Faults:

Motor in the driver's side window gave out.

General Comments:

I love this car. The only thing that has gone wrong, other than routine maintenance, is the window motor gave out. It has over 185k miles and honestly, I think it is going to start having problems, but at that many miles, what car wouldn't?!

It is a mini-van/mom car, and as such, isn't sporty or cool, but has done its job through 2 teenagers!

Hoping to get the CX9 in the near future.

Faults:

Rust is a huge issue... both rear quarter panels, bottoms of both sliding doors, both front doors, and the black trim between the windows on the doors, and the rear hatch. Our MPV was rustproofed and retreated annually, and kept clean and waxed... but we couldn't keep it rust free. All other MPV owners in our area seem to be dealing with the same issues, even with newer models..

The front wheel bearings were replaced twice. The alternator was replaced by the dealer twice ($750.00 each). Brake discs couldn't be turned and had to be replaced at the first brake job (50k). Repairs tended to be expensive as the Ford drivetrain was crammed into a small compartment.

General Comments:

A compact van with a flexible interior, is easy to park, and it has and great handling. However the 2001 MPV uses a Ford Contour drivetrain which is both sluggish and gets bad mpg (17 city, 20 highway).

Newer models have a bigger 3.0 Litre Ford engine matched with a 5 speed transmission to address acceleration and mpg, but beware... those vehicles have issues with ignition coils on the plugs failing, leading to breakdowns at inopportune times.

Faults:

A little rust on the front window posts.

General Comments:

After 107,000 miles, I can still honestly say that this has been the most reliable car I've ever owned.

It has a little rust, and struggles a little when packed with passengers, but these flaws are minor. It is a very useful van that is a pleasure to drive.

Faults:

The biggest problem is rust on the seams below the sills/rocker panels - these have rusted around each of the jacking points and one jacking point has just perforated three months after the corrosion warranty expired. I am currently negotiating with Mazda Canada to see if they will assist with the repair bill.

Due to frequent trailer towing, the rear shocks also wore out very quickly (at around 40000kms) and had to be replaced.

I have also had to replace the front brake rotors twice which again seems excessive for 65,000 kms of travel.

Dealer service for the MPV has ranged from excellent to awful. It seems to depend on the individual mechanic and Mazda dealerships do not seem to QA the work of their techs closely enough.

General Comments:

The MPV handles well, overall has been reliable and is reasonably compact.

Comfort for tall people is a real issue - the seat cushions are too short to provide adequate leg support and leg room in the middle and rear seat rows is not sufficient.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong at this time, only routine maintenance necessary, and brake pads & shoes replaced once.

General Comments:

This van has exceeded my expectations. I bought it from a dealership, the previous owner was a major car rental chain that had the van serviced every 30 days.

Gas mileage for this van has been 20 in the city, about 28 to 32 on the highway, with the air running.

Acceleration has been quick and easy to handle, no trouble getting on or off exits in tough traffic.

The flip down rear seat is a true bonus, only use it when you need it, and no taking out the seat to store it in a garage if you don't want it.

Comfortable seating, and the ability to slide the captain's chairs over to make a bench seat in the middle is great.