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2002 Mazda MPV
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| Can the MPV deliver on its |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 21:56:52 |
| Rating |
 922 ( -126 -13.66% ) | | Author | Sue Mead |
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Description:
2002 Mazda MPV
Can the MPV deliver on its "sports car" promise?
Writer's Notes
2002 Mazda MPV
Base price: $ 22,250 (LX); $27, 192 (ES)
Engine: 3.0-liter V6
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Drive: Front-wheel
Maximum horsepower: 200 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Maximum torque: 300 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm
Wheelbase: 111.8 in.
Length: 187.8 in.
Width: 72.1 in.
Height: 68.7 in.
Head/leg/shoulder room: 41.0/40.8/59.8 (front); 39.3/37.0/60.1 (second row); 38.0 /35.6/58.1(third row)
Trunk volume: 17.2 cu. ft. (behind third row); 54.6 cu. ft. (third row folded); 127.0 (third row folded; second row seats removed)
Curb weight: 3,794 lbs.
Fuel economy: 18/24 mpg city/highway
Safety equipment: Four wheel ABS; front airbags; ventilated power assist disc brakes with electronic brake assist; ISOFIX child seat tethers; remote entry system with "panic" security mode
The MPV was designed under Mazda's "OptiSpace" program. Despite its name, this design philosophy does not involve space shuttles or Tang - rather, it's an approach that focuses on minimizing the amount of space used for mechanical components in order to maximize interior space.
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Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, California: On my forth lap around the cone-marked auto cross, I apply more power than I think the Mazda MPV will handle in the sharp corners. What's the worst that could happen, I reason? I'll knock over some cones and my time will be nixed from the last lap of the competition. I'm pleasantly surprised to find as I screech through the twisties that all cones are left standing and I am duly impressed with the handling of this minivan that comes from sports car heritage. Power is readily available, steering is tight and there is little body roll, even in the sharpest corners.
To most car enthusiasts, driving a minivan is like a professional skier hitting the bunny slope - pleasant enough, but not all that exciting. Diehard driving aficionados liken buying a minivan to selling your automotive soul. Hoping to break down this barrier between sports car lovers and family taxi drivers, Mazda has added spunk to its 2002 MPV.
Calling it the minivan "with the soul of a sports car," Mazda has equipped this year's model with a 3.0-liter, 200 hp V6 that certainly boosts performance from the previous 2.5-liter motor. But competitor models such as the Honda Odyssey still deliver more power, and the new MPV has had only a minor interior and exterior facelift. Can this small minivan deliver on its big promise?
Parent company Ford certainly hopes so. Mazda's car division has performed well in the past year, with sales slightly up, especially in the small car (Protégé and Millenia) category. But year-to-date sales of the MPV were down 37.8 percent in January 2002, and Ford's overall sales were down 11.6 percent in January.
Re-launching the MPV is part of a strategy to kick-start Mazda in the face of an economic downturn and consumer confidence that is anything but "zoom-zoom"-Mazda's ad campaign tag line. This strategy includes the debut of two Miata special editions, the addition of the tweak-ready MP3 and Protege5 wagon and the preview of a new flagship vehicle, the MAZDA6, at the Detroit Auto Show this year. MAZDA6 should hit showrooms in early 2003 - in the meantime, it's up to vehicles like the minivan to carry the weight.
Taking on a traditional minivan shape from the outside, Mazda's people carrier is made slightly sportier with the addition of a lower front air dam, small grille and cat's-eye headlamps. Five-spoke alloy wheels add flair at ground level, and sides appear slightly curved in, giving the van a trimmer appearance.
A small model relative to many in its class, the MPV is about 188 inches long, with a wheelbase of almost 112 inches. This adds stability and a more refined stance to this upgraded vehicle.
With a major exterior/interior facelift not planned until at least 2005, the big news is under the hood. Mazda has exchanged Ford's lackluster, gas-guzzling 2.5-liter V6 with Ford's newer 3.0-liter Duratec V6. Delivering 200 horses at 6,200 rpm and 300 lb.-ft. of torque at just 3,000 rpm, the replacement motor is just what the driver ordered for this model. The motor is tuned so that 90 percent of torque is available across a wide band -- from 1,800 to 5,500 - which should add driving excitement to post-day care carpool races and more importantly, a safety boost for passing and accident avoidance maneuvers
Matched to this motor is a five-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission with "Slope Control", which helps avoid gear slippage on uphill climbs. Despite increased power, the 2002 MPV is more fuel-efficient than it has been in years past and it is also is categorized as an ultra low emissions vehicle (ULEV).
Calling it the minivan "with the soul of a sports car," Mazda has equipped this year's model with a 3.0-liter, 200 hp V6 that certainly boosts performance from the previous 2.5-liter motor.
The MPV was designed under Mazda's "OptiSpace" program. Despite its name, this design philosophy does not involve space shuttles or Tang - rather, it's an approach that focuses on minimizing the amount of space used for mechanical components in order to maximize interior space. As a result, there is seating for seven, but it is considerably smaller and more manageable than some of its outsized competitors.
The OptiSpace approach also contributes to the relatively sporty look of the exterior, as well as to performance by helping to create a drag coefficient of 0.34 for reduced wind noise, increased stability on the highway and better fuel mileage.
Inside the cabin, a big and somewhat busy dashboard is accented by wood or faux-wood trim and dominated by large, round gauges and a big stereo display. A smooth center console is flush with the dash for foldaway cup and storage space.
One nifty, Mazda-exclusive innovation to the interior is the Side-by Slideâ„¢ row of passenger seats. In the second row, two bucket seats can be pushed together to create a bench seat. Smart parents will translate this as the ability to push the seats apart again to separate rambunctious kids on long road trips.
The third row of seats, like on most minivans, folds flat for storage of cargo, but Mazda has improved on this feature, as well. A Tumble-Downâ„¢ seat folds into the floor, eliminating the need to take the seat out and store it elsewhere, and creating 53 cubic feet or storage in the process-- enough for a Great Dane's doggie carrier. This seat also flips rearward for tailgate parties or picnics minus the ants.
Although the interior is fairly spartan, a host of available features give passengers a wide variety of creature comforts. Power sliding rear doors with power-lowering windows are available for the first time in 2002. Rear climate control and entertainment systems also are available. Conveniences such as large cup holders, a 12-volt power outlet, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, coat hooks and a foldaway table between front seats add to the vehicle's family-focused interior.
This new minivan offers the safety features you'd expect in the segment, but leaves out some that you'd like to see. Front air bags are standard, as are four-wheel antilock brakes. But side airbags are available only as an option, as is Mazda's traction control. However, traction control wasn't even offered before this model year, so it's an improvement. Other safety features include ISOFIX child safety seat tethers and a "panic" feature, part of the remote entry system, which activates the security system if a driver feels unsafe while parked in the car.
The 2002 Mazda MPV is improved over its previous incarnation, and its increased power will be a boost for the model's flagging sales. Of note is that its price-with all of its improvements-is $200 less than last year's model. Facing fierce competition from Chrysler, Honda, Toyota and even its own Ford cousins, the MPV needed this upgrade. Though its sports car soul may be trapped in its family vehicle body, this latest incarnation offers drivers hope that there is automotive life after childbirth.
---Story by Sue Mead |
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