2012 Mazda5 Long-Term Test Drive: Right on Par

[ahmed_7erzon]

Over the past couple of years, one of my favorite summertime activities has been learning to play golf alongside my two daughters. One downside to my job, however, is I occasionally can’t squeeze all our clubs into the back of my test car, which can change every couple of weeks.
Not so with the 2012 Mazda5. Over the weekend, my oldest daughter and I threw our clubs easily into the Mazda5. We folded one of the third-row seats to make space for the clubs, keeping the other seat upright to make space for the family. The Mazda5’s low step-in height isn’t only great for getting Grandma into the car easily for a Saturday morning game of multigenerational golf, but it’s also a real help when loading heavy stuff (like golf clubs) into the cargo area. There’s no large lip to heft things up and over like there is in many SUVs.
I’ve complained before about the noise level inside the Mazda5, and I was hoping it would remedy itself when I switched out the winter tires for all-season tires a couple weeks ago. While it did improve a smidge, it certainly wasn’t enough to solve the problem. On our way to a post-golf lunch with my mom (who at age 68 claims she’s too young to be a grandma) in the second row, my daughter and I had to raise our voices above a comfortable level to carry on a conversation that “Mimi” could hear and participate in. That got old really fast, so I conceded to my 10-year-old’s request to crank up some Justin Bieber tunes.
While I love the flexible seating and cargo configurations inside the Mazda5, if I were buying one I’d seriously have to weigh that pro against the con of the road noise. While some families don’t like to talk to one another, I’m one of those oddballs who actually enjoys catching up with my girls in the car (at least for now when they’re at an age where they still want to talk to me).