This spring break Dave and I surprised the kids with a trip to Florida. My in-laws, their grandparents, invited us down to their house in the Fort Meyers area for a week. Kora & Logan were so excited to get on a plane and get out of the chilly Michigan weather. We had a great trip and we were able to relax under blue skies, sunshine, and palm trees.
While there we did a lot of sightseeing and traveling with the family so I was happy to be given the chance to test drive for a week, the Mazda5 Grand Touring.
We’ve been in the market for a vehicle with 3 rows because back here in Michigan we live near Kora & Logan’s cousins and there are lots of times where we want to go somewhere without having to take two cars. I was excited when I learned that the Mazda5 Grand Touring had a 3rd row and we had a chance to test it out while tooling around town in Fort Meyers.
It may seem odd to start a vehicle review from the back but since this is a top priority feature for us as well as for many other families out there, I wanted to show off the amount of space it offers as well as how easy it is to fold the seats flat and to put them into place again.
Here’s a video that gives you a closer look at those features.
I was happy that both passenger doors on the Grand Touring slid open because it made it easier to climb into the back. I sat back there a few times and found it cozy and fairly comfortable. As an adult I couldn’t road trip back there for hours but it wasn’t a problem for our jaunts around the area. It’s roomy enough for the kids and they love sitting in the 3rd row and it was their seats of choice whenever they had a chance.
As you can see in the video there is a good amount of cargo space even when the 3rd row is in place.
Once you lay the seats flat you have plenty of room for luggage or groceries or items from the hardware store. You can see how it looks with the seats flat in the video above.
Now that I’ve covered the back here’s a look at the rest of the vehicle along with other features that stood out.
The ride was nice and smooth and, when needed, the pickup was good. It drove a bit like a compact car, we were able to move in and out of traffic easily and liked that we didn’t take up a lot of space on the road. We drove to and from the airport and all around the Fort Meyers area and enjoyed our time in the Mazda5.
The 2nd row captain’s chairs were spacious and comfortable.
We also greatly appreciated the 2nd row cool air vents in the Florida heat. It reached 90 degrees at some points and we were thankful for a way to pump the a/c into the back two rows.
As for the front, the steering wheel had lots of easy to use buttons so you don’t have to take your hands off to control the radio, temperature, etc.
The dashboard was clear and easy to read.
The center console was simple and a it old-fashioned. Honestly I was surprised to see no display screen and no backup camera. While we have neither in our vehicles at home now, a display screen and backup camera are becoming quite standard these days so it felt odd to drive a 2015 vehicle without either. However, it reminded us of home and while I do love these amenities, they often come at a price and if you are saving money these are features you may find you can manage without.
The center storage area offered space for multiple cups and other odds and ends.
There was a cute little shelf over the glove compartment that we found to be a perfect place for a temporary holding station for our sea shells.
The sunroof in the front was magnificent. With views like this we were able to enjoy every angle of our vacation.
I recommend the Mazda5 Grand Touring to anyone looking for an affordable vehicle with 3 rows. The sticker sheet I received for the vehicle we drove came in at $25,640. I’m guessing even that is a little high because it mentioned a few features we didn’t have. This vehicle is great for families who need a 3rd row, for those who need the extra cargo space, and for those who are looking for the versatility of a minivan and the agility of a compact car.
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Thanks for the review, we bought a Mazda 3 about 6 months ago. We have enjoyed it so much. We went to the mountains of Tennesse and when we were coming home the passage between NC and TN was blocked so we went around. But we just kept driving ended up in Colorado and continued to 12 states. We were so happy that we got 36+ miles gallon. Happy Happy. We love ours. We didn’t go with all the extras, like backup camera and computer. But we Love that we have the warning lights/sound on the rear mirrors so if you get to close to someone it beeps and flashes. I think everyone should have these on their car. I still have my Jeep Cherokee, but I didn’t really like the new Jeeps so we just went with a car we both loved. Good luck on your car hunting, but also I heard that 3rd row seats are being taken from cars they just break the back window out and take it. So if you do go with a 3rd row seat just be aware. It was on TV, so you can probably look it up. Have a great week. Karen