Car Test
|
R0245 | |
|
July 2002 |
||
| First Drive | Mazda MPV | |
| Printer Friendly Page | Featured model: 2.0 Diesel | |
|
WHEN was the last time you saw a Mazda MPV – and would you have recognised it, anyway? Well, quite. It’s probably the most disregarded people carrier in the business. Which is why Mazda has set about giving its under-achieving seven-seater not only a makeover but a higher profile, too.
Even so, the revisions are subtle. Look hard and you might spot styling tweaks to the stiffer body, but under-the-skin changes are equally underwhelming – until you come to the engines, that is. In place of the old two-litre petrol power unit, there’s now a new, all-alloy 2.3 that’s as smooth as it is swift, thanks to a sump-mounted balancer shaft. The bigger seller, however, is likely to be the new and most impressive two-litre common-rail turbo-diesel. There’s just a trace of tremor at around 1300rpm, but thereafter it’s smooth and refined, with a really eager thrust of acceleration from 1800rpm to the 4500 red line. It’s affable in town, too, aided by a positive gearchange, and quiet and refined on a motorway, thanks to its long-striding top gear. Although it lacks the suppleness of Toyota’s Previa, the MPV rides well on the firmed-up suspension. Nevertheless, it makes clear its dislike of potholes and transverse ridges with a thumpy reaction. Cornering roll isn’t excessive and the steering is light and easily manageable; pity is suffers from vagueness around the straight-ahead position, though. The shiny carbon fibre-effect facia contains big instruments and large well-sited controls for both the audio and heater/air conditioning. The steering has only height adjustment, but the driver’s seat has front and rear cushion tilt, so it’s possible to find a comfortable position. All round vision is clear only when the head restraints are tilted or removed. Sliding side doors are a boon in traffic and give easy entry and egress, especially to those in the centre row. These passengers sit on three sliding and reclining seats with good kneeroom and ample headroom. Two adults in the rearmost seats aren’t too badly off on short journeys, provided they’re not too lanky and don’t wear size 12s. The five removable back seats don’t do any clever Zafria-style party tricks, but if you play musical chairs with them, the MPV offers innumerable options, from a seven-seater minibus with virtually no luggage space, to a two-seater, open-plan cargo carrier. |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
