Mazda5 2005-2010 - Used Car Review

0/5

€26,595 - €30,795

I’ve always said it. I am a Mazda fan. Their cars, for the most part, are stylish. I’ve never had any major problems with one, and they seem to be reliable enough. I personally feel that they are under-rated as a car and this is reflected in the fact that there aren’t really that many of them on the road when you compare them to the likes of Toyota, or even Nissan. Maybe it’s their pricing structure from new, possibly they are overly priced. I’m not sure.

In this week’s used car report we are looking at the Mazda5, a spacious 7-seater family wagon with a lot to offer. We are looking at the generation which was on our roads between 2005 and 2010. Previously the Mazda5 was called “Premacy” and is still referred to as the Mazda Premacy in Japan.

Positives
There are many good features to this car, especially for those of you with young children and growing families. The car comes with rear sliding doors, which makes getting those baby seats in and out child’s play. This is a seven-seater, and when you put down the two rear seats the boot-space on offer is remarkable. The second row seats are on rails, which again add to the boot-space if required.

The kids will be happy with your choice too, because the Mazda5 offers nice comfort to the rear as well as tables attached to the back seats.

The front cabin is basic enough but there is plenty of space. If you are looking at a basic model you will expect to find cd, stereo, etc, as standard, but there is little more. If you’re lucky enough to find a second hand model which was initially bought fully loaded you can of course expect to find much more.

Negatives
A lot of this vehicle borrows its technology from the Mazda3, which means that it is sturdy enough. On researching this vehicle I found that some people had difficulties with suspension issues. Linked to this I’ve also come across complaints on how quickly the front tyres of the Mazda5 wear down with people saying they only last 10,000 miles, which to be honest I would not consider being terrible. Past owners of the Mazda5 also complain about the tracking in the vehicle, there is a tendency for the vehicle to pull to the right or the left and some owners who I have spoken to claim that when the fix it on one side it starts pulling to the other very soon after.

Another item which I have come across in connection with this vehicle is rattles. Apparently there are quite a few of them. Owners of older models also advise potential owners to keep a keen eye on oil levels.

The CBG.ie verdict
Overall the majority of issues I came across were to do with models from late 2005 and throughout 2006. None of the problems I have come across however seem to be massive. Most owners I have read-up on have given positive feedback on the vehicle and any owners I have personally contacted seem happy enough with the vehicle. Remember; when you’re buying a second hand car you do often get what you pay for. Cars do deteriorate with age and therefore you should expect to find some wear and tear.