2001 Mazda MPV LX review from North America

A rear seatbelt became stuck, but was immediately fixed by the dealer.

The MPV gives the most value of any of the minivans that I tested or rented (Windstar, Quest, Caravan), and has features that aren't even available at any price by them. The rear seat folds flat with the floor in about 10 seconds and the middle seats can slide apart to form captain's chairs or together to form a bench seat. The sliding doors have power windows that open past halfway.

I've read reviews that said the engine is underpowered and noisy. With over a year driving this van I can tell you that the power is more than adequate for my uses even when I've had every seat filled, and it is only a little loud under full acceleration. It is as quiet as the other vans when cruising on the freeway. The gas mileage could be better though, It is about the same as the other higher powered minivans.

I am very pleased with the overall quality of this vehicle. The sound system is very good, It has plenty of small storage spaces for the inevitable clutter that finds its way into vans. Nothing rattles yet. One thing that really impressed me since I have two 7 year olds was that the seats don't seem to stain. They've spilled sodas and juices on the velour seats and when I wipe it up you can't tell something was even spilled!

The MPV is a little smaller than the Windstar on the inside, but I like that I can maneuver it into smaller parking spaces. It also drives more like a car than the others, it doesn't feel like a much larger vehicle.

All in all, I would very much recommend this vehicle to anyone with kids that needs some extra space, especially since even with its features it was the lowest priced minivan by a large margin over every minivan except the KIA Sedona, which was about the same price.