Mazda 5 (CR)

Mazda 5 (CR) is a compact people-mover for drivers who want a small minivan rather than a full-size van. By our assessment, its strength is the easygoing layout: sliding-door practicality, decent cabin flexibility, and the kind of packaging that makes family errands and school runs less awkward than in a sedan. The compromise is that this shape is about usefulness, not flair, so the driving feel and style are secondary to space and access. In practice, the Mazda 5 feels like a car built around loading people and day-to-day family jobs, with more urban manners than a bigger MPV. It sits between a wagon and a proper minivan, which is why it appeals to buyers who want maximum function without going all the way up in size, and the 5 in the name is part of the model designation.