Seven into 5 will go

THE sales pitch I got on returning the Mazda5 was as surprising as it was convincing. It was delivered with considerable enthusiasm by a mum clutching a couple of litres of fruit juice and some other convenience shopping from dealer Forest Road Garage's forecourt shop.

They say there is no finer advert than a satisfied customer and this owner was plainly delighted with her Mazda5.

And not without reason. Although Mazda call the 5 a C-Mav (compact multi activity vehicle) we know it as one of the most stylish and one of the safest of small MPVs.

But things have moved on since we first saw the 5 in, appropriately, 2005 and its competitors in this fiercely-contested sector have raised their game.

So enter the all-new Mazda5 – and the entrance is a pretty dramatic one.

It's a little longer than the original and those flanks are all waves and swoops as Mazda applies its Nagare flowing influence of nature concept to the seven-seater.

The result is striking – certainly not like anything else in the segment – and practical, too.

The sculpted bonnet line just ahead of the scuttle punts the air high over the parked wipers, minimising wind noise, and Mazda say that body repairs should not be more expensive as a result of those waves on its flanks.

Apparently the design features stand out much more in some colours than in others so you can tone it down or flaunt it as you wish by choosing carefully from the eight paint options.

The new colour, Clear Water Blue, is rather fetching.

The original 5 appealed to keen drivers more than most of its rivals and while there's more to an MPV (or C-Mav) than just driver appeal, it makes sense to look after the people in the paying seats.

It was late evening when I picked up Forest Road Garage's demonstrator, a top-of-the (petrol) range 2.0 Sport.

The blue low-temperature warning light is a nice touch – discouraging the driver from gunning it before the motor has warmed up.

Instrumentation is classic and crystal clear and the six-speed gearbox a joy to use.

A stiffer bodyshell and reworked suspension and steering make it pretty sharp to pilot for an MPV and the new Disi (Direct injection spark ignition) powerplant is refined and eager, delivering 120mph performance, reaching the metric ton in a decidedly acceptable 11 seconds.

And all this is achieved along with 13% better fuel economy and a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with the outgoing 2.0 litre.

Mazda's i-stop system helps, cutting the motor when stationary and in neutral and restarting when the clutch goes down to select first.

It's the most unobtrusive system I've come across and Mazda say that's down to its 'combustion+starter motor-assist' system that uses engine combustion to get things spinning again rather than relying on the old electric starter motor only system, restarting the engine in a little over a third of a second – around half the time of rival systems.

And the powerplant is so quiet at tickover that you find yourself checking the tacho to make sure that it is running.

Another clever bit of technology introduced in the new 5 is Mazda's Brake Override System, which prioritises the brake over the accelerator should both be hit simultaneously.

There's another impressive aid to economy and efficiency, a gearshift indicator that displays the gear selected and indicates when a shift up or down is advisable.

Not rocket science but it is much less naggy and annoying than many similar devices and it seems intelligent enough to stay out of the way when you are pressing on.

This 5 is a bit longer than the previous model so those whose family fill the seats and further reduce rearward visibility will be glad of the rear parking sensors standard on the upper two models.

Other engine options are an uprated but lower-emitting, more-frugal 1.8 petrol and a 1.6 litre common rail turbo diesel returning 54mpg in the combined cycle and 138g/km of CO2.

The decent driving experience is complemented by a generous kit list that includes curtain airbags covering all three rows of seats in addition to the usual front and front side bags, electric windows all round, electric mirrors, leather upholstery, climate control and a decent infotainment package.

But of course MPVs are still largely defined by what's behind the front seats.

Electrically powered remote-controlled sliding doors give good access to the second and third row.

While rear and centre row legroom are among the best in the compact MPV class, the two back row seats are not for full-sized adults on any but the shortest journey. But the outer two centre row seats are fine and dashed clever with it.

Tip the centre row left seat cushion forward and the centre middle seat cushion can sit in the space below it.

Then either drop the centre seatback forwards and down for a wide and comfortable centre armrest, or fold out the practical Karakuri utility box from under the right seat cushion – into the centre space.

This is especially practical, because it has a large top tray and a net below that can hold various items a family needs while travelling.

It can also create a useful DMZ between warring siblings.

And when the Karakuri box is in use, it frees a 6.3-litre space under the seat.

When the middle row centre seat is in place it now sits level with the those either side – previously it stood proud.

And with all the centre gubbins out of the way, there's a walk-through to the third row.

The 50:50 third row seats stow easily individually into the rear floor and are easy to pull up again.

That increases the loadbay from 112 litres to 426 when loaded to the waistline and 788 floor to ceiling.

With two pop-up tables with cup holders for second row passengers and up to 45 storage compartments, the 5 is a great family companion.

Bigger families might need something more like what the Americans call, with some justification, a minivan.

But offering a supremely adaptable seven-seat interior within the overall width of a supermini, the stylish 5 is a tempting prospect.