By Lou Cataldo
The minivan, which only a few years ago was mocked as an old-fashioned, frumpy family hauler, is now making a comeback. This type of vehicle has a very long history, going from the 1930s’ Stout Scarab (widely considered to be the first ever minivan), to a long hiatus in the post-war period, and finally to its heyday of the 80s and 90s. The minivan was a solution to major changes in American family life, which involved more commuting and transporting of children to and from school and extracurricular activities.
The arrival of SUVs and crossovers on the scene, however, proved to be a near-fatal blow for the minivan, whose sales numbers and range of models available dropped sharply from the early 2000s onward. Currently, the only minivans still available to buy new in the US are the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager, and Kia Carnival. In recent years, however, the minivan has had a comeback, with sales going back up and growing interest from automakers. A new high-end model is set to arrive on the market in March: the all-electric Mercedes-Benz VLE-Class, which has already made its debut and is only a few weeks away from going on sale.
What is missing from the current minivan scene, however, is an option for people who are into manual transmissions. The last minivan to be sold in the US with a manual gearbox on board was the third generation of the Mazda5, discontinued just over a decade ago. If you’re shopping for a minivan on the used market, and don’t want to give up the experience of driving with a manual transmission, it could make a fantastic (and affordable) option for you. Let’s take a closer look at its features, its history, and what kind of price range you can expect.
The Third-Generation Mazda5: An Overview
| Mazda 5 (Third Generation) | |
| Engine | 2.5-liter inline-four |
| Power | 157 hp |
| Torque | 163 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 6-speed manual / 5-speed automatic |
| Model Years (US) | 2012–2015 |
The third generation of the Mazda5 was introduced in 2010. With an all-new design based on the Nagare design language, the new Mazda5 was sleeker and more modern than its predecessors, while maintaining the core characteristics of family-friendly practicality and spaciousness.
Practicality, however, was not all the third-gen Mazda5 had to offer. In an unusual move for a minivan, it was offered with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. Other options included a five-speed automatic and a five-speed automatic with a manual mode, only available on some trim levels. Power came from a 2.5-liter inline-four engine, which produced 157 hp (sent to either the front wheels or all four wheels).
Along with its affordable price tag, the manual gearbox and the modernized styling offered an attractive package for drivers with families who still wanted a vehicle with some personality and “fun factor”.
This generation of the model, however, was also the last. Unlike its predecessors, the third-gen Mazda5 did not perform well enough commercially to encourage Mazda to produce a follow-up. In the US market, the Mazda5 was killed off after the 2015 model year, while in Canada it remained on the market until 2017. On a global level, the model was discontinued in 2018, with no direct successor.
Its discontinuation came about during a low period for the minivan, an automotive category which many thought was in terminal decline (but has since gone back on an upwards trajectory). Since minivans have regained some popularity – but few new models are available and none with a manual transmission – many prospective buyers are now looking at the Mazda5 on the used market as a potential option.
The Third-Gen Mazda5 On The Used Market Today
If you’re interested in adding a third-generation Mazda5 to your garage, there are plenty of options on the used market for you to choose from. For vehicles from the start of the model’s production run, with a higher mileage and potentially in a poorer condition, you can get away with paying as little as $4,000, although you might want to set some money aside for repair work a little further down the line.
For vehicles from the end of the production run, with fewer miles on the clock and a better maintenance record, the upper end of the price range sits around $15,000 – still a very good bargain for a family hauler just over 10 years old.
Sources: Mazda
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
