2002 Mazda MPV ES

Controls are now more easily accessible, and the front cupholders are larger than before. ES trim includes leather upholstery and a 9-speaker sound system.

Inside changes are visually quite modest, but effective nonetheless. A revised control layout on the audio system permits easier access to controls while the front cupholders have been re-scaled to handle even jumbo-sized drinks. However, the most significant addition involves the introduction of power sliding side doors. Optional on the LX and standard on ES, these hands-free access ports are also fitted with retractable glass, a feature that helps eliminate any sense of claustrophobia and makes them unique among today's minivan set. Both MPV models boast a comprehensive list of features, including air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, cruise control, tilt steering column, and front/rear intermittent washer/wipers.


On the people- and cargo-hauling fronts, these MPV siblings come with removable second-row captain's chairs that offer five inches of fore/aft travel as well as Mazda's Side-by-Slide transverse adjustability plus the Tumble-Under third-row bench that disappears into a well in the floor and rotates 90 degrees to become the perfect perch for a tailgate party. That setup allows MPV payload to encompass anywhere from seven passengers and 17.2 cubic feet of cargo to two people and 127.0 cubic feet of assorted stuff.

Power side doors allow easy ingress and cargo access. Second-row captain's chairs can be removed and the third seat folded to accommodate up to 127 cubic feet of stuff.

Stepping up to ES adds even more to the mix. In addition to the features previously mentioned, leather replaces cloth in the upline MPV, a 9-speaker/180-watt AM/FM/CD/cassette sound system supplants the base 4-speaker/100-watt AM/FM/CD and offers a 6-disc in-dash changer option, and rear air conditioning and front side airbags are standard. While Mazda will introduce an Aero package (body kit and rear spoiler) by mid-year, the sole other extras available on the ES are a power moonroof and a cold-weather package.


Our first encounter with the new MPV came in a day of meandering up and down the coast of central California over a variety of terrain and road types. It soon became evident that Mazda's mid-term upgrade program was a solid success. Despite a slight tendency for its transmission to engage in some gear-hunting on steeper uphill stretches, there's no question that the new powertrain makes a huge difference in the vehicle's overall performance. The suspension changes also merit kudos for materially curtailing roll and pitch motions in corners while enhancing steering feel and attenuating kickback.


Even with its comprehensive array of changes, there's not much chance of the MPV blasting into the forefront in a pure sales-numbers game. But the host of improvements Mazda has made to its handsome people-hauler should at least put it on a lot more people's short list of minivans worth a test drive. (www.mazdausa.com)