2003 Mazda MPV LX review from North America

Nothing at all.

We bought our 2003 MPV LX in April 2003. It was hail damaged (dealer fixed so it looks great) and we got an amazing deal ($5000 off MSRP).

It is my wife's primarily and she loves it. I also enjoy driving it. The MPV handles very much like a car (like an sport sedan almost) and is very comfortable. No creaks or groans which suggests a stiff chassis (this is good). The 3.0L V6 is an very good engine and has plenty of power for this size of van. My car is a 2001 Maxima so I know what a powerful V6 feels like.

The interior is well laid out and very comfortable. I am impressed with the usable space and especially the fold-into-floor rear bench.

In my opinion it is the best looking van out there (Odyssey and Windstar tie for ugliest).

We rented a 2003 Windstar for 2 weeks a few months after buying the MPV and there was no comparison. The Windstar had very sloppy suspension and felt very heavy. I hated the V6 engine. It's mid range torque was so poor that it is a dangerous engine in my opinion (pulling into traffic on a busy 2 lane highway I was shocked at how slow the van was getting up to speed).

The MPV is best value mini-van out there and is underrated by critics (its seems that size and horsepower is the only thing that impresses auto writers these days). Mazda's are an excellent value and are certainly not Ford's with a Mazda nameplate.

Added bonus: the MPV actually fits in the garage!