on cold days. Sounds like a sick Duck. The dealer checked it out and insured us that there was no problem. On a real cold day, the engine light came on. The dealer reads the error codes and finds Spark plugs, Wires, catalytic converter, oxygen sensors need to be replaced. Also, the intake manifold needs to be decarboned and fuel injectors cleaned. Total is around $3000. This might fix it. They are not sure. ?

Style, handling, visibility, price (zero percent financing), ground clearance, comfort, safety (ABS, traction control, side air bags, 5-star crash ratings). Salesman was very professionnal.

The most common complaint is the gearshift lever obstructing the radio power button. Not a big deal. Other weakness I noticed...if driver is over six feet tall and likes a stretched-out driving position, he (she) may not have sufficient leg room. Less interior room than competitors...great for four-to-six-member families but if you frequently travel long distances with seven people, you will need a roof box.

After much research, I had narrowed down my choice to three mini-vans: MPV, Odyssey, Sienna. Siennas are packaged in such a way that, in order to get a simple roof rack, you MUST buy the mid-scale LE instead of the base CE, a $5420 (Cdn) price increase. A marketing ploy to get you to spend more than you would like to. Toyota also has the highest interest rate for purchase or lease. Pass... The Odyssey was nice, but it would not fit in an average single-car garage like mine unless you completely emptied the garage, hardly plactical. Also, it does not have roll-down windows and the styling is dated. Second-highest interest rate on lease or purchase, pass... The MPV I bought is Steel Blue metallic with the GFX package, dual power sliding doors, dual air, upgraded stereo, ABS, traction control, front side air bags and gorgeous 17" wheels. Having already gone on an extended trip with my family, I can tell you this car is an absolute blast to drive. It handles quite well, it's extremely quiet on the highway at any speed (careful...150 KPH can sneak up on you before you know it!). Visibility in all directions is the best in the class. Seats are extremely confortable, although the rear bench is really intended for 3 children or two adults, not three adults. All 7 seats offer ample leg and head room. A/C is excellent, stereo is very good (but not excellent) and the rear seat can be folded down by an 8-year-old. Once done, there is ample space. Bonus, the MPV has excellent ground clearance, as I discovered driving on the extremely rough road to our cottage. Bonus, if you get the 17" wheels, there is an extra half-inch ground clearance. Who needs an SUV?

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1996 Ford Windstar

No body rust, comfortable front seats.

Unreliable for a Japanese vehicle.

Very disappointed in this vehicle's reliability, which doesn't measure up to expectations with Japanese vehicles. Purchased this MPV new in 1992, and neighbor bought a Plymouth Voyager at same time. Chose the Mazda despite the fact that it did not have air bags and cost about $1,000 more than comparably equipped Plymouth or Dodge vans. Vehicle has been garaged, had oil changes and maintenance at recommended intervals. Recall on antilock brakes. Then dealer dropped Mazda franchise due to poor sales and sold Toyotas only. Nearest Mazda dealer about 40 miles away and inconvenient to any public transportation. Beginning about 60,000 miles, many problems began to surface. Head gasket began to leak oil. Timing belt needed replacement. Frequent brake pad and rotor work despite the fact that I am a prudent driver. Excessive exhaust despite taking car for tuneup. Computer needed replacement. Dome light burned hot and required frequent fuse replacement. At 80,000 miles, dangerous sticking accelerator which required a valve of some sort to be replaced by Mazda dealer. Took two weeks to get the part. Meanwile, neighbor with more than 120,000 miles on his Plymouth Voyager has had minimal problems and repairs. Mazda just doesn't measure up to competitors Toyota and Honda for quality.

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2000 Honda Odyssey Van - wonderful 1981 Toyota Corolla and 2002 Camry - superb

Love the look, rides like a car not a truck, and is just the right size.

Not much pick up. Check engine light??

I purchased a 2000 MPV with only 30k miles on it. The dealer reconditioned it to like brand new. I am very happy with it. It is a great size for us (family of 4). It is comfortable and I like the fact that it drives like a car - not a truck. I have been looking at these vans for years and am so happy we finally have one. The one drawback - if there has to be one - is that it does not have a lot of pick up. Not always good at getting up to speed on the highway. Wanted to know if anyone has had a problem with the check engine light coming on? Mine keeps coming on and registers a small evap leak - which they say is the gas cap. That's already been replaced twice. Anyone have any ideas? Not causing any problems - just shouldn't happen. Love my van...

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none

Middle window rolldown.Great on interstate.

Transmission hanging up or hesitating around 2nd & 3rd gear.

Just bought couple weeks ago & am pleased except for transmission seems to be hanging up in 20-40 mph range.Have noticed other reviews stating same problem & am concerned about it.Will keep eye on it & probly contact dealer

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voyager;aerostar

The sporty look and the way it handles. The accelloration from the line. The folding seats. The over all room. The radio controls on the steering wheel.

None so far

I loved this van when I saw the side door windows roll down. I had never seen such a feature on a minivan. Standard minivans don't have that feature. It handles like a dream. Yes! This is my first minivan so I wanted to know how the Mazda MPV stood up to the so called famous names of minivans. I have noticed that most of the reviews talk about transmission problems. Thanks for that and I will be asking the Mazda mechanic about this on Monday. I will keep you updated on this vehicle. I only plan to keep this vehicle for a year so I pray that nothing major happens.

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Never purchased a Mazda before.

Roomy and handles well. Local dealer is trying to fix problems, but w/o success. time for Mr. Mazda to step up.

See above re transmission and brake problems. My wife is reluctant to drive it--safety concern.

Purchased in 5/03. Since then have had recurring transmission shifting problems. Been to the dealer multiple times w/o permanent correction. Last month had TCM module changed. Some help, but not complete solution. Also have noisy brakes-- occasional metal on metal sound. Not corrected. QUESTION: Has anyone had Mazda buyback an MPV or other vehicle either under Lemon Law or otherwise? Would appreciate benefit of your experience. Email me at fmabry@email.com. Thanks.

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Still have my 1988 Mazda truck, which has been very reliable. One of the reasons we bought the MPV.

Very solid vehicle. Drives nice, easy accessibility for the kids, responsive.

Trans. issue that was resolved at no cost to me.

This review is to add to Backwardsbob posting. We purchased a new MPV van in the fall 2003, and love everything about it except for the nagging shift problems from 2nd to 3rd gear. I called the dealer about different reviews that I read on this site about other drivers with the same problem. He looked into it and found a TSB ( technical service bulletin ) from Mazda on how to correct this problem. The dealership reprogrammed the transmission and it has been fine ever since. I have no problems with this van at this point and would recommend it to anyone. I don't even mind the extra long gear shift. I control the volume from the steering wheel anyway.

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1986 Mazda 323. Very little problems with that car.