Mazda MPV - A big guy's impression

My wife and I were those people who thought they would never drive a mini-van (well more my wife than I). With 2 young children under 3, the family sedan (Accord) was running out of space with 2 carseats + all the other stuff that babies require (strollers, diapers, etc.). Plus it seemed every time we put them in the carseats in the Honda, we would bump their heads on the ceiling and wrench our backs out of joint bending over and reaching down to get them into the backseat of the sedan. So we needed a bigger, taller vehicle - SUV-ville here we come.

I spent much time researching SUVs and decided that should be our next vehicle. Of particular interest were SUVs that could seat more than 5 people (i.e. 3 rows). After test driving numerous models, I fell in love with the 2003 Ford Expedition - independent rear suspension, seating for 8-9 people, 4 wheel drive, can tow a house if you want it to. But, being a large person (6'3" 300lbs) with long legs, I could never get completely comfortable in the front seat because of the stupid center console. My right leg felled constrained and cramped. I was surely not going to spend $32k+ on a vehicle I was not comfortable in (had the same problem when I test drove the Explorer as well).

A friend of mine mentioned that I should look at a minivan, as they often times only had cupholders in the center (no console - for easy access to the children in the rear seat). So, it was time to start the research over again. I test drove a Town and Country - thought it rode like a luxury car, but had worries over reliability as well as Caravan. I couldn't test drive the Odyssey because there were none available. Ruled out the Toyota because of the engine sludge problems. The KIA Sedona was too new and heavy. Started reading about the Mazda MPV and it intrigued me.

I liked the smaller size (since my wife was going to be the primary around town driver, I wanted her to feel comfortable driving it - since she head never driven anything larger than an Accord, I felt hesitant having her drive something as large as an Odyssey, much less an Expedition). I test drove the LX and the ES model at 2 separate dealers. Maybe it was my perception, but I felt that the ES model with the power seat gave me slightly more leg room than the LX with the front driver's seat all the way back (maybe an inch, but it was enough to keep my shin from banging against the center "bumpout" and make the ride all the more enjoyable). From a legroom perspective, nothing was as comfortable as my 1989 Ford Taurus (split bench seat - plenty of room to stretch ones legs and no cockpit feeling). Driving the MPV didn't make me feel like I was driving a boat, it is very nimble and can be agressive at times if one chooses to (needs to) drive that way.

The van sits the perfect height off the road (especially compared to a sedan). No need to bend over to put the kids in their carseats. I feel like I have so much better vision being higher off the ground (but not so high that I feel like I'm going to tip over). The power sliding doors are a lifesaver when walking to the car with kids in hand. The 17" wheels make for a very smooth ride (I did notice a difference between the 17" wheels in the ES and the 15" wheels in the LX during my test drives).

The leather seats allow for easy cleanup from sippy-cup spills, diaper accidents, etc. The 3rd row seat in tailgate mode is the perfect height for changing diapers (while the van is stopped of course) and means we can haul all our stuff to grandma's house, unload when we get there and then take grandma and grandpa out to dinner all in the same car. The 2nd row roll down windows are great for cooling the car off on a hot day and for waving goodbye to the grandparents as we drive off. The fake wood accents give it the feel of a European Luxury car (even though I know the wood is plastic). The 3 yr/50,000 mile standard warranty fits better with our driving habits - (we hit 36K on our Accord after 21 months) for piece of mind.

In comparison with the Odyssey, don't let the comparatively similar price fool you. The Odysseys sell for MSRP or slightly above with Dealer Installed Options. I purchased my MPV using S-plan (Ford preferred partner program through my employer) for just below invoice price and had the choice of 0% financing or $2k rebate (total worked out to $4000 below MSRP of $28,212), even without S-plan the MPVs are going for around invoice +/- $300. The 2003s already have 0% for 36 months on certain models.

Am I glad I purchased my MPV, yes extremely so. With small children, I didn't need the extra leg room of a larger minivan (Odyssey/Grand Caravan/T&C) yet. I don't have a boat (yet) or trailer to tow so a truck-based SUV was not necessary. Also, living in North Carolina where it snows 3 times a decade four wheel drive wasn't necessary since I wasn't going to drive off-road anyway. And for the days it is slippery, the MPV has front wheel drive and traction control. Will we get a larger vehicle, probably, when I have a boat to tow or move into the snowbelt or when the kids get older we will get a full-size SUV (or whatever is around then), but are looking forward to many years in our MPV.