Second-hand Mazda5 proves to be surprisingly sporty

Special to the Star

To introduce its tall-boy wagon to Americans, Mazda embarked on a co-branding exercise with sportswear maker Quiksilver, hoping that the clothing label had enough street cred to convince fickle youth to buy a $20,000 car. As if.

No need for a convoluted advertising campaign up here. Canadians got the Mazda5 straight away: it was a four-cylinder multipurpose vehicle (MPV), a segment that's been growing in Europe since the Renault Espace debuted in 1984.

Dollar-a-litre gasoline helped goose sales.

The all-new 2006 Mazda5 came to rule the "microvan" class almost unchallenged in North America. The closest competitor was the Kia Rondo, although the South Korean bore conventional hinged doors rather than a pair of sliders.

What also set the Mazda5 apart was its fun-to-drive verve, exhibiting none of the buzzkill that other minivans inflict upon driving enthusiasts.

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